- Paperback: 224 pages
- Publisher: Faber and Faber; illustrated edition edition (15 Nov 1999)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0571200885
- ISBN-13: 978-0571200887
- Product Dimensions: 21.2 x 13.6 x 2 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 237,932 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
| ||||||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Plus, get an extra £5 Gift Certificate when you trade in books worth £10 or more before June 30, 2012. Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. |
Product details |
More About the Author
Product Description
Review
"There are few serious composers who strike so resonant a chord with so wide a public as John Tavener. [His] works venerate his devout . . . beliefs; yet like all great sacred music, his compositions speak to people of other faiths (or lack thereof)."
--Bradley Bambarger, "Billboard"
--Bradley Bambarger, "Billboard"
Product Description
John Tavener's career has always been in the public eye. In the 1960s his music appeared on The Beatles' "Apple label", and he was one of the youngest composers to be commissioned by the Royal Opera House. "The Protecting Veil" - the sensation of the 1989 Proms and one of the best-selling classical recordings of all time - made Tavener a household name and his "Song for Athene" was heard by millions around the world when it was played at Princess Diana's funeral. Yet behind this glittering facade is a spiritual dimension, which became explicit after Tavener was received into the Russian Orthodox Church in 1977. With his wide intellectual curiosity and searching musical imagination it can come as no surprise that he possesses a profound and far-reaching musical 'philosophy'. "The Music of Silence" gives voice to this philosophy. Based on extensive conversations in his Greek island retreat between the composer and his close friend Brian Keeble, it covers the influences of his formative years, the technical aspects of his composition, his attitude and often controversial reactions to the music of his contemporaries, his love of the landscape and ethos of Greece, and the sacred and religious underpinning of his faith.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
If you like church music and the master of it you must read this account of a great musical mind.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
2 reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
John Tavener- in his own words at last
27 April 2000
Format:Paperback
John Tavener has certainly been one of the greatest inspirations in my life, and in this book it is finally possible to glimpse into the inner workings of his mind. His narrative reveals much of his personality, which is something completely apart from the public "image" that has often been thrust upon him. What is so striking is his honesty; although, like his beloved Stravinsky, he sometimes contradicts himself without knowing it, Tavener takes the plunge that is always difficult for autobiographers: he admits to a discomfort with his past and is willing to account for some embarrassing mistakes in his musical career. It does chafe just a little that he keeps referring to "Fall and Resurrection" (which he had just completed at the time of writing), but that notwithstanding, he engages the reader with his tales, opinions and feelings as much as he engages the faithful listener with his compositions. (And on a personal note, having met him and sung his music to him, I find it very hard not to hear his voice as I read the words...)
The book also contains several interview sections conducted by the editor Brian Keeble. These, it is explained in the preface, are recordings of spontaneous discussion as opposed to carefully planned dialogue, and to encounter Tavener in conversation is nearly as fascinating as reading his own prose. At long last, we can see what makes him tick, how he feels about his life and work, and what his hopes for the future are.
Even if you already have the Geoffrey Haydon book "Glimpses of Paradise," you should consider getting this- it sheds new light on the story of a truly unique composer and does indeed offer a message of hope for the next millennium. Outstanding!
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
straightforward insights into the composer's intent
18 Feb 2001
Format:Paperback
I found this collection of interviews with the composer John Tavener and the editor, Brian Keeble, to be quite interesting and often amusing. Mr. Taverner is not shy in expressing his great distaste for other "modern" composers who came before him(particularly Olivier Messaien.) The book is helpful for the perspective it gives the reader in understanding the process of composing music. Moreover, it shows us that for Tavener, music is not just for listening, it is a way of serving God. His devotion to the Orthodox Church has served to bring its centuries-old musical/vocal tradition to a broader audience, including those of us who are not familiar with the tenets of that Church. His music is not just for Christians or Orthodox believers; it is a music for people of all beliefs. The solemnity and emotion of the human spirit come through in every one of his works.
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
- Books > Biography > Film, Television & Music > Music > Classical Music
- Books > Biography > Medical, Legal & Social Sciences > Philosophy
- Books > Biography > Novelists, Poets & Playwrights > Poets
- Books > Music, Stage & Screen > Music > Composers & Musicians
- Books > Music, Stage & Screen > Music > Styles > Classical Music > Biographies
- Books > Music, Stage & Screen > Music > Styles > Classical Music > By History
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
