John Tavener: Ikon Of Light: String Ensemble: Instrumental Work

A work for mixed chorus and string trio (violin viola and cello) to be performed with restraint and majesty. Ikon Of Light was written for the Tallis Scholars. The first performance took place in July 1984 as part of the 1984 Cheltenham International Festival of Music given by the Tallis Scholars and the Leda Trio conducted by Peter Phillips.Instrument Parts.

Svyati - 'O Holy One' for choir and solo cello. Text in church Slavonic. Quoting Tavener: 'I began to write Svyati in early 1995: while sketching it I learned that John Williams father of Jane my dear friend andpublisher was dying. I could not refrain from dedicating it to Jane and to the memory of her father. The text is in Church Slavonic and it is used at almost every Russian Orthodox service perhaps most poignantly afterthe congregation have kissed the body in an open coffin at an Orthodox funeral. The choir sings as the coffin is closed and borne out of the church followed by the mourners with lighted candles. The cello represents the Priest orIkon of Christ and should play at a distance from the choir perhaps at the opposite end of the building. As is Greek drama choir and priest are in dialogue with each other. Since the cello represents the Ikon of Christ it mustbe played without any sentiment of a Western character but should derive from the chanting of the Eastern Orthodox Church.