Scottish Ensemble -Tavener: Tears of the Angels - Lebanon Daily News

John Tavener. Most of his compositions are musical eulogies; his early instrument composition "Eternity's Sunrise" was performed during the funeral of Princess Diana. "Tears of the Angels", the title piece was prompted by the countless victims of the Balkan conflict, while "Depart in Peace" was created after the death of his father and "My Gaze Is Ever On you" following the passing of a friend.

All are gracefully melodic pieces which never tip over into bathos, thanks to the stereotypical British emotional reserve. The music's melancholic beauty is that of a prolonged, resigned sigh which nonetheless brings to mind beatific visions of angels and an afterlife. "Depart in Peace" mixes a haunting solo soprano and hints of Middle Eastern music into a fascinating texture. Tavener's deft experimentation with instrumentation and structure while remaining devoted to a lyrical post-Romantic sound should make his work appealing to a broad spectrum of listeners. I strongly recommend it.