IN THE DARK :: TAVE(R)NER

VOX Cape Town’s first performance took the form of a musical journey back in time. In the glorious acoustic of a sold-out Youngblood Gallery, listeners were invited to wear blindfolds to immerse themselves fully in the music of two iconic English composers.

The holy minimalist Sir John Tavener (1944-2013) was juxtaposed alongside the music of his Tudor namesake John Taverner (c. 1490-1545) and the majestic polyphony of one of his Renaissance contemporaries, Thomas Tallis (c. 1505-1585). Thank you to Fanus Bruwer for the photographic mementos of the evening!

“A most successful debut… It was a most enjoyable occasion and an imaginative and highly novel way of introducing the choir to Cape Town audiences. I could see the people around me were totally absorbed in the music coming, as it seemed, from the very being of the building itself.”

Programme
• “Mother of God” – Sir John Tavener (1944-2013, England)
• “The Lamb” – Sir John Tavener
• “The Tyger” – Sir John Tavener
• “Funeral Ikos” – Sir John Tavener
• “Spem in alium” – Thomas Tallis (c. 1505-1585, England), arr. Mick Swithinbank
• “In nomine” from Missa Tibi Trinitas – John Taverner (c. 1490-1545, England)
• “In trouble and adversity” – John Taverner
• “Sleep” – Eric Whitacre (b. 1970, United States)