John Tavener

A piece for unaccompanied SATB choir the text of which is based on a line from St. Matthew 9:9. The music was written to represent the work of St. Matthew.In three mounting steps the music represents the work of St. Matthew:the ascent of the spirit into silence.The first performance was given during evensong on 25th September 1988 by the choir of St. Matthew's Church conducted by Andrew Shenton.

A short piece for bassoon oboe clarinet in Bb and horn in F. Score and parts.This is a special item which is made to order. Please e-mail our Mail Order Department for further information.

The Vocal score for John Tavener's beautiful work Lament For Jerusalem arranged for Soprano Countertenor and SATB Chorus with a Piano Accompaniment. This score can be used for both the 'Original'and 'Jerusalem' versions of the work. The composition was commissioned by Father Arthur E. Bridge OAM for Ars Musica Australis and was first written in 2002. The 'Jerusalem' version was arranged for theChoir of London in 2004. Tavener himself calls the work 'a mystical love-song' that reflects the 'mystical sacred and sublime nature of the texts'.  Lament For Jerusalem isdivided into seven stanzas each of which contain Christic Judaic and Islamic inspirations making this work truly innovative and interesting. The piece is around 45 minutes long and it is recommended to be performed in a spacein which there are generous acoustics that will allow each individual voice as well as the collective whole to 'breathe' and dissolve into the air.  The work is a wonderful one receiving greatcritical acclaim upon its premiere and impressing audiences the world over for its soaring Soprano melodies and its left-field Middle-Eastern harmonies. The composition is one in a long line of Tavener pieces thatimmediately silences audiences and captivates their attention throughout.  Any performance of Lament For Jerusalem is guaranteed to be a special event and one that audiences willremember for a long time.

This work was commissioned by the Verbal Arts Centre to mark the opening of its new building at Mall Wall and Stable Lane. 'W.B. Yeats is one of the greatest poets of the twentieth century. He wrote The Motherof God in between two of his most magnificent poems - Byzantium and Vacillation. The words alone inspired this setting. I read them several times and then the music came to me fully grown.' - JohnTavener

If Ye Love Me by John Tavener was commissioned by Manchester International Festival (MIF Creative) with thanks to the support of the MIF Commissioning Circle. In If Ye LoveMe there are subtle echo-effects between three String Quartets which are complimented by an upper Voice choir.

Hymn of Dawn was commissioned jointly by the Ulster Orchestra and the St Paul Chamber Orchestra. First performance on 7th November 2004 during the Belfast Festival at Queen’s at the Waterfront Hall Belfast by PatriciaRozario (soprano) Andrew Rupp (baritone) and theUlster Orchestra conducted by Stephen Layton.

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).

Vocal score for this work which was commissioned by the BBC for performance during the 100th season of Henry Wood Promenade Concerts. The first performance of this version was given n September 1995 at the ancient Theatre ofEphesus Turkey as part of the Revelation and Environment 95 Symposium with Patricia Rozario Martyn Hill Stephen Richardson and members of the City of London Sinfonia conducted by the composer. This is a special item whichis made to order. Please e-mail our Mail Order Department for further information.

This is the full/performing score for John Tavener's To A Child Dancing In The Wind for Soprano Flute/Alto Flute Viola and Harp. The entire work lasts around 30 minutes and sets a number of poems byW.B. Yeats considered by Tavener as one of the greatest poets of the 20th century. To A Child Dancing In The Wind?was commissioned by the Little Missenden Festival and firstperformed on 16th October 1983 at Little Missenden Parish Church. John Tavener is well-known for his extensive catalogue of religious music but occasionally he was drawn to less overtlysacred sources. The ?frailty tenderness and spiritual transparency of Yeats? poetry? inspired this song-cycle from 1983 for Soprano Flute Harp and Viola. Tavener held Yeats in high regard and was to return to hispoems in later works such as Mini Song-Cycle for Gina (1984) A Nativity (1985) and Supernatural Songs (2003). To A Child Dancing In The Wind is dedicated to Tavener?s first wife VictoriaMaragopoulou.

This work was commissioned by the Cheshire County Council for the 900th anniversary of Chester Cathedral for performance at the Chester Summer Music festival 1992.The opening melody on the solo cello representsiconographyically the parable of the guest who had no fitting wedding garment and was not admitted to the feast. In the Orthodox Church The Heavenly Bridal Chamber is an especially important theme from Monday to Thursday ofHoly Week as we prepare for the Passion and Resurrection of Christ. This theme of the Bridegroom and bridal Chamber recurs in different guises throughout the work.Duration c. 65mins. This is a special item which is made toorder. Please e-mail our Mail Order Department for further information.

Commissioned by the Little Missenden Festival and first performed at Little Missenden Church by Henry's Eight in October 1999 by Henry's Eight this work was written in memory of Pat Harrison the inspiration of the LittleMissenden Festival.For eight unaccompanied male voices (2 countertenors 3 tenors baritone and two basses).This is a special item which is made to order. Please e-mail our Mail Order Department for further information.

Full score for this string quartet.This is a special item which is made to order. Please e-mail our Mail Order Department for further information.