In the Requiem, the solo cello symbolizes the Primordial Light that appears at death, guiding the journey towards oneness through the annihilation of the 'false self'.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Eternal Memory is a meditation on 'the remembrance of death', reflecting on the concept of 'Paradise Lost' and the human tendency to forget our divine origin.
Composition History
John Tavener's Requiem was commissioned by The Liverpool Culture Company Ltd as part of the 2008 European Capital of Culture programme.
Compositional Technique
The Requiem is designed for a vast cruciform space, with its musical construction being geometric and symmetrical, mirroring the first three movements with the last three.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Mahāshakti explores the Hindu concept of Shakti, a celestial Feminine Energy that helps humanity connect with the Divine, with Mahāshakti being the supreme form.
Composer's Artistic Vision
The essence of John Tavener's Requiem is the idea that when one's 'false self' is extinguished, the 'true self' shines forth, becoming one with God.
Instruments
Ruth Palmer, the violinist on this recording, plays on the 'Cathedral' Stradivari, kindly loaned by Jonathan Moulds.
