John Tavener

Composed in 1990 for solo Clarinet Timpani Percussion and Strings John Tavener's The Repentant Thief was inspired by the biblical story of the two criminals who were crucified alongside Jesus atGolgotha. This work contrasts dance-like material with melancholy laments bound together by a refrain with a recitative-like character recalling Greek folk and Orthodox traditions. This edition is for Clarinet withPiano reduction.

John Tavener's Kaleidoscopes is a tribute to Mozart for Solo Oboe Percussion and Strings lasting approximately 30 minutes. The work was commissioned by the Britten Sinfonia and first performed by themwith soloist Nicholas Daniel on 6th November 2006 at the Queen Elizabeth Hall London. This is the full score. In the composer's note Tavener explains his high regard for Mozart and how inKaleidoscopes he attempts to take Mozart's music and meditate upon it in four main cycles. He states that all the music has its source in Mozart whether it be rhythmic harmonic or contrapuntal. 

Cantus Mysticus was commissioned by The Foundation for the Cuenca Religious Music Week. First performance on 22nd March 2005 as part of the XLIV Cuenca Religious Music Week by Joan Enric Lluna (clarinet) Patricia Rozario(soprano) and the Madrid Community Orchestra conducted by the composer. The composer writes: Cantus Mysticus sets a text by Goethe concerned with the Eternal Feminine: Das ewig Weibliche sichuns hinan (TheEternal Woman draws us upwards). Many of my recent works have been concerned with meditation on the Creative Feminine which according to esoteric metaphysics reveals the 'child of the soul' and thus God. The slow contemplativeand very intense opening of Cantus Mysticus leads gradually towards a 'still centre' with much use of 'silence'. This is followed by an ecstatic celebration of the Divine Feminine the Virgine Madre of Dante and Christianity theMaha Maya of Hinduism and Maha Prajavati of Buddhism. The Jazz-style passages for clarinet express Lîla or Divine Play. Cantus Mysticus is scored for B flat clarinet soprano and strings (violins and cellos only).