Born in London, Jan 28, 1944
Died in Dorset, Nov 12, 2013
- Tavener studied at the Royal Academy of Music, where his teachers included Lennox Berkeley.
- Tavener’s early style is deeply influenced by Messiaen and late Stravinsky (especially Stravinsky’s religious works). After his conversion to the Orthodox Church in the late 1970s, Orthodox liturgical music became a strong influence in his compositions.
- Fun fact: Tavener’s early experimental cantata The Whale caught the interest of the Beatles, and it was recorded on their Apple record label. 1
Sources
- Ivan Moody, “Tavener, Sir John,” Grove Music Online (2001), accessed September 30, 2021, https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-0000027569.