For many years,
John Tavener held firm in his allegiance to the Orthodox Christian faith, and his music reflected a strong mystical focus within the Byzantine and Russian traditions. Yet in his later years he appeared to modify his beliefs and adopted concepts from other world religions, so his theology and his music took on a more universal outlook. The Veil of the Temple is a large-scale choral work inspired by sacred music from around the world, and it brings together ideas drawn mainly from Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity, embodied in rhythms and chants from those sources. This performance by the
Choir of the Temple Church of London, the Holst Singers, and the
English Chamber Orchestra, conducted by
Stephen Layton, emphasizes the ethereal and otherworldly aspect of the score, and the resonant acoustics of the Temple Church give the singers and instrumentalists an aural halo that suggests the spirituality of the ancient texts and evokes their remoteness in time. Yet this is a long piece, approaching 148 minutes in duration, and much of this music is repetitive, slowly paced, and somber in mood, appropriate to a reflective or meditative state of mind.
Tavener's fans will want this performance for the sake of completeness, but other listeners should sample it first. ~ Blair Sanderson