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- John Tavener
Hymn for the Sovereign (2007)
- Chester Music Ltd (World)
This work was commissioned by The Imperial Society of the Knights Bachelor. First performance on 13th November 2008 by St. Paul's Cathedral Choir, at St. Paul's Cathedral, London, in the presence of Her Majesty, The Queen.
- 4tpt.3tbn/timp/org
- SATB
- 9 min
- June Boyce-Tillman
- French
Programme Note
This Hymn, written for Her Majesty The Queen, is based on Ecclesiasticus Chapter 44 ff. It is a festive piece for choir, congregation and organ, with fanfares for brass and timpani.
In between the verses of the Hymn come six Invocations to God from different religious traditions: Christian, Islamic, Judaic, Hindu, Buddhist, and finally American Indian, representing the Shamantic tradition. I have included these Invocations to emphasise the universal nature of the Hymn; at this time, many of Her Majesty's subjects belong to different religions, and I wanted to emphasise that beneath the outward form of all these religions there is only one Supreme Being, one transcendent unity. Thus, through the language of music, I hope to make a link between traditions, and to celebrate all the peoples of Britain, both past and present.
J.T.
In between the verses of the Hymn come six Invocations to God from different religious traditions: Christian, Islamic, Judaic, Hindu, Buddhist, and finally American Indian, representing the Shamantic tradition. I have included these Invocations to emphasise the universal nature of the Hymn; at this time, many of Her Majesty's subjects belong to different religions, and I wanted to emphasise that beneath the outward form of all these religions there is only one Supreme Being, one transcendent unity. Thus, through the language of music, I hope to make a link between traditions, and to celebrate all the peoples of Britain, both past and present.
J.T.
Scores
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