John Tavener - A
Portrait
Latest release from Naxos
Educational Unites Record Industry for Composer's 60th Birthday
A
Greek island setting for a contemplative interview, a world premiere
recording from an international pop star, a cooperation amongst many
record labels . . . these are the key components in the latest
product available this month from Naxos Educational. John Tavener - A Portrait is an
innovative look at the composer's life, just in time for his sixtieth
birthday. It is a
natural partner to Naxos’ Life and Works series,
which explores in detail composers of the past. The Portrait includes examples of Tavener’s music from
every
period of his busy compositional career, as
well as the world premiere recording of Prayer
of the Heart, written for and sung by the Icelandic pop singer
Björk.
Genevieve Helsby,
Editorial Manager of
Naxos Educational, recently visited Sir John Tavener in his Greek
island home for this exciting new release. She writes about the
experience in the latest edition of Naxos
News:
* * *
John
Tavener is
one of Britain’s foremost contemporary composers, so his music attracts
both
admirers and critics. Works such as The
Protecting Veil, and Song for Athene,
played at the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales, have been particular
catalysts for his popularity. However, the critics would have it that
he
hoodwinks the public by writing unsophisticated music that appeals
easily, as
if its attraction is fraudulent. While contemporary art is often slated
for its
obscurity, or overblown experimentation, Tavener’s generally accessible
music
earns their disdain through its simplicity. But Tavener
believes deeply in
simplicity: it is his intentional antidote to the over-intellectualised
art of
western society.
Tavener
has for many years had a house on the island of Evia,
Greece,
and it was there that David McCleery (who has written the accompanying
essay on
Tavener’s life and career) and I went to meet him and record the
interview for
this release. The
composer is evidently at home in Greek surroundings, so
interviewing him there forges a natural empathy. The main room of his
house is
modest in size and appearance, a living-room and kitchen combined. In the
corner sits a digital piano, next to a large table cluttered with paper
and
books, including a small Greek dictionary. The washing machine is in full
swing, and the cleaner is starting to understand why today is not the
day for
sweeping inside. She goes out and sweeps underneath the window instead.
As it
happens, a barking dog puts pay to recording in Tavener’s house, and we
call
the nearby Pelagos hotel:
‘For Mr Tavener? Oh yes, anything…’. So, through
street parades on a Greek festival day, Tavener casually leads the way
in his
aging English Sierra to the hotel, where a conference room is kindly
provided
for us. He is relaxed as he talks freely of past and present
inspirations, his
family, his struggles, and his beliefs. As he accelerates through his
replies
with an unexpected passion, his sincerity and conviction are
unmistakable. Of
course, sometimes he has to say things all over again, having
unwittingly
brought his hand down on the table with a bang in support of his point
and
overpowered his generally quiet voice. But he does this with unfailing
patience
and good grace.
This
Portrait is released to mark Tavener’s sixtieth birthday at the
beginning of
2004, and how encouraging it has been that so many record companies
were
willing to help towards what has become a comprehensive and unique
survey.
Tavener’s own reflections in the recorded interview on CD 2, together
with the
variety of music and David McCleery’s extensive essay, paint a
thoroughly
captivating picture of a charismatic and important composer. Sceptics,
beware –
you might actually enjoy it.
* *
*
John Tavener - A Portrait (8.558152-53)
includes 2 CDs with a recorded interview plus a 70-page booklet.
Naxos is committed
to music
education, in its broadest sense, and through celebration of the most
prominent
composers writing today, we aim to highlight the value and importance
of music
in our own time. John Tavener
- A Portrait will be available in the UK and Europe from 2
February. A U.S. release is scheduled for April 2004.
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Prayer
of the Heart
A
world premiere, written for and sung by Björk
John
Tavener and Icelandic singer Björk
‘I’d
heard her voice…it was quite a raw, primordial
sound, and I was very attracted to this sound. I
thought of the ejaculatory prayer called the “Jesus
Prayer” – “Lord Jesus, have mercy on me” – and I set
it in three languages: in Coptic, in English, and in
Greek. I thought the way she sang it was quite
wonderful, and it couldn’t possibly be sung by anybody
else but her, or someone with a voice very, very similar
to hers. It had nothing of a western-trained voice
about it. In fact, it wasn’t trained at all, and this is why
I liked it so much, because… it had a savage quality,
an untamed quality. These are qualities that I like…I
liked the simplicity of her, I liked the spontaneity of
her, and I liked the result that came forth in Prayer
of the Heart.’
-
John Tavener
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