By 1910 Willan was the organist at St.John the Baptist in Kensington, a high church parish. Later that year he also joined the Gregorian Asscoiation of London. These two combinations seemed to have a profound effect on Willan's views of Church music. Willan later commented, "The beautifying of the liturgy.. is only possible through the use of the church's own music, so that plainsong has been the essential backboen of my work." And indeed much of Willan's work, if not all, has it's roots in medieval plainsong.
When Willan accepted an appointment as the Head of Theory at the Toronto Conservatory (now the Royal Conservatory of Music) in 1913 he became organist at St.Paul's Bloor St. This was a shock to the accustomed high church musician, St.Paul's is definately LOW church. Eventually Willan caught up with an old friend, Father Henry Hiscocks, who in 1919 was named vicar of St.Mary Magdalene's. Hiscocks soon was looking for an organist, and the story has it that Willan would bring a candidate for the position to supper at the Vicarage. Willan showed up alone.
Leaving his higher paying post at St.Paul's, Willan soon started making his mark at St.Mary's which was to be his home for the remainder of his life. Since Hiscock had started a path to move St.Mary Magdalene's towards a High church observance, Willan catalyzed it. Soon the music became more auster and plainsong was introduced, for which he established to be what has become the Ritual Choir of men who perform the Propers of the mass. Willan's ablity to adapt plainsong to english (he insisted upon english in his music so everyone would be able now what was said) was infamous. The regular chir of boys and men soon became an unaccompained choir of men and women, often drawn from his own pupils at the Conservatory. Eventually this choir moved to the opened up gallery at the back of the church, and by 1931 the organ-console joined them completing Willan's basics for waht has become the St.Mary Magdalene tradition of two choirs.
Willan wrote profusly for both the Ritual Choir and the Gallery Choir. From 1928 to 1966 Willan wrote 14 mass settings, which he timed to a "stopwatch" idealistic liturgy length. Motets, six in 1924, and eleven more until 1937. Many more Fauxbourdons, carols, hymns round off an astounding collection. Willan filled the music library with English Renaissance music, and adapted Latin masses to english for his Gallery Choir.
The standard Healey expected from his choirs soon started a trend to revitalize Canadian and North American liturgical music. Willan demanded no vibrato, a clear blended sound and a very limited tonal range. These ideal combined with the acoustics of St.Mary Magdalene's soon brought tourists from all over just to hear the choir. Still Willan's success never got the best of him, "Music has been my chief delight," Healey once said, "and if at any time I have been able to share this delight with other, I am content."
Willan did not limit his music to liturgy alone. He wrote and Opera, Deirdre, a few works for choir and orchestra, a piano concerto, and two symphonies.
Willan died in Toronto in 1968.
Some of Willan's works..
- Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in Eb (HWC ???)
- Tenebrae of Good Friday (HWC ???)
- Tenebrae of Holy Saturday (HWC ???)
- Faithful Cross (HWC ???)
- Now is the healing time decreed (HWC ???)
- The royal banners forward go (HWC ???)
 Missa Sancta Maria de Magdalena (HWC 2??)
A simple community mass suitable for any small parish choir.
- Missa Brevis No.2 (HWC 217?), in f minor
- Missa Brevis No.3 (HWC 2??)
A beautifull flowing setting, the Sanctus particularly is quite elegant. Willan called this mass "The Snow Storm Mass" due to a winter weather mishap.
- Missa Brevis No.4, Corde Natus Ex Parentis (HWC 219)
This mass setting, based on the Christmas sequence of Corde Natus Ex Parentis, was written in 1934 for four voices with portions of the sequenc appearing in the Kyrie, Sanctus and Benedictus. The whole Chant is contained within the Agnus Dei.
- Missa Brevis No.5 (HWC 220), in f sharp minor
- Missa Brevis No.7, O Westron Wynde (HWC 222), in g minor
- Missa Brevis No.8, SS Philippi et Jacobi (HWC 223), in d minor
- Missa Brevis No.11, Sancti Johannis Baptistae (HWC 226)
The most festive of Willan's masses, Missa Brevis No.11 uses many different combinations of voices within it's various movements, allowing Willan to show off his skills at writing for each different group. He moves from SSATB in the Kyrie to SSA Benedictus, SSAATTBB for Sanctus, and finally SATB for the Agnus Dei.
- Missa brevis no 13, Holy Cross (HWC 228?), in g minor
- Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in A Major (HWC 301)
This particular setting of the Song of Mary and teh Song of Simeon was written for the Northern Cathedral Choirs Festival held in York Minster in England in 1957. It is dedicated to the choirs of York, Ripon and Durham. the more robust and lofty Mag contrasts with the quiet Nunc.
- How they so softly Rest (HWC 302)
A piece from his days at St.Paul's Bloor St., this piece is non-liturgical as being set to a poem by Longfellow. Again the influence of Russian music in evident in this work. It is dedicated to the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir.
- Hail Gladdening Light(HWC 303)
First of the Six Motets of 1924, the text is from the translation by John Keble of the Phos Hilaron a Greek Liturgical Hymn sung during the evening service. Strong modal waves flow through this piece.
- O How Glorious(HWC 304)
This short masterpiece is written the Antiphon for Vespers II of All Saints.
- Very Bread, Good Shepherd, Tend Us (HWC 305)
The third of the 1924 Six Motets, this piece was written as a devotion, and the text comes from Thomas Aquinas' sequence, Lauda Sion.
- (HWC 306)
- (HWC 307)
- (HWC 308)
- O Sacred Feast (HWC ???)
I have a feeling that this is one of the three above, but I'm not sure.
- O Trinity Most Blessed (HWC 309)
Although written in 1925, surprisingly there is much contained within this seemingly simple piece. Willan uses changing of keys, the move from triad harmonics to diatonic sevenths and subsequent inversions, and long sweeping phrases to paint a wonderous scene of the praise given to the Trinity. Towards the end, the ever-resourceful Willan manages to get in an augmentation of the chant, O Lux Beata Trinitas.
- Preserve us, O Lord (HWC 310)
Chant-like and mysteious, this small piece was written in 1928.
- O King All Glorious (HWC 311)
The text is from the Sarum service for Compline, and as such this piece is a general use piece. Written as the second in the group of liturgical anthems, this work shows the same high standard as the Lady Motets.
- Motets in the honour of Our Lady, the Blessed Virgin Mary
These are Willan's most widely known and performed pieces, not surprising since all of tehm are astoundngly wonderful masterpieces. The texts are from an eighth-century responsaries for an Office of Our Lady and from the SOng of Solomon.
- I Beheld Her(HWC 312)
A floating soprano opening coming in on weak beat helps lend a tender aspect to the polyphonic entries of the subsequent parts. Willan loves to word-paint and this is a fine example.
- Fair in Face(HWC 313)
Reknowned for its hemiola underling and the quiet plea towards the end, 'pray thou for us all'.
- Rise Up, My Love(HWC 314)
Text from the Song of Solomon, this is an Easter motet, and depicts the flowers rising and the birds singing in spring.. more word painting! Willan avoids the root and often uses sevenths to help keep this well known masterpiece flowing along.
- Lo, in the time Appointed (HWC 316)
Another motet of the eleven written between 1928 and 1937, this piece for advent uses text from the Sarum Primer and was composed in 1929. Full of flowing melodies and liquid harmonics this is a classic Willan work.
- O King, to whom all things do live (HWC 317)
Written in memorial for the famous Canadian organist, Lynnwood Faram in 1931 this piece was als sung at Willan's funeral in 1968.
- Behold the Tabernacle of God(HWC 318)
is an excellent example of Willan's chromatic abilities, moving from various keys symbolize swirling clouds of incense. The piece is dedicated to the organist of St.James in Chicago, the American composer, Leo Sowerby, was written for the 100th anniversary of the church's founding in 1833.
- Hodie Christus Natus Est (HWC 319)
Willan at his utmost finest. This piece shows russian orthodox influences, as well as jazz. Willan's daughter, Mary, remembers Healey being taken out to a jazz tavern on Yonge St. the day before he wrote this work; the effects are self-evident.
- Who is She that Ascendeth?(HWC 320)
It has been said that this is Willan's most modern and mystical piece, written in 1937 it is dedicated to John Finlay Williamson and the Westminster choir of Princeton N.J. The text is from the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. This piece also contains much word painting.
- O Saving Victim (HWC 321)
Written for the Benediction at the end of Evensong, this SSA piece was never published during Willan's lifetime.
- Look Down, O Lord (HWC 322)
Companion to HWC 321, this piece, also for SSA, was never published during Willan's life. It is also a devotional for the Benediction at Evensong.
- Ave Verum Corpus (HWC 328)
Most choral composers at one time or another have set these words to music. Willan wrote three. this setting was composed for the incidental music for a pageant on Jean Brebeuf, a French-Canadian priest of the 17th century. Willan tried to emulate renaissance music in this work written in 1947.
- I will lay me down in peace (HWC 331)
Also heavily influenced by renaissance style, this 1949 piece is short, yet encompasses all Willan's wide variances in texture, harmonies and rhythm.
- I looked, and behold a white cloud (HWC 344)
One of the earliest of Willan's pieces, this was written in 1907 when Willan was still in England. It shows the Victorian influences of the time. Text is taken from the Revelation of St.John the Divine, and the Gospels according to St.John and St.Matthew.
- O Praise the Lord (HWC 377)
Willan wrote this piece for an Anglican Congress in Toronto in 1963 when he was eighty-three years old. Text is from various Old Testament verses. Starting off with a bass melody, this work moves into an andante/lyrical section before finishing with a triumphant fugue style ending.
- Sing to the Lord of Harvest (HWC 392)
This hymn-anthem, although intended for a Lutheran service, found popularity among many other denominations, and was written in 1954 for organ, choir and brass ensemble.
- O Quanta Qualia (HWC 394)
Another hymn-anthem, thistime based on a French melody. Words are by Pierre Abelard translation by John Mason Neale.
- Here are We in Bethlehem(HWC 428)
This carol to the poem by Rev. F.J. Moore, was written in december 1924, and is a simple miniature showing the best of Willan's abilities.
- St Basil (HWC 444)
Hymn tune
- St Osmund (HWC 449)
Hymn tune
- Stella Orientis (HWC 450)
Hymn tune
- An Apostrophe to the Heavenly Hosts (HWC 584)
Regarded as Willan's choral masterpiece, this work was performed for then-Princess Elizabeth, and Prince Philip in 1952. It had been commissioned many years before by the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. It is a massive piece when compared to Willan's simple tastes, written for double eight-part choirs with two "mystic" smaller choirs. The text was compiled by Willan's friend, Hiscocks and D. P. Wagner, from eastern liturgies. The piece is polyphonic in style and is acappella dispite its size.
- Gloria Deo per immensa saecula (HWC 593)
- Tenebrae of Maundy Thursday (HWC 596)
- The Mount of Olives (HWC 596a)
- My Soul is exceeding sorrowful (HWC 596b)
- Behold, we have seen Him (HWC 596c)
- The Great O Antiphons (HWC 603)
- O Sapientia (HWC 603a)
- O Adonai (HWC 603b)
- O Radix Jesse (HWC 603c)
- O Clavis David (HWC 603d)
- O Oriens (HWC 603e)
- O Rex Gentium (HWC 603f)
- O Emmanuel (HWC 603g)
- A Clear Midnight (HWC 637)
Links to other Willan pages
Well hope you've enjoyed the Willan page. I'm trying to make this the best Willan page since there doesn't seem like much on the web.
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