Composer

:

Herbert Howells

Genre

:

Choral

Style

:

Lullaby

Compose Date

:

1918

Average_duration

:

3:27

Herbert Howells' "Sing Lullaby" is a choral work that was composed in 1920. It was premiered in the same year by the choir of King's College, Cambridge. The piece is written for four-part choir (SATB) and is set to a text by the English poet, Edmund Blunden. "Sing Lullaby" is a single-movement work that is characterized by its gentle, lullaby-like melody and its rich, harmonious texture. The piece begins with a soft, flowing melody in the soprano and alto voices, which is then joined by the tenor and bass voices. The harmonies are lush and warm, creating a sense of comfort and security. As the piece progresses, the melody becomes more complex, with the different voices weaving in and out of each other. The harmonies become more dissonant, adding a sense of tension and drama to the piece. However, the tension is always resolved, and the piece ends on a peaceful, serene note. One of the most striking features of "Sing Lullaby" is its use of word painting. Howells uses the music to bring out the meaning of the text, with the melody rising and falling to reflect the rise and fall of the words. For example, the word "lullaby" is set to a gentle, rocking melody, while the word "weeping" is set to a more mournful, descending melody. Overall, "Sing Lullaby" is a beautiful and moving piece of choral music that showcases Howells' skill as a composer. Its gentle melody and rich harmonies make it a perfect choice for Christmas concerts and other festive occasions.

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