Psalm Prelude, Set Two, No. 2 (Ps. 139 v. 11)

Herbert Howells' (1892-1983) contribution to the twentieth century organ repertoire is one of the most significant of any British composer. He was Herbert Brewer’s articled pupil at Gloucester Cathedral for two years before taking up a scholarship to the Royal College of Music in 1912. There he studied with, among others, Stanford, who described the young Howells as his “son in music”. Howells’ career as an organist was brief: he was forced by ill health to quit the post of sub-organist at Salisbury Cathedral in 1917. He later deputized for a conscripted Robin Orr at St. John’s College, Cambridge between 1941 and 1945.

Howells has remained the quintessential English church composer of the twentieth century. The first set of psalm preludes was written between 1915-16 as three miniature tone poems, each of which "comment" on a particular verse from the Book of Psalms. The second set. from which this work is taken are written about 25 years, and show the composer's more "modern" style.

"Psalm Prelude, Set Two, No. 2" was composed in London on April 12, 1939. It takes as its text the eleventh verse of Psalm 139 - "Yea, the darkness is no darkness with Thee, but the night is as clear as the day: the darkness and the light to Thee are both alike."

It is dedicated: "For William H. Harris". Harris, known by his choristers ad "Doc H" was organist of New College, Oxford and St. George's, Windsor, and was a leading figure in his time.

From the very first notes we are sure that this piece could be by nobody but Howells! The lines and colors twist and shimmer, as if moving from darkness into light, and then back again. There is an "ancient feel" to the music, although it is quite modern.

Pulsing pedal points and shifting key centers lead towards an impressive, but not "massive" climax.

The "meltdown" again reveals all of the compositional" fingerprints of the composer, and the work eventual dies away in a state of repose.

Photos of Howells & Harris attached.