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Sir John Tavener (born 28 January 1944 in London) is an English composer.
Biography
Tavener attended Highgate School (where a fellow pupil was John Rutter) and later studied at the Royal Academy of Music, where his tutors included Sir Lennox Berkeley. He first came to prominence in 1968 with his dramatic cantata The Whale, based on the Old Testament story of Jonah. It was premièred at the London Sinfonietta's début concert and later recorded by Apple Records. Other works released by Apple included his Celtic Requiem.
In 1977 Tavener joined the Russian Orthodox Church, remaining in it for two decades. The Orthodox theology and liturgical tradition became a major influence on his work. He was particularly drawn to its mysticism, studying and setting to music the writings of church fathers such as St John Chrysostom.
One of Tavener's most popular and frequently performed works is his short unaccompanied four-part choral setting of William Blake's The Lamb, written on his nephew's third birthday one afternoon in 1985. This simple, homophonic piece is usually performed as a Christmas carol.
Later prominent works include The Akathist of Thanksgiving (1987, written in celebration of the millennium of the Russian Orthodox Church); The Protecting Veil (first performed by cellist Steven Isserlis and the London Symphony Orchestra at the 1989 Proms); and Song For Athene (1993, memorably performed at the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997). Following Diana's death he also composed and dedicated to her memory the piece Eternity's Sunrise, based on poetry by William Blake.
Later Tavener left Orthodox Christianity to explore a number of other different religious traditions, including Hinduism and Islam. In 2003 he composed the exceptionally large work The Veil of the Temple, based on texts from a number of religions. It is set for four choirs, several orchestras and soloists and lasts at least seven hours.
While Tavener's early music was influenced by Igor Stravinsky, often invoking the sound world of the Requiem Canticles and A Sermon, a Narrative and a Prayer, his recent music is more sparse, uses wide registral space and is usually diatonically tonal. Some commentators see a similarity with the works of Arvo Pärt, from their common religious tradition to the technical details of phrase lengths, diatonicism and coloristic percussion effects. Olivier Messiaen has also been suggested as a strong influence on his earlier work.
In 2000 John Tavener was knighted for his services to music.
Career highlights
- 1968 - The Whale premiered by the London Sinfonietta and subsequently recorded on The Beatlesâ??s Apple label.
- 1973 - Thérèse, the story of Sainte Thérèse of Lisieux, commissioned by the Royal Opera, London.
- 1989 - premiere of The Protecting Veil at the Proms in London.
- 2000 - receives a knighthood in Millennium Honours List.
- 2003 - premiere of the all-night vigil The Veil of the Temple at Temple Church.
- 2005 - premiere of Laila (Amu), Tavenerâ??s first dance collaboration, with Random Dance company and Wayne McGregor's choreography.
Key works
- The Whale (1966; soloists, speaker, SATB choir, children's choir, orchestra)
- The Protecting Veil (1988; cello, strings)
- Song for Athene (1993; SATB choir)
- The Veil of the Temple (2002; soprano, SATB choir, boys' choir, ensemble)
- Schuon Lieder (2003; soprano, ensemble)
- Laila (Amu) (2004; soprano, tenor, orchestra)
Selected recordings
External links
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