Just as the icons of Orthodox Christianity serve as a window into heaven, so the musical “Ikons” of John Tavener’s Lamentations and Praises suggest the sounds of eternity. The composer’s liturgical drama, written for Chanticleer in 2000, weaves Byzantine chant, drone basses and bells into its shimmering tonal tapestry, enhancing the music’s mystical nature and inviting listeners to contemplate the meaning of Holy Week and the Resurrection. It would be hard to imagine a finer performance than that documented in Chanticleer’s world-premiere recording, not only for its musical refinement but also for its spiritual vitality and deeply human engagement with sorrow and joy. The ecstatic praises of souls in Hades, woken and led by Jesus to eternal life, echo in mind long after the final chord decays into silence.
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