When my husband and I purchased our tickets early in the
spring of 2003 for this new major choral work by Sir John Tavener, we were
unaware at the time that it was a 7-hour overnight event beginning at 10:00
p.m. and ending at 5:00 a.m. Our Chancel Choir at First Presbyterian Church in
Lynchburg, Virginia, had sung some of Tavener's works, and we were eager to
hear the latest. With some trepidation we approached the 4th of July for the
second full performance of Tavener's magnum opus at the Temple Church in London
(home of the Knights Templar and built "in the round" like the Church
of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem).
The Knights accompanied pilgrims on crusades to the Holy Land to serve
as protection. Many are buried at the church, and their effigies lie with eyes
open and swords ready to be drawn waiting for the return of Christ at the sound
of the last trump for the final battle between good and evil.
The Temple Church is also well known for the "Battle of
the Organs" (the Father Smith and the Renatus Harris, both of which were played
by G. F. Handel). The long line of distinguished organists there include John
Stanley, Dr. Edward John Hopkins (the founder of Anglican Psalmody), Sir Henry
Walford Davies and Sir George Thalben-Ball. Thalben-Ball became a celebrity
with the famous 1927 recording of Mendelssohn's "Hear My Prayer" with
boy soprano Ernest Lough. The famous Harris "Battle Organ" was lost
in the 1941 blitz along with the church. It was 17 years before the church was
repaired. The famous, but undistinguished, Harrison organ was given by Lord
Glentannar at the restoration of the church. The Temple has a small 5-bay nave
with pews in monastic positions (facing each other) and dry acoustics but a
feast for the eyes. With this commissioned work by Sir John Tavener, the Temple
Church hopes to return to the forefront of church music in London.
Upon our arrival at the incense-filled Temple on July 4, the
Master of the Temple greeted everyone with a short history of the church and
helpful hints for the evening. We soon learned that we needn't have worried
about the length of the concert as the night flew by amidst glorious sound.
Hardly anyone slept, and we did not! The Veil of the Temple is written in eight
cycles, all with a common theme that builds to a climax at dawn when Mary Magdalen
recognizes Jesus in the Easter Garden and says to him, "Ravouni"
("Master"). It was an ethereal journey from dusk to dawn, darkness to
light, death to resurrection and the epiphany of realization that the rending
of the veil made God's Son available to everyone.
Each of the cycles began with a recitative and the entrance
of a very tall burning pillar candle. There were recurrent musical themes
starting with a lovely melodic Kyrie (sung by the boy choristers of the Temple
Church) which grew in dynamics and voice parts throughout the course of the
night into a swell of sound. Other texts used were many Beatitudes (most
unfamiliar to this listener), Psalms, a lovely prayer to Mary, and quotations
from 15th and 16th century monks. Eastern and Western writings, music and
instruments were brought together. The performers were the professional choir
of men and boys of the Temple Church and the Holst Singers (top-class
amateurs), both under the direction of Stephen Layton, organist/choirmaster of
the Temple. They sang in several combinations of voice parts from multiple
locations throughout the church (we counted seven). Soprano Patricia Rozario
sang the role of Mary Magdalen. The English Chamber Orchestra Brass were joined
by organ, Indian harmonium, duduk, Tibetan horn, and percussion which included
temple bowls, tubular bells, and tam tam-Simantron-synthesizer.
The haunting melody of the Kyrie sung both in Greek and
English will not soon be forgotten. Nor will the words of the thief on the
cross as he petitions Christ to remember him when Christ comes into His
kingdom. The Lord's Prayer was also sung numerous times. As dawn broke at 4:50
a.m. the choir was around the inside perimeter of the church surrounding the
listeners singing fortissimo Come, Receive the Light of Christ! Shine, Shine, O
New Jerusalem, for the Glory of the Lord Hath Arisen upon Thee. This was
"goose bump" time.
The night was truly an ethereal and sensory experience. The
listeners (pilgrims together on this journey) were encouraged to move about
throughout the night, follow the choir from place to place and experience the
event. There was much movement with the soft shuffle of feet, but also
reverence and awe with many tears as the choir was singing. To aid us during
the night, each attendee was given a "comfort package" which
consisted of a souvenir pillow and two large chocolate bars with special
wrappers for the occasion, thus completing the attention paid to all five
senses of each attendee. The very large program book was also part of the
package.
At the end of the last cycle, the choir processed out of the
church into the Temple Gardens where 600 people had paid £10 each to
watch throughout the night on a large screen video. By this time the choir had
changed from black clothing into white, and the representative
"knights" had on white with a red sash to simulate the white tunics
with red crosses the knights used to wear over their armor. Sir John remained
in attendance throughout the night, a tall, lean figure dressed in black with a
white scarf.
Twelve extracts of this major work will become anthems, and
we anxiously await their publication as well as the forthcoming recording.
Everything we heard was very accessible, both for listening and
singing--melodies that "stay in one's head." We have even been told
that many of the singers have programmed their cell phone rings with Sir John's
melodies, understandably so! It was a wonderful way for us to spend America's
Independence Day while on sabbatical in London.
