The Choir sings John Tavener’s hauntingly beautiful unaccompanied choral music in a stunning virtual reality restoration of the ancient St. Sophia church in Constantinople. Orthodox ikons enrich the visual tapestry, enhancing the full richness of Tavener’s mystic inspiration.

Filmed in Virtual Reality St Sophia, Constantinople, September 2000 (Hymn of the Unwaning Light, Annunciation and As one who has slept). Other items filmed with ikonography and art montage.

TV Director: Joost Honselaar

Repertoire As one who has slept
A Hymn to the Mother of God
Song for Athene
A parting gift for Tam Farrow
Annunciation
Magnificat & Nunc dimittis
The Lamb
The Tyger
Hymn of the Unwaning Light
The Lord’s Prayer

Plus


MANIFESTATIONS OF GOD - Sir John Tavener on his choral music and the parents of Athene talk about the inspiration behind Song for Athene
THE IKON CHOOSES YOU - Robert J. Roozemond on a ikonographic art
24 page illustrated booklet


Reviews
‘technical wizards created a virtual-reality reconstruction of the Sophia as it would have been in the sixth century... It’s rather like owning an evening of high-class arts broadcasting with the added fun of being able to watch what you want when you want to.’
The Gramophone

‘Choral Ikons aims to enhance ‘the full richness of Tavener’s mystic and inspiration’. With the aid of computer simulation we seem to enter a virtual reality world of his ‘inner vision’. Whitbourn’s young singers give fine performances of Tavener’s unaccompanied choral works and lots of money has clearly been invested in making a quality product… those interested in Tavener’s music and ideals will appreciate his commentary on each work, which can also be played at the end of each track, together with Robert J Roozemond’s discourse on the sources of icon painting…’
Choir & Organ

‘For pure musical value… an earlier Tavener DVD on Opus Arte, Choral Ikons (OA 0854 D). The menu includes some of his best-known choral pieces, The Lamb and Song for Athene included, vibrantly sung by James Whitbourn’s student group, the Choir. The images round and about include icons and a virtual reality restoration of the 6th-century Hagia Sophia church in Istanbul.’
The Times

‘…The new DVD from BBC Opus Arte exploring his [Tavener’s] serene, if not divine, works that have impacted on many people over the years, not least in the use of his moving Song for Athene, which features on the disc, for the exit of The Princess of Wales’ coffin from Westminster Abbey.
The power of the performances is overwhelming and the credit goes to James Whitbourn and his vocal ensemble The Choir that he created for the express purpose of television and DVD recordings for Opus Arte. The Choir sing Tavener’s music with great understanding and sensitivity to the religious texts. Tavener’s use of long pedal notes at various altitudes but more keenly deep in the bass is a stylistic vehicle that intensifies and mystifies the religious aspect throughout his works, allowing the dissonant and concordant harmonies above to soar with sensorial beauty.
This DVD captures every beauteous moment of Tavener’s music with The Choir set against a computer-generated backdrop, leading one to believe that the group performed the piece in the Hagia Sophia Church of Byzantine Emperor Justinian as it was originally in 6th century
Constantinople – they actually recorded the music at St Alban’s Cathedral. This technique hints at the endless possibilities for future presentations which Opus Arte are exploring as we read, using recent discoveries of historical research.
Opus Arte, as in all their productions, never leave you second-guessing about the music with their investigative extra features that bring further insight upon the chosen subject.
…The ikon chooses you which, together with an illustrated booklet containing an in-depth article on the inspirational power of ikons as well as the vocal texts and an introduction by Tavener himself, round off this beautifully presented package.’
The Organ

‘…we are given shots of a virtual Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, many icons with the faces of singers fading in and out of them (often very effectively…) and talks by the composer, Dutch icon specialist Robert Roozemond (who really succeeds in transmitting his enthusiasm and knowledge) and, most movingly, the parent of the beautiful Athene commemorated in Tavener’s celebrated Song for Athene. There are brilliantly effective visual moments, such as the choir hailing the Mother of God during Annunciation… The singing is, by and large, excellent. The sheer physical power of the full ensemble in the Magnificat is quite overpowering, and there are some sublime moments of reflective calm, too…’
International Record Review

Awards & Accolades:
NOMINATION - Gramophone Awards 2002
TOP 50 DVDS 2002 - Gramophone
Penguin Guide - 3 stars


CAT NO: OA 0855 D
FORMAT: NTSC
REGIONS: All Regions
PICTURE FORMAT: 16:9
LENGTH: 100 MINS
SOUND: DOLBY SURROUND / DTS SURROUND / LPCM STEREO
SUBTITLES: EN/LA
RELEASED: 01/04/2002
NO OF DISCS: 1