John Tavener - The Protecting Veil; Thrinos; Eternal Memory

 

JOHN TAVENER

The Protecting Veil, for cello and Orchestra
Thrinos for cello solo
Eternal Memory for cello and String Orchestra

Raphael Wallfisch (Cello)

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra,
Justin Brown

Inspired by the Orthodox Church's Feast of the Protecting Veil of the Mother of God, Tavener's The Protecting Veil is a dark and moody work for cello and orchestra that secures his place as a modern day mystic. Filled with the lyrical solo passages, Tavener wrote the composition with the cello enacting the role of the Mother of God; accordingly, the instrument is up-front and center on the disc. Yo-Yo Ma lends an impassioned and impeccable performance to the recording, retaining the work's meditative nature, while David Zinman and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra remain reserved in their accompaniment. The effect is both haunting and beautiful. The world premiere recording of the introspective Wake Up ... And Die concludes the disc and is a fine presentation of Ma's talents, but the composition lacks the ethereal punch of Protecting. --Jason V