Howells – Take him earth for cherishing (1963/4)  

Herbert Howells, a distinguished English composer born in 1892, made substantial contributions to 20th-century choral music, leaving an enduring impact on the English cathedral tradition. Howells’ musical career spanned periods of war and social change, and his compositions often reflect a deep emotional resonance and spiritual sensitivity.  

“Take him, earth, for cherishing” (1963/4) is one of Howells’ notable choral works, composed in response to the tragic death of President John F. Kennedy. This piece, written for unaccompanied mixed choir in eight voices, sets a poignant text by Robert Bridges.  

Howells, in his own notes for a recording in 1967 by the Choir of King’s College Cambridge, added

‘Within the year following the tragic death of President Kennedy in Texas plans were made for a dual American-Canadian Memorial Service to be held in Washington. I was asked to compose an a cappella work for the commemoration. The text was mine to choose, Biblical or other. Choice was settled when I recalled a poem by Prudentius (AD 348–413). I had already set it in its medieval Latin years earlier, as a study for Hymnus Paradisi. But now I used none of that unpublished setting. Instead I turned to Helen Waddell’s faultless translation […] Here was the perfect text—the Prudentius ‘Hymnus circa exsequias defuncti’.’

The title and lyrics convey a sense of farewell and mourning, encapsulating both personal grief and the broader sentiments of a world in mourning. Examining the work reveals Howells’ profound engagement with the text and his ability to convey complex emotions through music. The choral setting is characterized by lush harmonies, poignant dissonances, and a melodic expressiveness that captures the solemnity of the occasion. 

Howells’ composition skillfully navigates the delicate balance between individual grief and collective sorrow, creating a work that transcends its specific historical context. Comparing “Take him, earth, for cherishing” with other contemporary choral compositions emphasizes Howells’ unique voice within the English choral tradition.  

While drawing on the rich heritage of English choral music, Howells adds a distinctive modern sensibility, blending traditional elements with a more emotive and harmonically complex language. The work stands alongside compositions by contemporaries such as Vaughan Williams and Britten, reflecting a shared commitment to expressing the complexities of the human experience through choral music.  

Herbert Howells’ “Take him, earth, for cherishing” endures as a poignant and evocative tribute, both to President Kennedy and as a universal expression of grief and remembrance. The work’s emotional depth, coupled with Howells’ masterful choral craftsmanship, solidifies its place as a significant contribution to the English choral repertoire and a testament to the enduring power of music to convey profound emotions.