The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Justin Brown - John Tavener: The Protecting Veil, Thrinos, Eternal Memory (2005) [SACD]

Tavener (1944) is now well represented on sacd by comparison with greater composers. This bargain priced Veil is different from my other version with Yo Yo Ma & I prefer this sacd version both on sonics which it wins easily, allowing greater depth & inner orchestral detail, superior cello tone & also overall performance. Compare 42 minutes to Ma 49 & a bigger acoustic & more intense recording by the seemingly larger RPO & a better more interesting filler in “Eternal Memory” plus a bonus solo cello work add this to the bargain price, then this is a No Brainer. Average notes & usual boring cover. As its an original PCM it gets 4.5 stars. ~ Dave
Thrinos (Lament) for solo cello was composed late in 1990, for Stephen Isserlis. The title, Tavener writes, has both liturgical & folk significance in Greece – the Thrinos of the Mother of God sung at the Epitaphios on Good Friday & the Thrinos of mourning which is chanted over a dead body. In his piece entitled The Protecting Veil for cello & strings, Tavener explains I have tried to capture some of the almost cosmic power of the Mother of God. The cello represents The Mother of God & never stops singing throughout. One can think of the strings as a gigantic extension of her unending song. Eternal Memory is a meditation on the remembrance of death & also remembrance of paradise lost.