Herbert Howells: Piano Works

This collection of 27 pieces, transcribed and edited by the Howells scholar Jonathan Clinch and published for the first time to coincide with Matthew Schellhorn's recording of the complete piano music by Howells for Naxos, reveals a previously neglected aspect of this celebrated English composer. The pieces chart the musical development of Howells, from his earliest known work “The Arab's Song,” written when he as 16, to the “Petrus Suite,” completed in his 80s, as well as demonstrating his fascination with French music (“Phantasy,” “Harlequin Dreaming”) and the Tudor period (“Pavane” and “Galliard.”) The volume also includes the moving tribute to his friend and fellow composer Finzi. Comprising a wide array of pieces from characterful miniatures to more substantial suites, the collection will appeal to Howells devotees and lovers of 20th century English music, as well as to anyone seeking fresh and distinctive piano repertoire.