Main content

John Tavener

Sue Lawley's castaway is composer John Tavener.

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is the composer John Tavener. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about the varied inspirations for his music and about how he regards the work of composition as an act of prayer. His music has won the admiration of both serious musicians and the general public - last year his work for cello and strings, The Protecting Veil, held the number one place in the classical charts for several months. Now nearly 50, his was a precocious talent - one of his earliest works was recorded successfully when he was only 24, thanks to the support of the Beatles.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Favourite track: Akathist of Thanksgiving by John Tavener
Book: Apophthegmata Patrum (early writing of Egyptian fathers)
Luxury: Upright piano

Available now

40 minutes

Last on

Fri 23 Sep 1994 09:05
麻豆社 Radio 4

More episodes

Previous

Joanna Trollope

Next

Mary Stott

See all episodes from Desert Island Discs

Music Played

  • Castaway's Favourite

    • John Tavener

      Akathist of Thanksgiving

      Orchestra: 麻豆社 Symphony Orchestra & Singers

      • Akathist of Thanksgiving.
      • Sony Classical.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    St Matthew Passion - Kommt, ihr T枚chter

    Choir: Bach Choir Orchestra: Jacques Orchestra

    • St Matthew Passion.
    • Decca.

  • Manchester Schools Choir

    The Dance Duet from Hansel & Gretel

    • Hello Children Everywhere.
    • EMI.

  • Patriarchal Choirs of Constantinople

    The Holy Passion (Greek)

    • The Holy Passion.
    • OMK.

  • Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

    Nutcracker Suite

    Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra Conducotr: Andre Previn

    • Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker.
    • Classics For Pleasure.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Pa-Pa-Pa-Papagena (from The Magic Flute)

    Soloist: Walter Berry & Emmy Loose Orchestra: Vienna Philharmonic

    • Mozart: Die Zauberflote.
    • Decca.

  • The Dagar Brothers

    Ragar Lalit

    • Maestro's Choice Series One.
    • Music Today.

  • John Tavener

    Blessed Duet (from Mary of Egypt)

    Soloist: Patricia Rozario & Stephen Varcoe

    • Mary of Egypt.
    • Collins Classics.

  • Book Choice

    • Apophthegmata Patrum (early writing of Egyptian fathers)

  • Luxury Choice

    • Upright piano

Credits

Presenter Sue Lawley
Interviewed Guest John Tavener

Broadcasts

  • Sun 18 Sep 1994 12:15
    麻豆社 Radio 4
  • Fri 23 Sep 1994 09:05
    麻豆社 Radio 4

Featured in...

The Desert Island Discs podcast

The Desert Island Discs podcast

Subscribe or download individual episodes.

Listen to over 2,000 programmes

Click above to browse castaways, from 1942 to today.

Articles

Read the surprising things we've learned about some stand-out castaways.

Podcast