Tavener, John

Children of Men (Original Motion Picture Score)

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Significant Music from a Significant Film

Children of Men (Original Motion Picture Score)

Manufacturer: Varese Sarabande
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Children of Men
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Notes on a Scandal: Original Soundtrack

ASIN: B000K7UGZW
Release Date: 2006-12-12

Tracks:

Fragments Of A Prayer (15:23)Composed and Conducted by John Tavener
Eternity's Sunrise (10:54)Composed by John Tavener
"War, He Sung, Is Toil And Trouble" from Alexander's Feast (4:43)Composed by G.F. Handel
Mahler: Nun Will Die Sonn' So Hell Aufgeh'n [Kindertotenlieder] (5:32)Composed by Gustav Mahler, Text by Friedrich Rückert
Threnody For The Victims Of Hiroshima (1959-61) (9:57)Composed and Conducted by Krzysztof Penderecki
Song Of The Angel (4:37)Composed by John Tavener
The Lamb (For String Orchestra) (3:20)Composed by John Tavener
Mother And Child (12:39)Composed by John Tavener
Mother Of God, Here I Stand (For String Orchestra) (3:32)Composed by John Tavener

Customer Reviews:

Significant Music from a Significant Film.......2007-03-30

John Tavener was the perfect choice as the composer to create the musical score for the film CHILDREN OF MEN. Much of the music used throughout the film (songs like 'Ruby Tuesday' etc) are well enough known that they don't require re-recording in this memoir of a deeply moving film. But it is the opportunity to listen without the visuals to the music Tavener created 'that brings an even deeper appreciation for his accomplishment.

In addition to Tavener's own compositions this CD includes the Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau rendering of Mahler's 'Nun Will Die Sonn' So Hell Aufgeh'n' from the 'Kindertotenlieder' (a more apt song cycle could not be imagined for this childless film) as well as Krzysztof Penderecki's 'Threnody For The Victims Of Hiroshima' as conducted by the composer and Handel's excerpt from 'Alexander's Feast' ('War, he sung, is toil and trouble').

But the remainder of the works - 'Fragments Of A Prayer', 'Eternity's Sunrise', 'Song Of The Angel', 'The Lamb' and Mother of God, Here I Stand' (For String Orchestra), and 'Mother And Child' - are pure Tavener, works that speak a spiritual language that provides some of the only sense of hope of future in the film. This is a superb collection of music for all those who appreciate not only Tavener's work but also his ability to bring together such fitting works to undermine a film such as this. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, March 07

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Agnus Dei music of Inner Harmony
Simply The Best
Wow!
Profound sublimity
Beautiful music

Agnus Dei: Music of Inner Harmony

Manufacturer: Erato
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Agnus Dei II: Music to soothe the soul
O Magnum Mysterium
Barber's Adagio / Munch, Galway, Boston SO Strings
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Choral Masterpieces

ASIN: B000005E4J
Release Date: 1997-02-18

Tracks:

Agnus Dei, op.11 - Barber
Cantique de Jean Racine, op.11 - Faure
Kyrie - Palestrina
Ave Verum Corpus K 618 - Mozart
Jesus bleibet meine Freude - Bach
Ave Maria, op.37 No.6 - Choir Of New College Oxford
Lux Aeterna - Choir Of New College Oxford
Totus Tuus - Choir Of New College Oxford
Hear my prayer - Mendelssohn
The Lamb - Tavener
In paradisum - Faure
Miserere mei, Deus - Choir Of New College Oxford

Amazon.com

Beyond this recording's new age packaging and title is a splendid sampling of some of the world's finest choral music, sung by one of the world's outstanding choirs. This "anthology of sacred choral music" spans 400 years and includes such masterpieces as Allegri's Miserere, Bach's "Jesu, joy of man's desiring," and Barber's exquisite Agnus Dei, which is the composer's choral setting of his famous Adagio for Strings. Along the way we also hear Mozart's sublime "Ave verum corpus," Elgar's "Lux aeterna," and the Kyrie from Palestrina's Missa Papae Marcelli. There has been a choir at England's New College, Oxford, since the year 1379, and this impressive line of experience shows in the intelligent, unfaltering, and finely polished performances by today's ensemble of 16 boys and 12 adults. --David Vernier

Customer Reviews:

Agnus Dei music of Inner Harmony.......2007-05-14

Not really my thing but mother in law loved it.

Simply The Best.......2007-02-23

You'll love this music. This is music for all moments of your life

Wow!.......2006-07-08

I'm a long-time listener of all things rock-'n-roll, from Classic rock, to Alternative, and even a little Metal. I first heard this CD while having dinner at a friends house a long time ago, and I loved it. I've always been enchanted with choir music, so I bought this CD. Well, after years of listening to it to help me to unwind in the evening, I somehow misplaced it. So I came to Amazon to order both I and II. Of the two CD's, the first one is still the best, and it still helps me to relax after a long day. The choir show tremendous range in their singing, the assorted instruments are well-played, and I can almost imagine myself sitting in a centuries-old cathedral, enjoying the music and how it rings throughout the cathedral.

Buy it. You won't be disappointed.

Profound sublimity.......2006-02-27

This album offers music that is profoundly moving and sumbline. It takes the listener onto an inner journal of extraordinary emotional depths and heights

Beautiful music.......2006-01-18

The first song I've heard on this CD is "Miserere Mei..." and I loved it the first minute. I've heard it from a friend who likes classical, and I would've never bought this on my own.

All other versions of these songs I've heard since don't compare to the versions on this CD. Maybe because it was my first listen, maybe they're just good.

Average customer rating:

Wonderful...
Controversial Tavener
Incredible music at an incredible price
Top-rate singing at a wonderful price
Nothing Special

Tavener: Song for Athene / Svyati

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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John Tavener: Innocence
Darkness into Light
Walton: Choral Music
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Elgar: Sacred Choral Music

ASIN: B000050XAG
Release Date: 2001-02-20

Tracks:

God Is With Us: Christmas Proclamation
Song For Athene
The Lamb
The Tiger
Magnificat
Nunc Dimittis
Funeral Ikos
Two Hymns To The Mother Of God: Hymn To The Mother Of God
Two Hymns To The Mother Of God: Hymn For The Dormition Of The Mother Of God
Love Bade Me Welcome
As One Who Has Slept
The Lord's Prayer
Svyati 'O Holy One' - Chor Of St. John's College, Cambridge/Christopher Robinson/Tim Hugh

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful..........2006-06-22

I have had the privilege (yes privilege) to perform all the works of Tavener that are recorded on this CD. As an Organist/Choirmaster I have also had the pleasure of my choirs performing many of the works heard here, i.e. Funeral Ikos, The Tyger, The Lamb, Alleluia (Song for Athene), and Two Hymns to the Mother of God, amongst many others. His music is quite captivating and sometimes quite heart-wrenching. I know when "Funeral Ikos" was performed at the funeral services for a former Priest (Episcopalian), there wasn't a dry eye or seat in the place. The choir in this recording is a superb group and as expected, they performed remarkably well. There is no grey area when it comes to the music of John Tavener. If you want a good recording of his choral music, I highly suggest this CD.

Controversial Tavener.......2005-09-05

Wander to over to Classicstoday.com and do a search for all the reviews of Tavener's works. You'll come to the inescapable conclusion: Tavener sucks. What's even more astounding is that this judgement seems to be shared by nearly all in Classicstoday's notoriously fractious stable of critics. Quite a feat.

So, is Tavener as bad as all that? I must confess that I haven't been exposed to what is apparently Tavener's worst stuff. Also, British critics hate self-promotion, and Tavener has practiced self-promotion (and pretension) to a nearly obscene degree. This may get in the way of a serious appraisal of his work.

I find this disk quite pleasant, although I can see how having to endure longer works of Tavener's would be difficult. His musical themes are very simple, and they are worked out in manner that can rather quickly become boring. In these short choral works, which are performed with expert precision, this thematic claustrophobia can actually produce a striking effect.

I have an inkling that there might be something of a Tavener revival 20 or 30 years from now. Make no mistake, he is fathoms below Part, Rautavaara, Hovhaness, Kancheli and Gubaidulina, among composers who write in a similar style. But on this disk, at least, he scores a moderate success.

Incredible music at an incredible price.......2005-04-13

This is the best addition to my music library I've made in quite some time. Hearing the ethereal Song for Athene sung for Princes Diana's funeral I was mesmerized. It wasn't until our church choir began rehearsing this piece that I learned who had written it. I immediately went to Amazon to find more music by John Tavener. When I saw the price of this recording, I hesitated--perhaps the rest of his music doesn't match the quality of Athene? Why else would the price be so low? Since receiving my order I can only say it is worth far more. Anyone who enjoys the mystical eastern sounds introduced to us in the 60s and 70s will thoroughly enjoy Tavener's marriage of English choral music with the hypnotic droning "ohms" of eastern music.
You will experience mystery and contemplation as you listen. Blake's and Herbert's poetry take on new meaning when set to Tavener's provocative underpinnings. His other pieces further create a sense of wonder, meditation, and awe. To listen is to be drawn to worship. Each piece on the disc adds value to the recording. What a marvelous find.

Top-rate singing at a wonderful price.......2003-01-27

For all the minor "complaints" one could have about this recording, it is still a wonderful, recent recording of beautiful music from one of England's finest traditional choirs. For such a cheap price, it is WELL worth the money!

Tavener's music is perhaps an acquired taste. If modern, "hypnotic" sacred choral music appeals to you, then you would certainly do well to buy this recording, which includes some of Tavener's best works. I personally enjoy the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis best. Everything on here is very well sung -- sometimes truly beautifully so -- by the men and boys of St. John's College Choir.

If you like Tavener, this CD is certainly worthy of your collection. If you are not familiar with Tavener's music, then this is the CD to buy to discover it -- the quality of singing is first-class and the price can't be beaten!

Nothing Special.......2002-07-05

I have liked Tavener since Apple and the Whale.

I came across this in a budget section and gave it a whirl. Actually it has been in my car for three days. Well written, well sung, well orchestrated. Well what?

Well it does not seem to me, although I am no expert, that it sounds pretty much like any other English choral music.

It sounds good but does not sound special.

Tracks:

The Protecting Veil: I. The Protecting Veil
The Protecting Veil: II. Annunciation
The Protecting Veil: III. The Incarnation
The Protecting Veil: IV. Lament Of The Mother Of God At The Cross
The Protecting Veil: V. Christ is Risen!
The Protecting Veil: VI. The Dormition Of The Mother Of God
The Protecting Veil: VII. The Protecting Veil
Wake Up...And Die

Amazon.com essential recording

Inspired by the Orthodox Church's Feast of the Protecting Veil of the Mother of God, Tavener's The Protecting Veil is a dark and moody work for cello and orchestra that secures his place as a modern day mystic. Filled with the lyrical solo passages, Tavener wrote the composition with the cello enacting the role of the Mother of God; accordingly, the instrument is up-front and center on the disc. Yo-Yo Ma lends an impassioned and impeccable performance to the recording, retaining the work's meditative nature, while David Zinman and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra remain reserved in their accompaniment. The effect is both haunting and beautiful. The world premiere recording of the introspective Wake Up ... And Die concludes the disc and is a fine presentation of Ma's talents, but the composition lacks the ethereal punch of Protecting. --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews:

Masterpiece of Beauty.......2004-07-16

This is one of my favorite albums. I wept the first time I heard "Wake Up And Die" which was one of the most beautiful things I have ever experienced. The music is profound and Yo-Yo Ma's performance is incredibly sensitive. This is the album I play when I need to re-connect with the Holy.

I have to comment on the previous review and point out that this style of music, known popularly as "holy minimalism", is quite different from the Enlightenment-era Western music that most people study in school (Bach, Mozart, Beethoven etc.). The composer is intentionally keeping it simple and somewhat directionless because he seeks to reunite classical music with contemplative spirituality. Whereas in traditional classical music you expect to hear development of musical ideas moving forward to a climactic conclusion, this music seems to go nowhere - and that is intentional. The purpose is contemplation, not activity. The music is meditative, hypnotic, and gently repetitive, as in the tradition of centering prayer one might continuously repeat a word or two from Scripture to be drawn deeper into prayer. The gentle repetition gives the music a feeling of stasis, of being suspended in time.

It is quite common for people who are unfamiliar with the genre to make comments like "simplistic," since compared to more familiar styles it might come across that way. Tavener rejects complexity in favor of simplicity. This music is transparent, austere, and serene; you could easily compare its style to an Orthodox icon. If you are open to something new, you may find that this poignant beauty and simplicity touches a deep inner reservoir of joy and sorrow.

Simplistic Drivel.......2003-09-21

Sony's liner notes state that composer John Tavener "sidesteps issues of contemporary style and offers music that is at once ancient and new" and that Tavener operates on a plane "where traditional western concepts such as linear development dissolve into an infinite spiral of contemplation."

The liner notes on the composer conclude by stating that Tavener "has given up modernity to discover antiquity, he has relinquished the moment for a glimpse of the eternal."

According to the artist liner notes, cellist Yo-Yo Ma's career "is testament to his continual search for new ways to communicate and his desire for artistic growth and renewal" and that Ma "strives to find connections that stimulate the imagination."

The artist liner notes on conductor David Zinman ascribe these words to Pierre Monteaux: "I offer the world my inheritance in the person of my beloved David Zinman. In him the youth of an old maestro will live again."

The simplistic drivel of these liner notes, apparently offered in total sincerity, matches the simplistic drivel of the music. This is music for people who do not like music.

If anyone is truly curious about "The Protecting Veil", at least buy either the Isserlis recording or the Wallfisch recording. Those two cellists, at a very minimum, play in tune, which is more than can be said for Ma.

I like "The Protecting Veil" but not "Wake Up and Die".......2000-06-03

I wrote an extensive paper for my doctorate in music on John Tavener's "The Protecting Veil" and listened to all of the current performances that were available up through 1999. I enjoyed this recording, but I also recommend the original Steven Isserlis recording or the newer one by "I Fiamminghi" which also contains the beautiful "Last Sleep of the Virgin" (instead of "Wake Up and Die" for cello choir that the Ma recording includes.) Try the "I Fiamminghi" as well as this beautiful recording. Cellist Raphael Wallfisch also plays this piece beautifully.

A lucky accident.......1999-03-29

I obtained this CD by accident. It's a long story, but I never intended to get it. Heck, I didn't even know who John Tavener was. After a couple of listens though, I really warmed up to the CD. Tavener's music is ethereal and thought provoking. The honesty and wrenching intensity won me over immediately. The music's spiritual message "encouraged" me to look at my own spiritual state, and I can say it has inspired me to do a lot of thinking and to try to change some things for the better. This is amazing music that will change you! Thanks John Tavener for writing it, and Yo Yo Ma for playing it!

The Definitive Tavenor.......1998-10-10

A piece composed by Tavenor to celebrate the existence of the Protecting Veil (God's mother) as mentioned in some ancient religious literature. It was originally dedicated to the English cellist Steven Isserlis who by all means gave a fantastic performance. However, I have been secretly hoping for an offering by Ma, arguably the most fascinating and captivating cellist in the world today. And I am not at all disappointed by the long wait (almost five years after the Isserlis release!). This recording captured the attention from the first long sustained note to the end where a recap of the introduction theme wrapped up the whole piece. If there is a single word that can possibly describe this piece, it has to be 'sublime'. Tonally beautifully crafted with heavy dynamic contrast, the piece flows with an emotional strength that is strong enough to seize the bottom of the mind, and this force can only be second to (maybe) The Piano Concerto by Michael Nyman. It can be exhaustive after the whole piece if you allow yourself to be drawn into it.

Tracks:

Sweet Peace
Be Still, My Soul
Peace Like a River
All Things Bright and Beautiful
Lord Is My Shepherd
This Is My Father's World
Wayfarin' Stranger
Lord, Make Me an Instrument of Thy Peace
Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
Deep River
Lamb
Child's Prayer
It Is Well With My Soul
Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep
Gaelic Blessing
Thou Gracious God, Whose Mercy Lends
Come, Let Us Anew

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful.......2007-06-14

This CD is a must have for any Mormon Tabernacle Choir fans. The music is very reverent and gentle, and should also appeal to those not from the LDS church, seeing as how most of the music is common to the wider Christian community. This CD is a fantastic addition to any music collection.

A few bright spots, but also some disappointments.......2007-01-19

It Is Well With My Soul is one of my favorite-favorites and that is the main reason why I bought the CD; it turned out to be a huge let down on this album, they rearranged it so much that I almost didn't recognize it. Be Still My Soul is another reason why I bought it and it's good, but not great. Swing Low Sweet Chariot is where it starts to get good. The last two songs "Thou Gracious God, Whose Mercy Lends"
and "Come, Let Us Anew" are very good reasons to buy this CD, they each have truely powerful passages and make the CD worth having. The Mormon Tabernacle Choirs 2006 release entitled Then Sings My Soul is by far the best that I've heard from them.

This CD Deserves SIX Stars!.......2005-11-05

However, the rating scale has a limit of five. I own over 700 CDs of virtually every type of music. Peace Like A River belongs in a class by itself! I've never written a review before but, after listening to this STUNNING performance by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, I feel compelled to share my praise with that of the five other reviewers. If I were limited to one word, I would use the word "SUPERB" to describe this beautiful and moving CD. SIX stars for Peace Like a River! BRAVO!!!

every good adjective .......2005-08-06

This album is all beauty and solace. The singing is pristine, the arrangements lush and often stirring--never saccharine. As with the previous reviewer, my first listing of "Peace Like a River" brought me to tears (especially "Peace Like a River," the sopranos in "Swing Low," and the bagpipes in "Thou Gracious God"). Buy this one.

Fabulous!.......2005-05-29

The perfect recording to help you recover from a long, hard day. Showcasing the MTC's "new" sound in contemporary choral arrangements with its own orchestra and conductor, "Peace Like a River" brought tears to my eyes in selection after selection during my first listen -- and I'm not normally an emotional person! The title song together with "Deep River," "Swing Low" and "Be Still My Soul" are alone worth the cost of the recording. Get this one!

Average customer rating:

The Etheral Tavener
A Beauty that aches
Heavenly music without equal
Completely Enchanted by this Exquisite CD
The Bridegroom

Darkness into Light
John Tavener , The Chilingirian Quartet , and Anonymous 4
Manufacturer: Harmonia Mundi Fr.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Wolcum Yule: Celtic and British Songs and Carols - Anonymous 4 with Andrew Lawrence-King

ASIN: B00008RV0I
Release Date: 2003-04-08

Tracks:

O Lux Beata Trinitas
Jube Domine/In Principio
Come And Do Your Will In Me
Christe Qui Lux Es
Lectio Ysaye Prophete/Surge Illuminare
As One Who Had Slept
Medie Noctis Tempus Est
Vidi Civitatem
The Lord's Prayer
Quinque Prudentes Virgines
The Bridegroom
Inventor Rutili

Amazon.com

Darkness into Light is the title of this new Anonymous 4 CD, and, indeed, many of the works refer to the perils and glory, religiously speaking, of the former and the latter, respectively. Sprinkled within the eight 12th- to 14th-century hymns, all beautifully performed and interestingly varied in tone and use of voices, are four works by the contemporary British composer John Tavener, one of which is receiving its recorded premiere and was composed for Anonymous 4 and the Chilingirian Quartet. It is called "The Bridegroom," and in its 17-plus minutes examines the metaphor of Christ-as-Bridegroom, with the strings standing for Christ and the four voices, in the words of the composer, for "the people of the world, full of that longing which is a kind of Divine eros." Be that as it may, it contains some wonderful high-lying vocal lines, many short, phrases and a series of long-held, fading-out notes. The effect is very interesting and the string quartet adds to the mystery. The other three Tavener works are in the same vein. Whether or not one subscribes to Tavener's only occasionally convincing brand of religiosity, the performances here--of his music and the rest--are gorgeous, as the Anonymous 4 sing with their usual combination of abundance and absolute purity--an odd combination, but a unique one. The ear is constantly enchanted here, even if one finds the ancient piety more appealing, universal, and convincing than the modern. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

The Etheral Tavener.......2006-09-05

I bought this CD a week ago and have listened to it every night at least once. I am a fan of church choral music. This album has some of the most interesting, moving and uplifting music I have listened to. I put Tavener up there with Talis, Gorecki, and the giants of the past.

A Beauty that aches.......2004-02-20

I'm not sure how I just happened upon John Tavener for the first time in my life. Where has he been hiding?

This album struck me much the same way Palestrina's Pope Marcellus mass struck me the first time I heard it. It's the kind of music that makes you lean back with your mouth open; wordless at the music that would be too divinely beautiful to touch if you could see it. It makes me whisper soft praises at the sheer love that God has inspired in certain musicians.

I like the medieval songs interspersed with Tavener's pieces. A perfect combination.

Heavenly music without equal.......2003-12-15

I ordered DARKNESS INTO LIGHT shortly after its release earlier this year, and I have listened to and enjoyed it immensely many time over since. Having recently ordered Anonymous 4's WOLCUM YULE, I was inspired to finally write a review of this masterwork collection of choral music.

DARKNESS INTO LIGHT's "subtitle" if you will is MEDIEVAL & MODERN--A MYSTICAL JOURNEY. I could think of no better way to describe the mood these works set: you do feel a sense of mystery and anticipation as you "journey" from one hymn to the next. I use the word hymn in the general sense, as the works have more than just a liturgical or religious sound that comes forth upon listening again and again. I literally get chills and am enthralled in particular by the Tavener selections presented here (Come and do Your will in me is I believe the most beautiful choral work of Tavener's and the most beautiful permformance I have heard from Anonymous 4 ever!)

Anonymous 4 in collaboration with the Chilingirian Quartet lavish great care and passion on these four pieces as they do with the entire album. The Tavener works are certainly the highlight if you are a devoted collector of his music as I am.

Not only is the singing and musicianship of both quartets astounding, the packaging for the CD is itself quite attractive and informative. Harmonia Mundi has placed the CD within a book that opens to display the four-color liner notes booklet. No need to fumble with removing the booklet from a traditional jewel case--a nice touch for those of us who enjoy reading the essays and production notes associated with a classical recording. The booklet is quite handsome, and includes two color plates, one probably attributable to Hieronymus Bosch, and one from the Tres Riches Heures du Duc de Berry, 15th c. France. Also included are librettos in English, French and German.

The 12 tracks are as as follows:

1) Vespers hymn: O lux beata trinitas
2) Jube domine/Lection: In principio
3) TAVENER: Come and do Your will in me (voices & strings)
4) Compline hymn: Christe qui lux es
5) Lectio ysaye prophete/Lection: Surge illuminare
6) Tavener: As one who has slept (voices & strings)
7) Nocturn hymn: Medie noctis tempus est
8) Leccio libri apokalipsis/Lection: Vidi civitatem
9) TAVENER: The Lord's Prayer
10) Alleluia: Quinque prudentes virgines
11) TAVENER: The Bridegroom (voices & strings)
*world premiere recording
12) Hymn for the New Light: Inventor rutili

This album must be heard to be appreciated. Whether you are familiar with Tavener and the quality of Anonymous 4 & the Chilingirian Quartet's recordings, or are new to all this, do yourself a tremendous favor and get a copy now! The production quality is nothing less than superb, as you would expect from Harmonia Mundi and the ladies of Anonymous 4.

This is my personal selection for CLASSICAL MUSIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR.

Completely Enchanted by this Exquisite CD.......2003-11-03

My son played this CD for me this evening and I promptly ordered it online and then continued to listen to the entire CD 5X's! This is the most hauntingly beautiful CD I've heard in years. A long-time fan of Anonymous 4, I am absolutely delighted in what I perceive to be their best recording to date. I enjoyed listening to the 12th-14th c. hymns and absolutely love the new works by Tavener. Since I particularly enjoy listening to Anonymous 4 CD's while at work, I am eagerly awaiting this latest CD to listen to while I work this winter! This CD is inspiring as well as beautiful.

The Bridegroom.......2003-07-19

I haven't actually listened to this entire album yet, but I will buy it just for "The Bridegroom," and I suggest you do the same if you enjoy chant-style vocal music at all. Tavener uses minor seconds all over the place to keep us on the edge of our seat, and his ancient style of chant combined with nouveux harmonies are absolutely exhilirating! Definitely listen to this one!

Average customer rating:

My idea of heaven
Wonderful, but not quite the best of I had hoped
A treasury
Chanticleer: A Portrait

Chanticleer: A Portrait
Caroll Coates , Harold / Mercer, Johnny Arlen , Spiritual Traditional , Vince Guaraldi , Joseph Jennings , Ettore Stratta , Eric Alatorre , Tim Krol , Corey McKnight , Kevin Baum , David Munderloh , and Dawn Upshaw
Manufacturer: Teldec
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Where the Sun Will Never Go Down
Sing We Christmas

ASIN: B00008J2VP
Release Date: 2003-03-18

Tracks:

Quem Terra Pontus Sidera
Ave Maria (Gregorian Chant)
Alma Redemptoris Mater
The Angel Cried Out
Angelicas Milicias
Wherewithal Shall A Young Man...
Love Is A Beautiful Dream
This Heart That Flutters Near My Heart
Wild Grass
Labbra Vermiglie E Belle
Jeanie With The Light Brown Hair
Dulaman
Shenandoah
Spanish Carol
Love Is Letting Go
Blues In The Night
Wade In The Wate
We Shall Walk Through The Valley In Peace
Christmas Time Is Here

Amazon.com

With this disc, Chanticleer, the internationally renowned, all-male 12-voice chamber choir, celebrates its 25th anniversary. Presenting songs from earlier albums plus one not previously recorded, the selection displays the group's remarkable stylistic and linguistic versatility, as well as all the qualities that have made it famous: the impeccable precision and intonation; the pristine tonal purity; the deep, inner expressiveness; the infinitely variable range of colors, textures, dynamics and moods; and the incredible vocal control that allows voices to stand out as well as to blend into a seamless, sonorous whole. Not for nothing has the group been called "an orchestra of voices" with its ability to sound like a big band in chordal passages and to imitate bass pizzicati as well as patter-songs and gospel shouts. The sopranos take off into stratospheric heights with florid coloratura; it is hard to believe that these are male voices. The program ranges from Gregorian chant and liturgical music of the 16th and 17th century, through traditional and jazz-influenced folk songs and spirituals (some in deplorably bad arrangements), to works by contemporary composers. Chanticleer's mostly vibrato-less vocal style still reflects its roots in its original Renaissance repertoire, but the way the singers use their voices in the popular, jazzy songs makes one aware of the evolving kinship between the two traditions. Though primarily an a capella ensemble, Chanticleer is occasionally joined by various instrumental groups, from period instrument orchestras to a jazz trio, and Dawn Upshaw adds her radiant, smiling, unmistakably "real" soprano to a delightful, high-spirited performance of a Spanish Carol. This disc is a fine, varied sampling of Chanticleer's discography and should inspire listeners to search out all the complete albums. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

My idea of heaven.......2007-02-17

If you liked Norman Luboff's Song's of the Sea's "Shenandoah", the price of this CD is worth it alone. That's why I ordered the CD. I heard Chanticleer's version and immediately ordered it. The rest is just the icing on the cake.

Then there is the one Kiri Tekanawa (sp?) offering, which is the only female voice on the recording.

Wonderful, but not quite the best of I had hoped.......2006-07-18

Some great material truly shines on this album, but I wsih that the group had been a little less populist in their choice of repertoire. There is a little too many arrangements and folk-like material, with the exception of the wonderful "Dulaman", and I would like to have heard some more varied repertoire. That said this is an excellent starting point for this amazing group.

A treasury.......2005-11-06

As you can tell from the samples, the music here is amazing and covers a wide territory. It is less obvious that much of this is available on other CDs. I am confident, for example, that "We Shall Walk Through the Valley In Peace" is the same track that you will find on their phenomenal and highly recommended gospel collection, _Where the Sun Shall Never Go Down_, and I see a number of familiar-looking titles from other CDs. My advice is: if you're looking for a broad sample of the group's repertoire, then you can't go wrong here -- but if you've already got several Chanticleer albums, then you'll want to check your existing collection for potential duplications before buying this 'treasury.'

Chanticleer: A Portrait.......2005-10-26

This is a marvelous singing group of all males with a little addition of Dawn Upshaw on a couple of pieces. They are thourally amazing at what they can sing with Male Voices usually unaccompanied. Obviously they have good strong Contra-Tenors that can manage the high notes without any problems. I would recommend this album to anyone who enjoys vocal music, unaccompanied and like Male Voices

Average customer rating:

Best Of John Tavener

Manufacturer: Angel
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Tavener: Song for Athene / Svyati
John Tavener: Lament for Jerusalem
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Children of Men (Original Motion Picture Score)
Build a Bridge

ASIN: B0001ZMBUG
Release Date: 2005-03-01

Tracks:

Funeral Ikos - Jeremy Backhouse
The Lamb - Jeremy Backhouse
A Hymn To The Mother Of God - Jeremy Backhouse
Hymn For The Dormition Of The Mother Of God - Jeremy Backhouse
The Protecting Viel - STEPHEN ISSERLIS
Angels - Winchester Cathedral Choir
The Lament Of The Mother Of God - Winchester Cathedral Choir
Magnificat - Choir Of King's College, Cambridge
Nunc Dimittis - Choir Of King's College, Cambridge
God Is With Us - A Christmas Proclamation - William Kendall
Song For Athene - Winchester Cathedral Choir

Average customer rating:

The Only Choral CD You'll Ever Need

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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25 Sacred Choral Favorites

ASIN: B000059SUZ
Release Date: 2001-03-06

Tracks:

Agnus Dei - Chor Of Trinity College, Cambridge/Richard Marlow
I Pagliacci: Bell Chor - Bavarian Radio Chor
Cavalleria Rusticana: Easter Hymn - Lesley Garrett
Jerusalem - Chor Of Trinity College, Cambridge/Richard Marlow/Philip Rushforth
Carmen: March Of The Toreadors - Vienna State Opr Chor
Requiem: In Paradisum - Chor Of Trinity College, Cambridge
Requiem: Requiem Aeternam/Kyrie - Angela Maria Blasi/Bavarian Radio Sym Chor
Miserere - Louisa Keily/Rebecca Daldorph/Reiner Schneider-Waterberg/James Elias/Chor Of Trinity College...
Madama Butterfly: Humming Chor - Bavarian Radio Chor
The Flying Dutchman: Sailors' Chor - Orch And Chor Of The German Opr, Berlin/Wilhelm Schuchter
Aida: Grand March - Royal Liverpool PO And Chor
Credo: Crucifixus - Balthasar-Neumann Chor And Ens/Thomas Hengelbrock
The Lamb - Chor Of Trinity College, Cambridge/Richard Marlow
Requiem: Dies Irae/Tuba Mirum - Bavarian Radio Sym Chor
Messiah: Hallelujah Chor - London Musici And Chm Chor/Mark Stephenson

Tavener - Eternity's Sunrise / Manze · Rozario · Gooding · Mosely · AAM · Goodwin

Average customer rating:

Interesting concept...new commission for Ancient Academy!
The most relaxing clasical album in the world... ever!
Something interesting for Tavener fans...
Astonishingly beautiful!!

Tavener - Eternity's Sunrise / Manze · Rozario · Gooding · Mosely · AAM · Goodwin
John Tavener , Andrew Manze , Patricia Rozario , and Julia Gooding
Manufacturer: Harmonia Mundi Fr.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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John Tavener: Innocence
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Tavener: Lamentations & Praises

ASIN: B00000IFRT
Release Date: 1999-04-13

Tracks:

Eternity's Sunrise
Song Of The Angel
Petra: A Ritual Dream
Sappho: Lyrical Fragments
Funeral Canticle

Amazon.com

Listening to Tavener's music requires not so much an open mind as one that has been emptied. Onto this blank slate, or tabula rasa, Tavener projects two sorts of basic materials: ecstatic melismas or slow-moving, simple chants. At first, the effects can be pleasant, as the popularity of discs such as The Protecting Veil no doubt attests; the sounds are usually sweet and often soothing. Soon, the lack of movement becomes evident, at which point listeners can either fall into appreciatively soporific contemplation or regard themselves as victims of a musical form of the ancient Chinese water torture. The use of period instruments and performers (most notably Patricia Rozario and Andrew Manze) changes nothing about the description offered above. Expert singers wail, a few delicate plucks of the harp are transferred to the theorbo, and such fanciful titles as "Petra: A Ritual Dream" suggest far more than they deliver. Listeners seeking mystically oriented music that goes beyond New Age pabulum might prefer to try Messiaen's Éclairs sur l'Au-Delà or Trois petites liturgies de la Presence Divine. --Paul Turok

Amazon.com

Eternity's Sunrise got a critical drubbing (see other review) when it was released in spring 1999--a puzzlingly strong response to such a gentle piece. In part, this was probably a reaction against the label's hype, but some fault lies with the composer as well. For example, in his booklet essay Tavener makes rather much of the work's text--a mystical poem by William Blake--yet he has set that text to music so slow and so high-lying that singing the words intelligibly is just about impossible. Add to this Tavener's bit about the instruments (in the balcony) representing heaven while the soloist (at floor level) represents the earthly believer--it's no surprise that cynical critics dismissed the whole thing as pretentious claptrap. Now that nearly a year has passed, maybe we can appreciate Eternity's Sunrise for what it is: a sweet, simple piece with two melodies that alternate like verses of a hymn. The Academy of Ancient Music's baroque strings really do shimmer, especially in combination with the handbells, and soprano Patricia Rozario sings with the same skill and aplomb she always brings to Tavener's demanding writing. If you just relax and float with the music, it can work magic (especially on repeated hearings), but it's a slight little gem that can't really bear the weight of the expectations placed on it (by its creator, among others) when it first appeared.

Other works on this disc are Funeral Canticle and Petra, a Ritual Dream (which has an fascinating--and intelligible--mystical text of its own, fatuous title notwithstanding), two pieces for baritone soloist and choir, and Song of the Angel, an ethereal tour de force duet for Rozario and violinist Andrew Manze. Then there's the stealth bomb: Sappho: Lyrical Fragments, a dissonant "modernist" composition (written in 1980) of the sort that audiences were reacting against when they embraced composers such as Tavener and Arvo Pärt. Most people inclined to buy this disc in the first place will probably hate this piece initially, but it deserves a chance: by the third and fourth hearings, you might be discovering many interesting twists of melody and instrumental colors. --Matthew Westphal

Customer Reviews:

Interesting concept...new commission for Ancient Academy!.......2000-12-17

Just the idea of this album should intrigue listeners: The Academy of Ancient Music commissions a new work to be on old instruments. Ideally it would strectch both the composers and the players...which I think is achieved.

The title piece "Eternity's Sunrise" is so arrestingly beautiful that I have often shed tears listening to it. The piece eliminates all pretense and is just naked emotion. It doesn't even matter that the words to Blake's poem are unintelligble without a lyric sheet. One can readily understand this subtly shifting piece and the yearning of both composer and poet to reach the Heavenly Kingdom. The handbells coupled with orchestra provide the perfect platform for soprano Patricia Rozario's voice to soar (and it can REALLY soar.)

"Song of the Angel" hinges on a concept foreign to western classical music (as much of Tavener's music does) in that it takes one word or a simple phrase and concentrates on it for the whole piece trying to bring both performer and listener into an exhalted spiritual state. While sounding nothing like it, it is similar in concept to druphad or qawwali singing...both traditions of religious devotion. Tavener hasn't Christianized those forms (because this piece sounds nothing like either of those) but they are similar in aim. It is somewhat similar to the "Jesus Prayer" in the Orthodox tradition in that it helps to have God ever-present in your conciousness.

"Petra: A Ritual Dream" is one of the more musically uneventful pieces on the CD. There is certainly some beautiful moments, but it just doesn't stack up against the first two pieces. Lyrically, it is quite intriguing. This piece, and many other pieces on this CD touch on some of the more esoteric aspects of Eastern Christianity.

"Sappho: Lyrical Fragments" is one piece that stands apart both lyrically and musically. When I say stands apart, I don't mean stands above. That's not to say that it is a bad piece, it is just not a superb piece. The content of the lyrics is quite different from the other in that this cleary stands outside of the Christian tradition. Not only that, but this piece is much more dissonant than others on the album. It is okay, but definately the worse piece on the disc.

"Funeral Canticle" the last and longest piece on the disc is wondeful. Solemn and somber as the title would suggest, this piece suggests peace, rest, and eternal beauty. The piece contains some of most beautiful serene music I've ever heard in my life. I'm sure the fact that it was written for his dying father also had much to do with the pieces tender beauty. I think this piece ranks alongside Tavener masterpieces like "The Protecting Veil," "Akathist of Thanksgiving," "Village Wedding," "The Lamb," "The Repentant Thief," "Wake Up & Die" and many others.

This disc is highly recommended and becomes more rewarding with every listen. This is certainly a departure from most western classical music, and even a departure from much of Tavener's work for that matter. It is more successful than not, and it is definately worth investing in.

The most relaxing clasical album in the world... ever!.......2000-04-30

I once bought a 2 CD set with that title, but if the producers had listened to this CD, they would have had to call their product "The second most relaxing classical album..."

This is tavener at his best, and probably one of his most accessable works. Those unfamiliar with Tavener should start here. Tracks 1-3 & 5 are very beautiful and is among the most tranquil music I've heard (and this includes most "New Age" music.) The lyrics that go along with the music are also very beautiful.

Track 4 is more dark and sorrowful. Some people like it, for the change of pace. if you don't just program your CD player to skip it.

Something interesting for Tavener fans..........1999-06-11

This CD has some things going for it- five tracks, all of which are premiere recordings; a chance to hear the very special sound of modern music played on baroque instruments; more superb interpretations of Tavener's solo soprano writing from Patricia Rozario; and an insight into the mystical qualities of Tavener's music (the booklet notes are by the composer himself). Tavener has offered his highest praise for the CD, and I agree with him that it is "beautiful". However, for many it may prove a touch tedious- I'm thinking in particular of "Funeral Canticle", which must surely be one of the 'ne plus ultras' of minimalist composition in that it is 24 minutes of the same pattern of chords (the Kliros) over and over and over, with refreshing but relatively shorter phrases at the start of each verse. On the other hand, I urge listeners to look at this piece in context before being too judgemental- it was originally composed (in bits) for the funeral of Tavener's father and it confronts that loss in a very calm and rational manner. A great piece for relaxation, I think- and you will be hard pushed to find a more heart-rending moment than the beginning of the first Kliros, when the strings join the voices in an abrupt yet touching change of key. Three other tracks are also minimal in content- "Eternity's Sunrise", "Song of the Angel" and "Petra: a ritual dream". Of those, the first is undoubtedly the most effective- it is the only work that was originally commissioned by the Academy of Ancient Music and Tavener takes advantage of their full range of instruments (whereas all the other works seem to feature strings only). Several bits also seem very familiar- the end of each verse of "Eternity's Sunrise" uses a melody from the earlier string quartet "The Hidden Treasure", whilst the fragmentary refrain sung by the chorus in "Petra" is a direct quotation of the anthem "As One Who Has Slept" (composed in the same year). The most remarkable track for me is "Sappho: Lyrical Fragments"- included by director Paul Goodwin as 'a complete change of style', this is a setting of an ancient Greek fantasy poem that is admittedly very discordant but effectively so. In it, there is certainly more variety than in all the others, though I wouldn't recommend this one for relaxtion- in places, it can be likened to the musical equivalent of an alcoholic stupor! The conclusive verdict: it's a fascinating CD, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who is unfamilliar with John Tavener.

Astonishingly beautiful!!.......1999-05-29

Yet more incredibly beautiful choral music by John Tavener (who can forget the recessional music accompanying Princess Di's coffin as it left Westminster Abbey). The AAM do it full justice. Highest recommendation

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