John Tavener : The Veil of the Temple Fiona Talkington introduces a performance of the climactic final sections of John Tavener 's new seven-hour choral composition, The Veil of the Temple, live from the Temple Church in London.
Tavener has already described the work, inspired by the all-night vigils of the Greek Orthodox church, as his magnum opus and says it is "an offering to the Deity....
Christian but universalist". The texts are in English, Greek, Hebrew, Church Slavonic and Aramaic, and the work is scored for choir, organ and an array of exotic instruments, including duduk, Tibetan horn, simantron and Indian harmonium. Patricia Rozario (soprano),
Choir of the Temple Church, Hoist Singers, conductor Stephen Layton