John Tavener: Innocence: Cello: Instrumental Work

Written in memory of innocent victims this dramatic piece is ideally performed within a church. It uses texts form the Gospels St Ephrem the Syrian the Old testament Shakespeare and from Mathnawi of Jalal al-Din Rumi.The work begins in a musical wasteland seemingly hopeless and without redemption. Words are turned upside down with apocalyptic screams from the organ. The work ends with an echo of this opening but the suffering this time isinside redemption. All the various streams come from this and flow back into it in the pianissimo canon “The son of man is come to save that which is lost.” Contains detailed performance suggestions; duration is25 minutes.