Anglican Patrimony and the Choral Tradition? We think back to the mid 20th century to Herbert Howells, a humble man, who on a rainy day would write music at his desk as Mrs Howells was busy doing her thing and reading in her favourite chair.

With the cosy Sunday afternoon rain outside beating on the windows (thinking the Requiem), he would scribble his Manuscrpt, writing some of the finest choral music for the Englsih Church this side of Henry Purcell - but connected completely within the continurity of that tradition - or is that how we would like to see it?

What now? Where, into the 21st century, do we see, not so much a successor to Howells, but a worthy exponent of an Anglican choral music tradition? (Don't you dare say Rutter or I'll break thorugh your screen and slap you!)

Your answers please?

The King's College Cambridge music list for last term includes various English composers, but none post-Howells of whom one would say - there, that is the sucessor; perhaps it is because their output was not predominantly for sacred use. To mention a few listed - Rubbra, Ridout, Britten, Tippett...

Howells studied with Stanford - is he Stanford's heir, I wonder... Stanford is buried next to Purcell in Westminster Abbey. Howells is there, too.

He's neither English nor Anglican, but James MacMillan seems to have some creative ideas about reinvigorating liturgical music, choral music, congregational music etc. Mind you, he seems to equate liturgical function with shameless populism. Goes with the territory probably.

Alan Ridout died in 1996 at the age of 62. Tippett died in 1998 at the ripe old age of 93. As Gavin says, James Macmillan is neither English nor Anglican. His musical output is inspired by his Roman Catholic faith. We sing his St Anne's Mass from time to time - a very good congregational setting - and not what I would be in any hurry to call 'shameless populism' (though I think I know what Gavin is alluding to!)

The natural habitat for "the Choral Tradition" has always been the cathedrals and the college chapels (rather than the parish church) and I can't imagine that King's College Cambridge is alone in presenting a diet scant in contemporary choral music.

Allan Wicks's memorial Evensong in Canterbury Cathedral last Friday, I am told, was an astonishing occasion; 500+ in the Nave, most of whom were musicians. The congregational singing was exceptional. The setting of the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis was by Howells - Collegium Regale; one of the anthems was a new work by Gabriel Jackson, who is an ex-chorister of Canterbury Cathedral. Interesting...

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article7022331.ece

Interesting, given that Evensong's liturgical thrust is the Mag and Nunc... and yet... Howells again? It's good to chuck in a new anthem along the way... but that is just a nice weave into the liturgy... and now we take a pause to liten to "new music" ???

Recognising that this isn't the most popular thread here on Musbook, I offer this interesting article linked from the Daily Telegraph (04-09-10) as something to contemplate maybe.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/classicalmusic/7981393/Herbert-Howells-drew-glory-from-a-well-of-grief.html