John Tavener

John Tavener's Pluies is a work for Solo Mezzo-Soprano SATB Chorus and String Quartet. The piece was first performed on 31st January 2015 and lasts around 5 minutes. This is the set of String QuartetParts. The words for Pluies come from a poem of the same name by Saint-John Perse. 

In this small-scale song cycle Taverner coloured his melodic Soprano lines with Eastern European and Slavic flavour. At some points the composer interplayed the Piano line with the sung melody and at other times used the Pianoas drone and allows the Vocal line to soar above. The ‘love’ of the title is according to the composer ‘the notion of Eros raised to the divine ’ and the texts are written mostly by monks.John Tavener was that rare creature acomposer of serious music and serious religious music who has also achieved commercial success. He burst into the popular consciousness with the performance of his Song for Athene at the funeral of Princess Diana but had been ahighly respected and frequently-performed composer since the premiere of his dramatic cantata The Whale in 1968.

This work is based on the biblical story of the martyrdom of Saint Stephen traditionally regarded as the first Christian martyr as recounted in the Acts of the Apostles. Stephen was a member of the early Church inJerusalem. He was an inspired and charismatic preacher but he aroused great hostility among the members of the various synagogues by his teachings and he was accused of blasphemy. At his trial he looked up to heaven and declaredthat he saw God in his Glory with Jesus standing at his right hand. This so enraged the authorities that he was flung from the city and stoned to death. As he died he prayed that the Lord Jesus would receive his spirit and thathis killers would be forgiven. In this setting the choir recounts the story in Latin whilst the solo horn music depicts the violence of the stoning. The work ends with a quotation from Chopin's Ballade No. 2 in F Op.38. Commissioned by the Metropolitan and Cathedral Chapter of St. Stephen's Cathedral Vienna. First performed on 16th March 2015 at St Stephen's Cathedral Vienna by the Cathedral Choir conducted by Markus Landerer.

Fall and Resurrection tries to encompass in brief glimpses the events which have taken place since the beginning of time and before time. The work begins in total silence in the Paradise of God. This work should ideallybe performed in a building with a large acoustic. This work is dedicated to HRH The Prince of Wales. Commissioned by Judith and Nicholas Goodison. First performance on 4th January 2000 at St.Pauls Cathedral London. Scored for 2 piccolos 2 kavals (or alto flutes) 4 recorders 2 oboes soprano sax alto sax 2 bassoons rams-horn trumpet 2 horns in F 2 piccolo trumpets in B flat 2 tenor trombones 2 bass trombones 2 sets of timpani percussion guitar synthesizer grand organ solo soprano solo countertenor solo bass-baritone SATB chorus 8 violins 2 cellos 6 double basses.

Written for string orchestra or string quartet.This work was commissioned by the Cheltenham International Music Festival to celebrate Michael Berkeley’s ten years as Festival Director. It was first performed on 18th July2004 at the Bacon Theatre Dean Close School Cheltenham by the National Youth Orchestra Sinfonietta conducted by Geoffrey Paterson.This work is a brief contemplation of Sir Lennox Berkeley calmly remembering himthrough his son Michael for performance at the 2004 Cheltenham Festival.

Large score for this work for three trumpets and three trombones (two tenor and one bass).This is a special item which is made to order. Please e-mail our Mail Order Department for further information.