Tavener, (Sir) John (Kenneth) (b London, 1944). Eng. composer and organist. Org., St John's, Kensington, 1960. Prof. of mus., TCL, 1969–74. Mus. of rich imaginative and eclectic resource and of profound religious spirit, as in Ultimos ritos and Celtic Requiem, in which children's games are linked to the idea of death. Convert to Gr. Orthodox Church. Knighted 2000. Prin. works:OPERAS & MUSIC THEATRE: The Cappemakers (1965, rev. of 1964 choral work, see below); Thérèse (1973–6); A Gentle Spirit (after Dostoyevsky), sop., ten., small ens. (1976–7); Eis Thanaton (1986); Mary of Egypt (1991).ORCH.: pf. conc. (1962–3); chamber conc. (1965, rev. 1968); Grandma's Footsteps, 5 mus. boxes, chamber ens. (1967–8); Variations on 3 Blind Mice (1972); Palintropos, pf., orch. (1978–9); Towards the Son: Ritual Procession, tb., 4 gongs, 4 bowed psalteries, perc., str. (1982); The Protecting Veil, vc., str. (1987); The Repentant Thief, cl., perc., timp., str. (1990); Eternal Memory, vc., ens. (1992); Theophany, str., ww., alto fl., brass, perc. (1994).SOLOIST(S), CHORUS, & ORCH.: The Cappemakers, 2 narr., 10 soloists, male ch., orch. (1964, rev. for stage 1965); The Whale, mez., bar., ch., children's ch., speaker, 6 actors, org., orch., tape (1965–6); Introit for March 27, the Feast of St John Damascene, sop., alto, ch., orch. (1967–8); Nomine Jesu, mez., ch., ens., 5 speaking vv. (1970); Responsorium in memory of Annon Lee Silver, 2 sop., ch., 2 fl. (opt.) (1971); Ultimos Ritos, SATB soloists, ch., 5 spkrs., orch. (1972); Kyklike Kineēsis, sop., vc., ch., pf., str. (1977); Akhmatova: Requiem, sop., bar., orch. (1979–80); Akathist of Thanksgiving, soloists, ch., bells, str. (1986–7); Ikon of St Seraphim, bar., 4 bass, ch., orch. (1988); Resurrection, soloists and actors, ch., male ch., orch. (1989); We Shall See Him As He Is, sop., ten., ch., org., 2 tpt., timp., str. (1991–2); Hymns of Paradise, bass, ch., str. (1992–3); The Apocalypse, sop., mez., ten., counterten., treble, bass, ch., children's ch., orch. (1993–4).SOLO VOICE(S) & INSTR(S).: 3 Holy Sonnets (John Donne), bar., small orch., tape (1962); Cain and Abel, SATB soloists, orch. (1965); 3 Surrealist Songs, mez., tape, pf. (1967–8); In Alium, sop., org., pf., str. (1968); Celtic Requiem, sop., ch., children's ch., ens. (1969); Canciones espan˜olas, 2 sop. or counterten., 2 fl., org., hpd. (1972); Requiem for Father Malachy, 2 counterten., ten., 2 bar., bass, ens., org., str. qt. (1973, rev. 1979); 6 Russian Folk Songs, v., ens. (1978); The Immurement of Antigone, sop., orch. (1978); 6 Abbasid Songs, ten., 3 fl., alto fl. (1979); Sappho: Lyrical Fragments, 2 sop., str. (1980); To a Child Dancing in the Wind, sop., fl., hp., va. (1983); 16 Haiku of Seferis, sop., ten., handbells, str. (1984); Meditation on the Light, counterten., gui., handbells (1986); The Child Lived, sop., ens. (1992); Akhmatova Songs (new vers.), sop., ens. (1995).CHORUS (unacc. except where indicated): Coplas, SATB soloists, ch., tape (1970); Ma fin est mon commencement, 4-part ten. ch., 4 tb., 4 vc. (1972); Canticle of the Mother of God, sop., ch. (1976); The Liturgy of St John Chrysostom (1978); Risen! ch., pf., org., str. (1981); Prayer for the World (1981); Funeral Ikos (1981); The Great Canon of St Andrew of Crete (1981); Doxa (1982); Lord's Prayer (1982); The Lamb (1982); He hath entered the Heven, trebles, opt. handbells (1982); Ikon of Light, ch., str. trio (1984); Orthodox Vigil Service, ch., handbells (1984); A Nativity, women's ch. (1984); Angels, ch., org. (1985); Love bade me welcome (1985); 2 Hymns to the Mother of God (1985); Panikhida (1986); Ikon of St Cuthbert of Lindisfarne (1986); Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis (1986); Wedding Prayer (1987); Many Years (1987); Acclamation (1987); God is with us, ch., org. (1987); Hymn to the Holy Spirit (1987); The Tyger (1987); Apolytikion for St Nicholas (1988); The Call (1988); Let not the Prince be silent, 2 ch. (1988); The Uncreated Eros (1988); Lament of the Mother of God, sop., ch. (1988); Today the Virgin (1989); Eonia (1989); Psalm 121 (1989); Thunder entered her, ch., org., male ch., handbells (1990); Ikon of the Trinity (1990); Do not move on (1990); A Christmas Round (1990); Ikon of the Nativity (1991); A Village Wedding (1992); Wedding Greeting, ten., ch. (1992).CHAMBER MUSIC: In memoriam Igor Stravinsky, 2 alt. fl., org., handbells (1971); Greek Interlude, fl., pf. (1979); Trisagion, brass quintet (1981); Little Missenden Calm, ob., cl., bn., hn. (1984); Chant, gui. (1984); The Hidden Treasure, str. qt. (1989); Thrinos, vc. (1990); The Last Sleep of the Virgin, str. qt., handbells (1991).VOICE & PIANO: 3 Sections from T. S. Eliot's ‘The Four Quartets’, v. (1963–4); Lamentation, Last Prayer, and Exaltation, sop., handbells or pf. (1977); Mini-Song Cycle for Gina, sop. (1984); Prayer (for Szymanowski), bass (1987).PIANO: Palin (1977; expanded as Palintropos with orch.); My Grandfather's Waltz, pf. duet (1980); Mandoodles (1982); In memory of cats (1986).ORGAN: Mandelion (1981).