Sir John Tavener

Review: John Tavener's 2000 composition, 'Lamentations and Praises,' a liturgical drama scored for male voices 'singing in the Orthodox Byzantine style,' flute, bass trombone, string quartet and a number of eclectic percussion instruments such as tubular bells, a Byzantine monastery bell, and very large Tibetan temple bowl. This is a profoundly religious work on the crucifixion, death and resurrection of Christ, written for the 12 voices of acclaimed Chanticleer, the only full-time classical vocal ensemble in the US. The beautiful and extensive liner notes take us through the 13 sections, or ikons, and explain in English what the singers are saying and what it means. Deeply meditative and beautiful!

Songlist: Golgotha: The Descent Of The Cross, Stasis 1 , Wherewithal Shall A Young Man, Thrinos , Epitaphios~Procession 1: From Golgotha To The Annointing Stone, The Descent From The Cross II, Stasis II , Let Now Your Mercy..., Your Hands Have Made Me..., Thrinos, Epitaphios~Procession II: To The Tomb Entrance , The Descent From The Cross III , Stasis III , Princes Have Persecuted Me..., I Awaited Lord Your Salvation..., Look Upon Me And Have Mercy..., Thrinos , Procession Into Hades (Into The Tomb), Resurrection In Hades

Review: Legendary performances on CD for the first time. Described by Gramophone as possessing an 'impeccably manicured vocal blend, enchanting the ear from first to last note,' The King's Singers maintain the highest caliber of a cappella performance and continue to be one of the most sought-after and critically acclaimed vocal ensembles in the world. Recognition of that fact was underlined by a prestigious Grammy Award in the 2009 ceremony.

Songlist: Si la noche se hace oscura, Prelude, Pastorcico, non te aduermas, dime a do tienes las mientes, pase el agua ma julieta. Danza., Canto, Interlude, Rosa das Rosas. Cantiga de Santa Maria, Maravillosos et Piadosos. Cantiga de Santa Maria, Tres morias m'enamoram, Postlude, Haceme vivir penada, Requiem Aeternam, Kyrie Eleison, Dies Irae, Offertorium, Sanctus, Hosanna, Agnus Dei, Libera me

Review: If John Tavener's music has always been concerned with eternity, and if it has always confounded those who have horizons no wider than Western traditions of the recent past, it is also true to say that the ways in which he has dealt with the sacred in his work have been characterized by considerable variety, and have never ceased on occasion to surprise. Initially, surprise was caused by his stripping away of the unnecessary, his quest for the musically - and therefore the spiritually - essential. This quest led to a vast outpouring of music, encompassing a great many miniatures and large-scale compositions of the stature of the Vigil Service and Eis Thanaton. 'The power of Tavener at his best is fully unlocked by Polyphony and Stephen Layton, whose sensitivity to the sacred and human in his music communicates in every work on this disc' (Classic FM Magazine).

Songlist: Birthday Sleep, Butterfly Dreams, The Second Coming, Schuon Hymnen, As one who has slept, The Bridal Chamber, Exhortation and Kohima, Shunya

Review: Despite the mystic beauty of his music, John Tavener's place in Western music is a controversial one. His desire to create musical ikons for a time in which he believes 'man has lost his belief not only in God, but also in himself' is provocative. Yet part of the attraction of his music must surely arise from its symbolic nature, a reflection of his deeply-held Orthodox faith. This collection cvers a wide range of Tavener's celebrated choral output and includes his immediately popular setting of William Blake's The Lamb, and the luminously spiritual, Ikon of Light.

Songlist: A Hymn to the Mother of God, Hymn for the Dormition of the Mother of God, The Lamb, The Tyger, Ikon of Light, Fos I, Doxa, piu intensita, Trisagion, Mystic Prayer To The Holy Spirit, Trisagion, Fos, Today the Virgin , Eonia

Review: John Tavener is one of contemporary music's most distinctive and recognizable voices; writing deeply felt compositions of instant magnetism and lyrical intensity inspired by a strong Greek Orthodox faith. At the very heart of his work is sacred music, a genre in which Tavener has established considerable fame with contemporary classics such as 'The Lamb' and 'Hymns To The Mother of God' as well as the elegiac 'Song For Athene'. 'Svyati', for cello and chorus, takes the form of a musical incantation against the hushed voices of the choir. This rarely-heard masterpiece sees Tavener deploy an unusual combination of musical forces to powerful and moving effect.

Songlist: God Is With Us, Song For Athene, The Lamb, The Tiger, Magnificat and Nunc Dimiittis, Funeral Ikons, Hymns To The Mother of God, Love Bade Me Welcome, As One Who Has Slept, The Lord's Prayer, Svyati

Review: A collection of Tavener's most popular choral pieces most all of which are a cappella. The text of Annunciation is taken from St Luke's gospel. The words of the Archangel are sung by the main choir, and should build up to a thunderous, awesome theophany. The response of the Mother of God 'How shall this be' comes form a quartet of solo voices set apart, preferably raised in a gallery. This songbook includes program notes from Tavener himself.

Songlist: Annunciation, Come and Do Your Will In Me, Eonia, Funeral Canticle, Hymn to the Mother of God, I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes, Ikon of St. Cuthbert of Lindisfarne, Love Bade Me Welcome, Prayer To The Holy Trinity, Song From Athene

Review: Original pieces as well as new arrangements for upper voices of some of the most popular titles from John Tavener's outstandingly varied and extensive list of works for choir. Over the years, we can trace a line from the exquisite simplicity of his setting of Blake's The Lamb to the monumental Veil Of The Temple. The arrangements are all for soprano and alto singers, with a varying number of parts, up to four sopranos and four altos (in Ikon Of Saint Hilda). An Organ or Piano accompaniment part is provided as applicable, with an additional optional Cello solo in Song For Athene.

Songlist: Agnus Dei (Missa Brevis), Awed By The Beauty (The Veil Of The Temple), Ikon Of Saint Hilda, Notre Pere, Song For Athene, The Lamb, The Lord's Prayer (1999), Theotoke

Review: John Tavener first rose to fame in 1969 when his cantata 'The Whale' was recorded on the Beatle's Apple record label. Now one of Britain's leading choral composers his works included the poignant 'Song For Athene'. Here are eight mostly a cappella Christmas songs.

Songlist: O, Do Not Move, A Christmas Round, Ikon Of The Nativity, God Is With Us, Today The Virgin, A Nativity, The Lamb, Apolytikion Of The Incarnation

Review: The World Premiere performance of Sir John Tavener's epic work written for the new Millennium, recorded in St Paul's Cathedral, London, in January 2000. The composer makes full use of the remarkable acoustic of St Paul's, presented here in breathtaking 5.1 Surround Sound.

Songlist: Introduction and Interview with Sir John Tavener, Titles: Fall and Resurrection , Part I; Silence, Darkness; In the Beginning, Before Time, Representation of Chaos, Paradise, The Serpent , Catastrophe: The Implications of the Fall, Adam's Lament, Part II: Prediction , Part III: The Incarnation of the Logos, Cosmic Dance of the Resurrection: All Is Transfigured , The Eye of the Heart: Sir John Tavener talks about his beliefs and music

Review: The Choir sings Sir John Tavener's hauntingly beautiful unaccompaniedchoral music in a stunning virtual reality restoration of the ancient Hagia Sophia church in Constantinople. Orthodox ikons enrich the visual tapestry, enhancing the full richness of Tavener's mystic inspiration.The power of the performances is overwhelming and the credit goes to James Whitbourn and his vocal ensemble The Choir that he created for the express purpose of television and DVD recordings for Opus Arte. The Choir sing Tavener's music with great understanding and sensitivity to the religious texts. This DVD captures every beauteous moment of Tavener's music with The Choir. Opus Arte, as in all their productions, never leave you second-guessing about the music with their investigative extra features that bring further insight upon the chosen subject.The ikon chooses you which, together with an illustrated booklet containing an in-depth article on the inspirational power of ikons as well as the vocal texts and an introduction by Tavener himself, round off this beautifully presented package.

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