Ikon of Light/Funeral Ikos/

Amazon.com essential recording
This is the only disc of contemporary music the Tallis Scholars ever made; its centerpiece was composed especially for them by British "New Mystic" composer John Tavener. Ikon of Light, a suite for choir and string trio set to an early Greek Christian text, is less easy on the ear than many of Tavener's later, better-known works (such as Song for Athene, made famous at Princess Diana's funeral), but it's fascinating, with glowing sustained notes and occasionally harsh chords reminiscent of Ligeti. The two remaining pieces are more conventionally beautiful: Funeral Ikos sets an eloquently mournful text from the Orthodox burial service to a plain but heartbreaking melody; Tavener's famous setting of Blake's poem "The Lamb" (conducted here by the composer) is simple and beguiling. --Matthew Westphal

Tracks:

Ikon Of Light: Phos I
Ikon Of Light: Dhoxa
Ikon Of Light: Trisagion I: Agios o Theos
Ikon Of Light: Mystic Prayer To The Holy Spirit
Ikon Of Light: Trisagion II: Agios o Theos
Ikon Of Light: Phos II
Ikon Of Light: Epiphania
Funeral Ikos
Carol: The Lamb

Amazon.com essential recording

This is the only disc of contemporary music the Tallis Scholars ever made; its centerpiece was composed especially for them by British "New Mystic" composer John Tavener. Ikon of Light, a suite for choir and string trio set to an early Greek Christian text, is less easy on the ear than many of Tavener's later, better-known works (such as Song for Athene, made famous at Princess Diana's funeral), but it's fascinating, with glowing sustained notes and occasionally harsh chords reminiscent of Ligeti. The two remaining pieces are more conventionally beautiful: Funeral Ikos sets an eloquently mournful text from the Orthodox burial service to a plain but heartbreaking melody; Tavener's famous setting of Blake's poem "The Lamb" (conducted here by the composer) is simple and beguiling. --Matthew Westphal

Customer Reviews:

Luminous.......2000-01-11

I am not much of a Tavener fan. His mystical minimalism usually just strikes me as boring. But the major work on this recording, Ikon of Light, while having the usual Taverneresque austerity, is also one of the most beautiful and striking choral works of the 20th century. The Sixteen has also recorded this work (I haven't heard their version) but I doubt any group will perform this better than the Tallis Scholars do here.

Tavener: Ancient and Modern in one package.......1999-06-14

At the outset, I can't say this is my favourite disc (of admittedly my favourite composer), but that opinion stems mostly from the fact that half the time I try to play it, my machine kicks in with the words "NO DISC!" When I can get it to play, I never listen to it all at once. I find that "Funeral Ikos" and "The Lamb" go very well together in one hearing, whereas "Ikon of Light" stands alone and I need a different set of ears on... "Ikon of Light" is one of the purest examples of Tavener's mystical qualities- as Peter Phillips explains in the notes, the composer is trying to express what cannot be expressed in music. Hence, for such sections as "Phos" (both versions) and "Epiphania", you will need to steel yourself for "radiant" harmonies that cloy rather than attract (when I listen to "Epiphania" in particular, I think to myself, 'is this the Light of the Holy Spirit, or was Tavener writing this staring into a lighthouse bulb on full beam?'). The two "Trisagions" are sung at very high volume and also have the potential to split eardrums. The other sections ("Dhoxa" and "Mystic Prayer") are by far the best sections of the work, the "Mystic Prayer" almost being a complete work in itself. Listening to it makes me think of those beautiful, just-out-of-reach Orthodox Monasteries in Greece where the atmosphere is shaded and cool. It has to be said that the four basses of the Tallis Scholars really do this movement justice. "Funeral Ikos" is one of Tavener's simplest creations and never fails to have an effect on me. Like "Funeral Canticle", this is a moving display of unaccompanied homophony that is sung with real tenderness by the choir. My only complaint is the length- really, the piece is a hymn, and hymns do tend to chafe when they become long. If I had this work performed at my funeral, I would just have the first three verses performed and leave it at that. Finally, the recording of "The Lamb" is not perfect because the choir goes out of tune slightly towards the end, but that is insignificant compared to the sheer thrill of knowing that Tavener himself is directing the piece- it is thus the most sincere-sounding version I have ever heard. All in all, it's interesting stuff, and the Tallis Scholars really deserve the highest praise for stepping away from their usual repertoire and doing well at something completely modern.

Tavener: Ikon of Light / Funeral Ikos / The Lamb

Average customer rating:

Tavener: Ikon of Light / Funeral Ikos / The Lamb
Tallis Scholars , Peter Phillips , John Tavener , Mark Butler , Philip de Groote , Csaba Erdelyi , and Chilingirian String Quartet
Manufacturer: Gimell UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Hymns | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items: