John Tavener: Unto The End Of The World: SATB: Score

Ensemble parts from the work for Flute (doubling Piccolo) Clarinet in B flat* Very large Tam-Tam (sounding from a high gallery) and Choir (SSATTBB).* Notated in C in the score. 'According to Hindu Cosmology we live at the end of a cycle the Kali Yuga the Dark Age. There are two important sayings of Christ that should accompany his disciples always during these challengingtimes. The first is ?The Gates of Hell shall not prevail against my Church? (Matthew 16 v. 18); and the second ?I am with you always unto the end of theworld? (Matthew 28 v. 20). These sayings form the basis of this work which falls into two main sections each with the same structure and with linkedmaterial. Each section begins with Kali Yuga which I have tried to represent in a chaotic unstructured way in contrast to the cosmic Cries of Humanity to Christ (Kyrie eleison - Lord have mercy) and Christ?s responses fromSaint Matthew?s Gospel.The work ends with a serene ?Coda? of the sacred monosyllable ?OM? representing the peace and beatitude of God?s presence. The intermingling of Christianity and Hinduism is an important simile forour times; in the same way early Christianity did not hesitate to incorporate Jewish and Greek thought.' - John Tavener

Composer's Note'The words of this piece are taken from the poem They are all gone into the world of light by Henry Vaughan. The music came to me after attending the beautiful and moving funeral of MarianneYacoub wife of the eminent heart surgeon Sir Magdi Yacoub who has been such a great support to me over many years.'             - JohnTavenerThey Are All Gone Into The World Of LightThey are all gone into the world of light!And I alone sit ling’ring here;I see them walking in an air of glory Whoselight doth trample on my days:My days which are at best but dull and hoary Mere glimmering and decays.Dear beauteous Death! the jewel of the just Shining nowhere but in the dark;Could man outlookthat mark!And into glory peep.Either disperse these mists which blot and fillMy perspective still as they pass:Or else remove me hence unto that hill Where I shall need noglass.             - Henry Vaughan