Tavener: Ikon of Eros

Editorial Reviews
Album Description
"This is powerful stuff. Most highly recommended. Among the most exciting music I’ve heard lately." – Audiophile Audition

John Tavener is arguably the most popular living composer. Ikon of Eros is the newest of Tavener’s works to be recorded, and this is its premiere. Ikon of Eros was commissioned by Jorja Fleezanis, concertmaster of the Minnesota Orchestra. Paul Goodwin is an authority on Tavener’s music, having performed and recorded many of his works. Patricia Rozario is Tavener’s favorite soprano, and he has written several works for her. Contains an interview with the composer by Brian Newhouse of Minnesota Public Radio. Named one of the Best Recordings of 2003 by SoundStage!

"Gorgeous, mystical music with the power to entrance. Captured in demonstration quality 24-bit HDCD sound by "Prof." Keith Johnson, this world premiere recording is an extraordinary achievement." – Bay Area Reporter

Tavener: Ikon of Eros, Music, Tim Krol, Spoken Word, John Tavener, Paul Goodwin, Minnesota Orchestra, Patricia Rozario, Jorja Fleezanis, Choral, Choral Music, Classical, Classical Composers, Miscellaneous, Miscellaneous Music, Orchestral & Symphonic

Average customer rating:

John Tavener: A Portrait Manufacturer: Naxos ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Tavener | Tavener, John Kenneth | ( T ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Character Pieces | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Organ | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Cello | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Guitar | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Violin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Minnesota Orchestra | ( M ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music English | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Choruses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Hymns | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Instructional | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music ASIN: B0001AXQI2 Release Date: 2004-04-20

Tracks:

1. In Alium - Eileen Hulse
2. To A Child Dancing In The Wind - Heidi Grant Murphy
3. The Lamb - Choir Of St. John's College, Cambridge
4. The Tyger - Choir Of St. John's College, Cambridge
5. Movement 1: Fos I, Doxa - The Sixteen
6. Movement 2: Piu Intensita - The Sixteen
7. Mandelion For Organ (Extract) - Kevin Bowyer
8. Chant For Guitar (Extract) - Jonathan Richards
9. Ikon Of Saint Cuthbert Of Lindisfatne - Ian Shaw
10. The Protecting Veil For Cello And Orchestra - Maria Kliegel
11. Mary Of Egypt - Stephen Varcoe
12. Akhmatova Songs For Soprano And String Quartet - Patricia Rozario
13. Solemn - The Vanbrugh Quartet
14. [Rehearsal Letter I] - The Vanbrugh Quartet
15. Song For Athene - Choir Of St John's College, Cambridge

Tracks:

1. Zodiacs For Piano - Thalia Myers
2. Prayer Of The Heart - Brodsky Quartet
3. Movement 2: Eros - Jorja Fleezanis
4. Mother And Child - Nigel Short
5. 'My Earliest Musical Memories...' - John Tavener
6. 'I Saw In The Russian Orthodox Churck...' - John Tavener
7. 'I Think The Protecting Veil...' - John Tavener
8. 'The Icelandic Pop Singer Bjork...' - John Tavener
9. 'The Fact That I've Been Given...' - John Tavener
10. 'When My Publishers Ring...' - John Tavener
11. 'The Only Goal...' - John Tavener

Average customer rating: Feel the vastness of creation through your headphones Twice as good if half as long Dreadful Indescribable Music This will take your breath away

Tavener: Ikon of Eros Manufacturer: Reference Recordings ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Tavener | Tavener, John Kenneth | ( T ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Minnesota Orchestra | ( M ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: John Tavener: Lament for Jerusalem Darkness into Light ASIN: B0000CERHZ Release Date: 2003-09-30

Tracks:

1. Ikon Of Eros
2. Ikon Of Eros
3. Ikon Of Eros
4. Ikon Of Eros
5. Sir John Tavener In Interview With Brian Newhouse - Sir John Tavener

Album Description

John Tavener is arguably the most popular living composer. Ikon of Eros is the newest of Tavener's works to be recorded, and this is its premiere. Ikon of Eros was commissioned by Jorja Fleezanis, concertmaster of the Minnesota Orchestra. Paul Goodwin is an authority on Tavener's music, having performed and recorded many of his works. Patricia Rozario is Tavener's favorite soprano, and he has written several works for her. Contains an interview with the composer by Brian Newhouse of Minnesota Public Radio. Named one of the Best Recordings of 2003 by SoundStage!

"Gorgeous, mystical music with the power to entrance. Captured in demonstration quality 24-bit HDCD sound by "Prof." Keith Johnson, this world premiere recording is an extraordinary achievement." - Bay Area Reporter

Customer Reviews:

Feel the vastness of creation through your headphones.......2004-10-03

Twice as good if half as long.......2004-04-15

Skip the first movement, which is repeated almost exactly by the last one. The 2nd movement is annoying, with a few lovely female choral bits punctuated by lots of silly ethnic drumming (as I am myself a silly ethnic drummer, I'm allowed to say this). Instead buy a CD of Faure's or Durufle's Requiem--you'll get the same sublimity without the interruption of the Mickey Hart concert. The 3rd movement is marvelous, and calls to mind Tavener's "The Protecting Veil," as well as works such as Vasks' violin concerto and even Arvo Part's "Tabula Rasa." Worth the price of the disc, in my opinion. It is marred only by the reappearance at the end by the reappearance of the above-mentioned tantric drumming. "Why, Sir John, why?" one wonders. The last movement is virtually identical to the first, except for the addition of some choral "alleluia's." As the reviewer below says, the baritone solo can get old, but if you listen only to the last movement and skip the first it's bearable.

Also a note about the spirituality: the composer seemingly has moved into a more syncretistic expression of religion, incorporating not only his Eastern Orthodoxy, but also elements of Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam. This makes his Orthodoxy suspect, and thus, if a potential listener is looking for the lofty and intense Orthodox content and spirituality of some of his earlier works (Veil, Thunder, etc.) he will decidedly not find it here.

Dreadful.......2004-04-09

Indescribable Music.......2004-04-03

First, the music...

The music is awe inspiring in the best sense. What Tavener captures in this work is nothing short of miraculous. The sense of depth, purity, divinity and transcendence is quite unlike anything I have ever heard in classical music. I think Tavener and Arvo Part are trying to aspire to the same musical space with very different musical methods. The sense of infinity their music both attest to are the same and leave their listener truly moved, involved and elevated. This music is not as much listened to as it is experienced.

Now, onto the recording...

Reference Recordings and Keith O. Johnson's talents are truly instrumental in bringing such a breathtaking work to its full fruition on Compact Disc. As much as the music tries to communicate depth and space, the recording engineer captures the depth and space of the venue and music. You can tell where each performer is in a truly remarkable realization of the three-dimensional soundstage. How this can be done with two speakers is simply astounding.

This recording is most unequivocally recommended!!

This will take your breath away.......2003-10-11

As noted by other reviews, you'll find it difficult to have this as background music; it will likely engage all of your attention. (This truly is serious music.) While entirely different from Gorecki's Third, this music does speak to us of what the world lacks and yearns for. It may turn out to be as widely played.

The recording is absolutely splendid, capturing the resonance of the St. Paul Cathedral wonderfully. The booklet, with notes by Michael Steinberg as well as the composer, is very informative. As a great bonus, the CD concludes with a ten-minute interview with Sir John Tavener. I would highly recommend this piece to any lover of music.

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