Choral & Vocal Works
Score excerpts, descriptions and recordings of Robert A Howard’s choral and vocal compositions.
Love Came Down at Christmas (version for unaccompanied solo voice, 2024)
Click the thumbnail to read a score excerpt or listen to an electronic recording below.
Love Came Down at Christmas (version for unaccompanied SA choir, 2024)
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Love Came Down at Christmas (version for unaccompanied SATB choir, 2024)
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Praise the Lord (version for SA choir, 2022)
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Praise the Lord (version for solo or unison voices, 2022)
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Praise the Lord (version for SA and lower unison voices, 2022)
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The Little Child (version for SA choir & organ/piano, 2022)
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The Little Child (version for SATB choir & organ/piano, 2022)
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The Little Child (for solo voice or unison voices & organ/piano, 2022)
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Ave Maria (version for SA choir & organ/piano, 2021)
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Ave Maria (version for SATB choir & organ/piano, 2021)
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Ave Maria (for unison voices, or solo voice, & organ/piano, 2021)
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This Little Babe (version for two-part choir (S/T & A/B) or duet & organ/piano, 2021)
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This Little Babe (version for solo voice (S/T) & organ/piano, 2021)
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God of All Creation (version for solo voice or unison choir & organ/piano, 2021)
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God of All Creation (version for SA choir & organ/piano, 2021)
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God of All Creation (for 3-part choir (S, A & men) & organ/piano, 2021)
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I Gave You Love (The Reproaches) (version for SA choir & organ/piano (& congregation), 2020)
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Alleluia (version for unaccompanied SATB, 2020)
Click the thumbnail to view a score excerpt, or listen to an electronic recording below. Below that is a recording made by the Liverpool 64 choir, based at Liverpool Cathedral, conducted by Stephen Mannings.
God So Loved the World (for solo voice (soprano/tenor) & organ/piano, 2020)
‘For my father (1939-1997).’
Click the thumbnail to view a score excerpt, listen to an electronic recording below, or listen to a live recording by tenor David Kernick, with the composer at the piano, below that.
God So Loved the World (version for SATB choir & organ/piano, 2020)
Click the thumbnail to view a score excerpt, or listen to an electronic recording below.
God So Loved the World (version for SA choir & organ/piano, 2020)
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Hope (version for SA choir & organ/piano, 2020)
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Magnificat & Nunc dimittis (version for unison or solo voices & organ/piano, 2020)
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This Little Babe (version for SATB choir & organ/piano, 2019)
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Glory, Love, and Praise, and Honour (version for two-part choir or duet (S/T & A/B) & organ/piano, 2019)
A Harvest anthem, or for general use. For the Reverend Kimberley Mannings, on her 30th birthday, from Prescot Parish Church Choir.
Click the thumbnail to view a score excerpt, or listen to an electronic recording below.
Glory, Love, and Praise, and Honour (version for unison or solo voice & organ/piano, 2019)
A Harvest anthem, or for general use. For the Reverend Kimberley Mannings, on her 30th birthday, from Prescot Parish Church Choir.
Click the thumbnail to view a score excerpt, or listen to an electronic recording below.
Glory, Love, and Praise, and Honour (for SATB choir & organ/piano, 2019)
A Harvest anthem, or for general use. For the Reverend Kimberley Mannings, on her 30th birthday, from Prescot Parish Church Choir.
Click the thumbnail to view a score excerpt, listen to an electronic recording below, or listen to a 2020 recording by members of Prescot Parish Church Choir, with the composer at the piano, below that.
Bread of the World (for SATB choir or quartet, unaccompanied, ad lib, 2019)
Dedicated to Jacquie Kernick, RIP.
Click the thumbnail to read the score, listen to an electronic recording below, or listen to a recording (video) by Prescot Parish Church Choir below that.
For Mary, Mother of Our Lord (2-part choir or duet & organ/piano version, 2019)
Click the thumbnail to read a score excerpt or listen to an electronic recording below.
For Mary, Mother of Our Lord (solo voice or unison voices & organ/piano version, 2019)
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I Gave You Love… (The Reproaches) (solo voice version organ/piano (& congregation), 2019)
Click the thumbnail to read a score excerpt or listen to an electronic recording below.
I Gave You Love… (The Reproaches) (for SATB choir & organ/piano (& congregation), 2019)
In memory of composer and organist Noel Rawsthorne (1929-2019). An elaboration on For Mary, Mother of Our Lord. For use in the Good Friday Liturgy.
Click the thumbnail to read a score excerpt or listen to an electronic recording below.
Once in Royal David’s City (for SATB choir & organ/piano, 2018)
Originally composed in 1997 and updated in 2018.
Click the thumbnail to view a score excerpt, or listen to an electronic recording below. Below that is a recording by Prescot Parish Church Choir, from the 2018 Mayor of Prescot’s Charity Christmas Concert.
Once in Royal David’s City (version for any voice(s) & organ/piano, 2018)
Originally composed in 1997 & updated in 2018.
Click the thumbnail to view a score excerpt, listen to an electronic recording below.
For Mary, Mother of Our Lord (for SATB choir & organ/piano, 2018)
Composed for the 2018 Patronal Festival of the Church of St Mary the Blessed Virgin, Prescot. The words are by John Raphael Peacey. Dedicated to ‘my mother, Dorothy, & the Church of St Mary the Virgin, Prescot.’
Click the thumbnail to view a score excerpt, listen to an electronic recording below, or listen to a recording from 2020, with the trebles of Prescot Parish Church Choir, tenor David Kernick and the composer at the piano.
A Babe Is Born (version for SA choir & organ/piano, arr. 2018)
Arrangement of the Christmas carol, originally written in 2002.
Click the thumbnail to view a score excerpt, or listen to an electronic recording below.
Gloria Patri (version for SSA choir & organ/piano, arr. 2018)
Arrangement of the Gloria Patri from the 2011 choral work Magnificat & Nunc dimittis.
Click the thumbnail to view a score excerpt, or listen to an electronic recording below.
Jubilate Deo (version for SA choir & organ/piano, arr. 2018)
Arrangement of the 2016 work, originally written for SATB choir.
Click the thumbnail to view a score excerpt, or listen to an electronic recording below.
Ave verum corpus (version for SA choir & organ/piano, arr. 2018)
Arrangement of the 2016 work, originally written for SATB choir.
Click the thumbnail to view a score excerpt, or listen to an electronic recording below.
Alleluia (version for SA choir & organ/piano, arr. 2018)
Arrangement of the 2017 work, originally written for SATB choir.
Click the thumbnail to view a score excerpt, or listen to an electronic recording below.
Alleluia (version for solo voice & organ/piano, 2017)
Arrangement of the 2017 work, originally written for SATB choir.
Click the thumbnail to view a score excerpt, or listen to an electronic recording below.
Alleluia (for SATB choir & organ/piano, 2017)
Written for Prescot Parish Church Choir, in memory of Gerald Dyson.
Click the thumbnails to view score excerpts, or listen to an electronic recording below.
A Babe Is Born (version for SATB choir & organ/piano, 2016)
A new arrangement of the Christmas carol originally written in 2002.
Click the thumbnail to view a score excerpt, or listen to the electronic recording below.
Jubilate Deo (version for solo voice & organ/piano, 2016)
An arrangement of the work originally written earlier in the year for SATB choir and organ.
Click the thumbnail to view a score excerpt, or listen to an electronic recording below.
Ave verum corpus (version for solo voice & organ/piano, 2016)
An arrangement of the work originally written earlier in the year for SATB choir and organ.
Click the thumbnail to view a score excerpt, or listen to an electronic recording below.
Jubilate Deo (for SATB choir & organ/piano, 2016)
A companion piece to Ave Verum Corpus, Jubilate Deo too was written for Prescot Parish Church Choir, this time for performance at Evensong on 26 June 2016, as part of the 12th Annual Prescot Festival of Music & the Arts. It was later sung by the Cantata Choir of Liverpool, directed by James Luxton, for the 50th anniversary celebrations of Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King.
Click the thumbnails to view score excerpts, or listen to a 2019 recording below, by Selwyn College Chapel Choir (Cambridge), under conductor Sarah MacDonald; below that is a recording from 2022 by combined choirs of Liverpool Cathedral, conducted by Stephen Mannings, accompanied by Matthew Breen (organ), Ian Wells (percussion) and Daniel Bishop (percussion).
Ave Verum Corpus (for SATB choir & organ/piano, 2016)
This new setting of the traditional Latin text (translating as ‘Hail the true body [of Christ]’) was composed for Prescot Parish Church Choir and dedicated to Reverend Canon John Taylor, the Vicar of Prescot. The choir gave the premiere on Good Friday, 25 March, 2016, with Tim Hall accompanying on the organ.
Click the thumbnail to view a score excerpt, or listen to an electronic recording below.
A Babe Is Born (for piano & voice, 2015)
This new version of Robert’s 2002 carol is arranged for piano and solo soprano or tenor. It received its premiere at Prescot Parish Church on 10 December 2015.
Click the thumbnail to view a score excerpt, or listen to a recording below, by David Kernick (tenor), with the composer at the piano.
There Is No Rose (for unaccompanied SATB choir/soloists, 2012)
Click the thumbnail to view a score excerpt, or listen to an electronic recording below.
Gloria Patri (SATB choir & organ/piano, 2011)
Separate edition of the Gloria from Robert’s 2011 choral work Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis (rev. 2017).
Click the thumbnail to view a score excerpt, or listen to an electronic recording below.
Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis (SATB choir & organ/piano, 2011)
2017 revision of a work first written for and performed by Prescot Parish Choir in 2011.
Click the thumbnail to view a score excerpt, or listen to an electronic recording below.
Eurydice to Orpheus (for soprano & piano, 2006)
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Timanfaya (for any voices & instruments, 2004)
An improvisational text piece.
Click the thumbnail to view a score excerpt (text).
Music to Hear (version for unaccompanied SATB choir/soloists, 2003)
Click the thumbnail to view an excerpt from the score, or listen to an electronic recording below.
A Babe Is Born (for solo/unison voices & organ/piano, 2002)
A Christmas carol.
Click the thumbnail to view a score excerpt, or listen to an electronic recording below.
Music, When Soft Voices Die (for mezzo-soprano & piano, 2001)
Click the thumbnail to view a score excerpt, or listen to a recording below, by Monica Acosta (mezzo-soprano) and Howard Jones (piano).
Alter? When the Hills Do (for mezzo-soprano & piano, 2000)
A setting of words by Emily Dickinson.
Click the thumbnail to view a score excerpt, or listen to an electronic recording below.
Christmas: 1924 (for baritone & piano, 1998)
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The Day of Pentecost (for unaccompanied SATB choir, 1998)
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Hark! the herald-angels sing (for solo/unison voices & piano/organ, 1998)
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Mary Magdalen’s Song (for solo female voice & men on chorus), 1998)
No. 2 of Two Dorothy L Sayers Songs.
Click the thumbnail to view a score excerpt, or listen to an electronic recording below.
Soldiers’ Marching Song (for solo male (bass) voice, 1998)
No. 1 of Two Dorothy L Sayers Songs.
Click the thumbnail to view a score excerpt, or listen to an electronic recording below.
May You Be Always Joyful (version for mezzo-soprano, wind quintet & piano, 1997, rev. 2023/4)
Click the thumbnail to read a score excerpt or listen to an electronic recording below.
May You Be Always Joyful (version for mezzo-soprano & piano, 1997, rev. 2023/4)
Click the thumbnail to read a score excerpt or listen to an electronic recording below.
Once in Royal David’s City (for solo/unison voices & organ/piano, 1997)
Click the thumbnail to view a score excerpt, or listen to an electronic recording below.
Away in a Manger (for solo/unison voices & piano, 1996)
For Stephen Mannings & Liverpool Cathedral.
Click the thumbnail to view a score excerpt, or listen to an electronic recording below.
O Little Town of Bethlehem (for solo/unison voices & piano, 1996, harmonised 2020)
For Stephen Mannings & Liverpool Cathedral (2020).
Click the thumbnail to view a score excerpt, or listen to an electronic recording below.
This Little Babe (for unison voices & organ/piano, 1994)
A Christmas carol.
Click the thumbnail to view a score excerpt, or listen to an electronic recording below.
Hope (for any voice(s) & organ/piano, 1992. harmonised 2020)
A (school) song/hymn/anthem.
Click the thumbnail to view a score excerpt, or listen to an electronic recording below.