Three Rhapsodies, Op.17 Cover Image

Three Rhapsodies, Op.17: Organ, Solo, Unaccompanied, Book (LUDWIGMASTERS)

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Three Rhapsodies, Op.17 Cover Image
Three Rhapsodies, Op.17: Organ, Solo, Unaccompanied, Book (LUDWIGMASTERS)

Three Rhapsodies, Op.17: Organ, Solo, Unaccompanied, Book (LUDWIGMASTERS)

By Herbert Howells

Item: 36-M239191
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Description
Herbert Howells (1892–1983) composed his THREE RHAPSODIES, Op. 17 between 1915 and 1918, during his early years as a developing composer finding his personal voice. These works, written for solo organ, represent some of his youthful experiments in the freer, improvisatory "rhapsody" form, already hinting at the rich harmonic language and emotional depth that would characterize his later liturgical and choral music. The pieces were first published in London by Augener in 1919. Today, THREE RHAPSODIES, Op. 17 remains a modest but beloved part of the 20th-century English organ repertoire, appreciated for its lyrical warmth, introspective character, and as an early glimpse into Howells's mature voice. Reprint edition.

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Additional Details
Series: Master Organ Series - LudwigMasters
Publisher: Keiser Productions, Inc.
UPC: 660355057410
SKU: 36-M239191
Instrumentation: Organ

More about this title

About the Composer: Herbert Howells

Herbert Howells (1892–1983) was a prolific English composer whose career spanned most of the twentieth century. Though trained in the classical tradition and influenced by his studies with Charles Villiers Stanford, Howells developed a deeply personal harmonic language rooted in English cathedral music and liturgical practice. His early works, including the Three Rhapsodies, reveal a composer experimenting with romantic harmonic color and improvisatory form while still finding his mature voice.

Howells held the position of Director of Music at St Paul's Cathedral in London and composed extensively for the church, producing some of the most performed English anthems and liturgical works of the era. His organ music, both early and late, stands as a significant contribution to twentieth-century repertoire for the instrument. His influence on English church music and composition pedagogy remains substantial.

Why we love this

These three pieces capture Howells at a formative moment, experimenting with rhapsodic freedom while displaying the harmonic sophistication that would define his later sacred works. They're substantial enough to challenge a developing organist yet accessible in their emotional directness, making them ideal recital material for players seeking mid-twentieth-century English repertoire that doesn't require virtuosic technical demands.

What to expect

The Three Rhapsodies unfold with lyrical warmth and introspective character, their improvisatory form inviting the organist to shape emotional arcs through harmonic color and registrational choice. Howells's harmonic language leans romantic but ventures into unexpected harmonic territories, creating moments of quiet radiance alongside passages of searching, contemplative depth.

Who it's for

Intermediate to advanced organists seeking early twentieth-century English repertoire with substantial musical content but reasonable technical demands. These pieces suit church musicians, recital performers, and students exploring the transition between romantic and modern harmonic language in organ music.

How to get the most out of it

  • Treat each rhapsody as an improvisational journey rather than a strictly metered composition; allow the phrasing to breathe and respond to the acoustic of your space.
  • Explore the full range of your instrument's tonal palette; Howells's harmonic language gains depth when you distinguish between warm, blended registrations and more transparent combinations.
  • Pay close attention to the dynamic shapes within each piece; the emotional arcs are often built through gradual registration changes rather than sudden shifts in loudness.
  • Balance lyrical melodic lines in the upper manual against supportive harmonic movement in the pedal; clarity in the counterpoint reveals the elegance of Howells's voice-leading.

How to use it

Program these as a group in a recital featuring early twentieth-century English organ music, or select one as a standalone piece for a service prelude or postlude where a reflective, lyrical character is appropriate. They pair well with organ works by Howells's contemporaries or with his later, larger-scale liturgical compositions to show the arc of his compositional development.

Skills your students will build

  • Interpreting rhapsodic form and managing improvisatory phrasing at the organ
  • Registrational planning and tonal palette development across manual changes
  • Voice-leading clarity in early twentieth-century English harmonic language
  • Dynamic shaping through registration rather than manual dynamic control
  • Pedal independence in supporting harmonic structures

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