O Sing unto the Lord a New Song, SATB &Organ, with Baritone Solo ad lib. by Healey Willan;Ye Shall Know That the Lord Will Come, SATB &Organ, with Optional Solos by Healey Willan;Hymn-Anthem on the Tune "Marion," SATB &Organ by Healey Willan; Hymn-Anthem on theTune "O Quanta Qualia," SATB &Organ by Healey Willan; O Be Joyful in God, SATB &Organ byHealey Willan; The Aaronic Benediction &The Apostolic Benediction, SATB ...Review by: Irving LowensNotes, Second Series, Vol. 17, No. 1 (Dec., 1959), p. 145Published by: Music Library AssociationStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/893885 .

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vian creative spirits. Despite its rawness, it strikes me as more spontaneous and effective than Peter's "Glory Be to Him," a setting of the Moravian Easter Litany in similarly jubilant mood, but not one of the composer's most noteworthy pieces.

The two Holy Week arias by Grimm are couched in the harmonic language of the late Baroque, and they seem to be nothing more than competent Kapell- meistermusik of the period, of interest only because Grimm was probably Peter's teacher.

The J. A. P. Schulz Christmas item, gemitlich as all get out, is not my dish of tea, but it will no doubt appeal to many conservative choir directors not allergic to its faded charm. Healey Willan: O Sing unto the Lord a New Song, SATB & organ, with baritone solo ad lib.; Ye Shall Know That the Lord Will Come, SATB & organ, with optional solos; Hymn-Anthem on the Tune "Mar- ion," SATB & organ; Hymn-Anthem on the Tune "O Quanta Qualia," SATB & organ; O Be Joyful in God, SATB & organ; The Aaronic Bene- diction & The Apostolic Benediction, SATB & organ; Hymn-Anthem on the Tune "Father, We Praise Thee," SATB & organ; Hymn-Anthem on the Tune "O Strength and Stay," SATB & organ; Hymn-Anthem on the Tune "St. Osmund," SATB & organ. (Ed. Peters, Nos. 6016, 6052, 6065, 6066, 6073, 6099, 6125, 6126, 6157.) New York: C. F. Peters Corp., 1956-59. [15, 15, 7, 7, 15, 3, 5, 4, 4 p.; 20Q, 25P, 20¢, 20<, 25¢, 20¢, 25¢ 20(-, 25¢]

Were an unknown young composer to bring out anthems of such quality, I have a strong idea that there would be many in church music circles who would sit up suddenly and take notice. Healey Willan, however, is no unknown young composer. Despite the fresh youthfulness of this music, Willan, English by birth but Canadian by choice, will become an octogenarian in 1960.

The nine anthems here noted, all issued by Peters within the past few years, provide a handy peg upon which to hang a brief evaluation of the Willan

vian creative spirits. Despite its rawness, it strikes me as more spontaneous and effective than Peter's "Glory Be to Him," a setting of the Moravian Easter Litany in similarly jubilant mood, but not one of the composer's most noteworthy pieces.

The two Holy Week arias by Grimm are couched in the harmonic language of the late Baroque, and they seem to be nothing more than competent Kapell- meistermusik of the period, of interest only because Grimm was probably Peter's teacher.

The J. A. P. Schulz Christmas item, gemitlich as all get out, is not my dish of tea, but it will no doubt appeal to many conservative choir directors not allergic to its faded charm. Healey Willan: O Sing unto the Lord a New Song, SATB & organ, with baritone solo ad lib.; Ye Shall Know That the Lord Will Come, SATB & organ, with optional solos; Hymn-Anthem on the Tune "Mar- ion," SATB & organ; Hymn-Anthem on the Tune "O Quanta Qualia," SATB & organ; O Be Joyful in God, SATB & organ; The Aaronic Bene- diction & The Apostolic Benediction, SATB & organ; Hymn-Anthem on the Tune "Father, We Praise Thee," SATB & organ; Hymn-Anthem on the Tune "O Strength and Stay," SATB & organ; Hymn-Anthem on the Tune "St. Osmund," SATB & organ. (Ed. Peters, Nos. 6016, 6052, 6065, 6066, 6073, 6099, 6125, 6126, 6157.) New York: C. F. Peters Corp., 1956-59. [15, 15, 7, 7, 15, 3, 5, 4, 4 p.; 20Q, 25P, 20¢, 20<, 25¢, 20¢, 25¢ 20(-, 25¢]

Were an unknown young composer to bring out anthems of such quality, I have a strong idea that there would be many in church music circles who would sit up suddenly and take notice. Healey Willan, however, is no unknown young composer. Despite the fresh youthfulness of this music, Willan, English by birth but Canadian by choice, will become an octogenarian in 1960.

The nine anthems here noted, all issued by Peters within the past few years, provide a handy peg upon which to hang a brief evaluation of the Willan

vian creative spirits. Despite its rawness, it strikes me as more spontaneous and effective than Peter's "Glory Be to Him," a setting of the Moravian Easter Litany in similarly jubilant mood, but not one of the composer's most noteworthy pieces.

The two Holy Week arias by Grimm are couched in the harmonic language of the late Baroque, and they seem to be nothing more than competent Kapell- meistermusik of the period, of interest only because Grimm was probably Peter's teacher.

The J. A. P. Schulz Christmas item, gemitlich as all get out, is not my dish of tea, but it will no doubt appeal to many conservative choir directors not allergic to its faded charm. Healey Willan: O Sing unto the Lord a New Song, SATB & organ, with baritone solo ad lib.; Ye Shall Know That the Lord Will Come, SATB & organ, with optional solos; Hymn-Anthem on the Tune "Mar- ion," SATB & organ; Hymn-Anthem on the Tune "O Quanta Qualia," SATB & organ; O Be Joyful in God, SATB & organ; The Aaronic Bene- diction & The Apostolic Benediction, SATB & organ; Hymn-Anthem on the Tune "Father, We Praise Thee," SATB & organ; Hymn-Anthem on the Tune "O Strength and Stay," SATB & organ; Hymn-Anthem on the Tune "St. Osmund," SATB & organ. (Ed. Peters, Nos. 6016, 6052, 6065, 6066, 6073, 6099, 6125, 6126, 6157.) New York: C. F. Peters Corp., 1956-59. [15, 15, 7, 7, 15, 3, 5, 4, 4 p.; 20Q, 25P, 20¢, 20<, 25¢, 20¢, 25¢ 20(-, 25¢]

Were an unknown young composer to bring out anthems of such quality, I have a strong idea that there would be many in church music circles who would sit up suddenly and take notice. Healey Willan, however, is no unknown young composer. Despite the fresh youthfulness of this music, Willan, English by birth but Canadian by choice, will become an octogenarian in 1960.

The nine anthems here noted, all issued by Peters within the past few years, provide a handy peg upon which to hang a brief evaluation of the Willan

style for those church musicians who are not familiar with it.

As may perhaps be expected from one of his generation, Willan composes in what might be called the English Hymnal tradition. This may sound pretty tame to avant-gardists, but at the beginning of the 20th century it was a revolutionary forward step, and for me it possesses a certain feeling of contemporaneity linked with tradition that is quite unique. Its particular hallmarks are modality in harmonization and the exploitation of the English folk-curve in melodic flow. It is exquisitely well suited to the church, and Willan is a master craftsman in its tasteful utilization.

The so-called hymn-anthems in this group are settings of hymn tunes for a church choir of moderate attainments with subtle and delicate organ accom- paniments. One might well call them choral chorale-preludes were not the term so clumsy. They have the inherent dignity and grace of the style; on occasion they rise to peaks of real eloquence. Any one of them can be unhesitatingly recom- mended. As a group, they tend to be rather similar in mood, but they would never be performed as a group in actual practice in any case.

Of the remaining four works, "0 Be Joyful in God" (for Thanksgiving or general use) and "Ye Shall Know That the Lord Will Come," running about ten minutes each in performance time, are somewhat more ambitious than the others. I found the latter especially effec- tive, and I was quite intrigued at the distinctive way in which the composer artfully blended chromatic and modal progressions. Indeed, there are moments in all of this music where, were one to disguise the composer's name, another, somewhat more honored one would imme- diately spring to mind. And I do not think it would bring dishonor to the greatness of the original to term Healey Willan the Canadian Ralph Vaughan Williams. Vittorio Giannini: Canticle of the Martyrs. For SATB, baritone solo & orchestra. New York: H. W. Gray Co., 1959. [Organ-vocal score, 32 p., $1.00; full score & parts for rent]

style for those church musicians who are not familiar with it.

As may perhaps be expected from one of his generation, Willan composes in what might be called the English Hymnal tradition. This may sound pretty tame to avant-gardists, but at the beginning of the 20th century it was a revolutionary forward step, and for me it possesses a certain feeling of contemporaneity linked with tradition that is quite unique. Its particular hallmarks are modality in harmonization and the exploitation of the English folk-curve in melodic flow. It is exquisitely well suited to the church, and Willan is a master craftsman in its tasteful utilization.

The so-called hymn-anthems in this group are settings of hymn tunes for a church choir of moderate attainments with subtle and delicate organ accom- paniments. One might well call them choral chorale-preludes were not the term so clumsy. They have the inherent dignity and grace of the style; on occasion they rise to peaks of real eloquence. Any one of them can be unhesitatingly recom- mended. As a group, they tend to be rather similar in mood, but they would never be performed as a group in actual practice in any case.

Of the remaining four works, "0 Be Joyful in God" (for Thanksgiving or general use) and "Ye Shall Know That the Lord Will Come," running about ten minutes each in performance time, are somewhat more ambitious than the others. I found the latter especially effec- tive, and I was quite intrigued at the distinctive way in which the composer artfully blended chromatic and modal progressions. Indeed, there are moments in all of this music where, were one to disguise the composer's name, another, somewhat more honored one would imme- diately spring to mind. And I do not think it would bring dishonor to the greatness of the original to term Healey Willan the Canadian Ralph Vaughan Williams. Vittorio Giannini: Canticle of the Martyrs. For SATB, baritone solo & orchestra. New York: H. W. Gray Co., 1959. [Organ-vocal score, 32 p., $1.00; full score & parts for rent]

style for those church musicians who are not familiar with it.

As may perhaps be expected from one of his generation, Willan composes in what might be called the English Hymnal tradition. This may sound pretty tame to avant-gardists, but at the beginning of the 20th century it was a revolutionary forward step, and for me it possesses a certain feeling of contemporaneity linked with tradition that is quite unique. Its particular hallmarks are modality in harmonization and the exploitation of the English folk-curve in melodic flow. It is exquisitely well suited to the church, and Willan is a master craftsman in its tasteful utilization.

The so-called hymn-anthems in this group are settings of hymn tunes for a church choir of moderate attainments with subtle and delicate organ accom- paniments. One might well call them choral chorale-preludes were not the term so clumsy. They have the inherent dignity and grace of the style; on occasion they rise to peaks of real eloquence. Any one of them can be unhesitatingly recom- mended. As a group, they tend to be rather similar in mood, but they would never be performed as a group in actual practice in any case.

Of the remaining four works, "0 Be Joyful in God" (for Thanksgiving or general use) and "Ye Shall Know That the Lord Will Come," running about ten minutes each in performance time, are somewhat more ambitious than the others. I found the latter especially effec- tive, and I was quite intrigued at the distinctive way in which the composer artfully blended chromatic and modal progressions. Indeed, there are moments in all of this music where, were one to disguise the composer's name, another, somewhat more honored one would imme- diately spring to mind. And I do not think it would bring dishonor to the greatness of the original to term Healey Willan the Canadian Ralph Vaughan Williams. Vittorio Giannini: Canticle of the Martyrs. For SATB, baritone solo & orchestra. New York: H. W. Gray Co., 1959. [Organ-vocal score, 32 p., $1.00; full score & parts for rent]

145 145 145

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