Lifting the Veil

‘The real John Tavener revealed...’ GRAMOPHONE


With generous access to Sir John himself, Piers Dudgeon lifts the veil on the secrets of how Tavener produced the most evocative and inspirational music of our times - pieces such as Song for Athene (played at Princess Diana’s funeral), The Protecting Veil, The Lamb, and Ikon of Eros, which have reached millions to confirm beauty truly as a light from some other world.


‘Dudgeon has come up with an intriguing psychosexual biography, akin to those "clever made carpets of complexity" the composer purports to shun in composers such as Harrison Birtwhistle.’ THE INDEPENDENT


‘The author has the help of both the composer and Tavener’s second most important influence, Mother Thekla of Normanby . . . He asks the right questions of himself and those he enquires of. Not just a veil, but veils galore, are lifted... “In a sense all my music is about ecstasy,” says Tavener. Yes, but what kind of ecstasy? Read the book to find out.’ CHURCH TIMES