Alan Hovhaness (1911–2000) was born in Somerville, Mass. His childhood interests included music composition, meditation, and mysticism. While a student at the New England Conservatory in Boston, Hovhaness first heard the traditional music of India. These diverse influences coalesce in much of his sacred music, such as the anthem “Out of the depths,” which was written in 1938 and revised in 1960.

English composer John Rutter (b. 1945) celebrated his 80^th birthday this past Wednesday. As an undergraduate at Clare College, Cambridge, Rutter saw his first composition published. During his studies at Cambridge, he developed lasting relationships with influential English musicians Herbert Howells and David Willcocks. In 1975, he became the director of music at Clare. His choral music became increasingly popular during that time, and he eventually left Clare to devote himself to composition. New compositions by Rutter have been sought after by choirs around the world, and he is particularly well-known for his Christmas carols. His short anthem “Thy perfect love” was written in 1974 and is typical of his gift “for writing gracious, melting melodies that caress the mind for days.”