In 1941, when Howells was acting organist at St John’s College, Cambridge, he attended a tea party hosted by Eric Milner-White, the Dean of King’s College (and the founder of the famous Christmas Festival of Lessons and Carols). It was there he encountered Boris Ord (Director of Music at King’s College) and Patrick Hadley (organist of Gonville and Caius College). In a moment of convivial challenge, the three men bet Howells a guinea that he could not compose a suitable canticle setting for the King’s College Choir.
Howells rose to the occasion with remarkable success, producing a setting of the Te Deum. He later wryly remarked that it was ‘the only Te Deum to be born of a decanal bet.’ Encouraged by this triumph, Howells continued to create other settings: the Jubilate for Mattins in 1944 and the Magnificat and Nunc dimittis for Choral Evensong in 1945. In 1956, he revisited these works for his setting of the Office of the Holy Communion, known as the Collegium Regale (Latin for King’s College).
Paul Spicer, a distinguished former pupil of Howells, extolled the Collegium Regale settings, observing that ‘one guinea kickstarted music for the Anglican Church into a whole new phase of existence.’ Upon their debut, the Collegium Regale Te Deum and Collegium Regale Jubilate were highly acclaimed and have enjoyed continued popularity to this day. These works epitomize Howells’ ability to merge traditional Anglican liturgical forms with his distinctively lush harmonic style, producing music that is both spiritually profound and musically engaging.
The Collegium Regale Te Deum is a work of considerable scope and grandeur. This setting is noted for its sophisticated harmonic language and dramatic use of the choir and organ. The opening is characterized by a stately, majestic theme presented in the choir supported by lush, expansive organ chords, employing rich harmonies. As the piece progresses, Howells intersperses full choral textures with more delicate, soloistic passages. The dynamic contrasts are particularly striking: from the powerful fortissimo declarations of ‘Holy, holy, holy’ to the more reflective pianissimo moments that follow, Howells effectively captures the text’s varying emotional tones.
The organ part is integral in providing both a robust foundation and intricate, responsive interludes that mirror the choral lines. One of the most dramatic sections
is the climactic ‘Thou art the King of Glory, O Christ’, where the choir and organ build to a powerful, triumphant affirmation. This is followed by a serene, almost ethereal section that underscores Howells’ ability to shift from grandeur to intimacy seamlessly.
The Collegium Regale Jubilate is a vibrant and, well, jubilant setting of Ps 100. Howells infuses this piece with a lively tempo and rhythmic vitality, making it a joyful counterpart to the more solemn Te Deum. The Jubilate opens with a bright, energetic theme in the choir underpinned by a playful and rhythmic organ accompaniment. Howells’ use of syncopation and dynamic shifts in the Jubilate gives the piece a sense of buoyancy and excitement.
The organ often mirrors the choir’s exuberant phrases, creating a dialogue that enhances the overall joyous atmosphere. The harmonies, while still rich, are lighter and more open compared to the Te Deum, reflecting the text’s call to joyful praise. In the middle section, ‘Be ye sure that the Lord he is God’, Howells introduces a more lyrical, flowing melody that provides a brief contrast to the otherwise lively tempo. This moment of lyricism is short-lived, as the piece quickly returns to its original spirited character, concluding with a powerful and exultant ‘Amen.’
These are prime examples of Howells’ skill in choral composition within the Anglican tradition, artfully joining Tudor music with modern harmonies and counterpoints. In an age when the music of worship is often trite and superficial, his compositions serve as vehicles of true excellence in worship. Pretty good for a one-guinea bet!
Dr Jonathan Murphy, Organist and Choirmaster at First Presbyterian Church, Savannah, Georgia, is a vocalist, pianist, conductor, and teacher with advanced degrees in Music from University of Tennessee and University of Oklahoma.