Composer

:

Herbert Howells

Genre

:

Choral

Style

:

Hymn

Compose Date

:

1938

Average_duration

:

45:38

Movement_count

:

6

Movement ....

Hymnus Paradisi is a choral work composed by Herbert Howells in memory of his son, Michael, who died in 1935 at the age of nine. The piece was not performed until 1950, as Howells was too grief-stricken to complete it for many years. The premiere was given at the Three Choirs Festival in Gloucester on September 8, 1950, with the London Symphony Orchestra and Chorus conducted by Sir Adrian Boult. The work is divided into three movements: Requiem aeternam, Psalm 23, and Sanctus. The first movement, Requiem aeternam, is a setting of the Latin Mass for the Dead. It begins with a mournful, unaccompanied choral chant, which is then taken up by the orchestra. The movement builds to a climax with the choir singing "et lux perpetua luceat eis" ("and let perpetual light shine upon them") before fading away into silence. The second movement, Psalm 23, is a setting of the well-known psalm. It begins with a solo soprano singing the first line, "The Lord is my shepherd," before the choir joins in. The movement is characterized by its gentle, pastoral quality, with the choir and orchestra evoking the peacefulness of the countryside. The final movement, Sanctus, is a setting of the Latin hymn of praise. It begins with a fanfare-like orchestral introduction before the choir enters with the words "Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus" ("Holy, Holy, Holy"). The movement is characterized by its grandeur and majesty, with the choir and orchestra building to a powerful climax before ending in a peaceful, ethereal coda. Overall, Hymnus Paradisi is a deeply emotional and personal work, reflecting Howells' grief over the loss of his son. It is characterized by its lush harmonies, soaring melodies, and evocative orchestration, and is considered one of Howells' greatest works.

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