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C. A Hymn to the Mother of God
1. for two six– voice choirs
2. performed on Sunday in Great Lent
3. Eighth- century text by Saint John Damascene
4. influences: medieval and Re nais sance polyphony
5. short repeating ideas, recalls organum and
minimalism
6. drones, harmonies based on Greek Orthodox
modes
7. distinctly modern harmonies, dissonances
8. slow– moving counterpoint, static effect
D. LG 63: Tavener: A Hymn to the Mother of God (1985)
1. Greek Orthodox hymn, A– B- A′ form
2. mystical, chantlike
3. alternates homophonic and polyphonic passages
4. A section:
a. rhythmic canon
b. dense, weaving and overlapping dissonance
c. starts piano, builds to fortissimo
d. ends in striking consonance
5. B section:
a. slightly more chromatic
b. softer dynamics throughout
6. A′ section:
a. builds more quickly than first A section
b. melodic climax on “All”
c. consonant, fortissimo ending
OVERVIEW
This chapter explores the subject of twentieth- century sacred
music, with a focus on the spiritual minimalism of the Brit–
ish composer John Tavener. Tavener’s Hymn to the Mother
OUTLINE
I. Expressive Music for Religious Communities
A. Composers focus on spiritual goals
1. John Tavener: spiritual response to a secular world
II. Spiritual Minimalism
A. Spiritual, or holy, minimalism
1. nonpulsed music: religious inspiration
2. chains of modal or tonal progressions
3. developed by Eu ro pean composers
4. composers: Henryk Górecki (1933–2010), Arvo
Pärt (b. 1935), John Tavener
III. Tavener and Greek Orthodoxy
A. John Tavener (1944–2013)
1. En glish composer, prominent exponent of spiri–
tual minimalism
2. mid-1970s converted to Greek Orthodoxy
3. combined spiritual messages of many faiths
4. style: ele ments of neo- Romanticism, devout spir–
itualism, sacred music draws on Greek Orthodox
chant, aims at timelessness
5. works: settings of Greek Orthodox rite, choral
works on broader sacred themes, instrumental
compositions based on images from Orthodox
Chris tian ity, dramatic works on sacred themes
B. Greek orthodox and Western traditions, Jewish roots
1. Eastern church split with Western church, 1054;
dif fer ent ritual practices
2. Eastern church:
a. rituals in local languages (mostly Greek and
Rus sian)
b. melodic formulas closely tied to Greek and
Byzantine scales and modes; microtones
c. rhythm differs sharply
Icons in Sound: Tavener and
Postmodern Orthodoxy
CHAPTERfi69
ones? Why are they most appropriate for sacred and reli–
gious contexts?
TEACHING CHALLENGES
This chapter refers to older music and modality, presenting
a challenge if your class has long since moved past these
subjects from Parts 1 and 2. A review of this material may
help bring Tavener’s spiritual minimalist style into clearer
focus.
SUPPLEMENTAL REPERTORY
SUPPLEMENTAL BIBLIOGRAPHY
YOUR TURN TO EXPLORE
Seek out recordings of works in the spiritual minimalist tra-
dition that borrow from Greek Orthodox and/or Rus sian
MODEL RESPONSE
“Canon of Repentance;” it is Pärt’s setting of the canon, a
cycle of odes on texts from the biblical Canticles sung in the
Rus sian Orthodox Church. In this piece, some of the hall–
marks of spiritual minimalist style (drones and nonpulsed
of God illustrates his blending of minimalist procedures with
the mysticism of Greek Orthodox spirituality.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1. To understand the style of spiritual minimalism as one
marked by nonpulsed musical events and a simplified
approach to organ izing musical content
2. To recognize in Tavener’s Hymn to the Mother of God
the blending of spiritual minimalism with the mysticism
of Greek Orthodox spirituality
notes as they listen on the aspects of minimalist style
itual minimalist style (drones; static modal harmony;
short, repeating musical ideas).
2. Have students connect the formal design and changing
ASSIGNMENT SUGGESTIONS
minimalist qualities of these visual artworks and the
music of Tavener?
2. Tavener’s spiritual minimalism was influenced by his
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