Tavener (The) Protecting Veil; Last Sleep of the Virgin
View record and artist detailsRecord and Artist Details
Composer or Director: John Tavener
Label: Telarc
Magazine Review Date: 2/1999
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 60
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: CD80487
Tracks:
| Composition | Artist Credit |
|---|---|
| (The) Protecting Veil |
John Tavener, Composer
France Springuel, Viola I Fiamminghi John Tavener, Composer Rudolf Werthen, Conductor |
| (The) Last Sleep of the Virgin |
John Tavener, Composer
Carlo Willems, Handbells I Fiamminghi John Tavener, Composer Rudolf Werthen, Conductor |
Author: Michael Stewart
There are now five recordings of Tavener’s The Protecting Veil available on CD – a worthy indication of a contemporary masterpiece if ever there was. France Springuel, a name new to me, gives a serene and committed enough performance of the solo cello part here, but she is competing with two extremely fine interpretations of this work, namely Steven Isserlis’s Gramophone Award-winning premiere recording on Virgin and Yo-Yo Ma’s recent account for Sony Classical. True, Springuel certainly doesn’t try to emulate those who have gone before her, and it has to be said that there is a strong individuality to her reading, but all too often I thought her shaping of Tavener’s long melodic lines a little unimaginative, and throughout I found her string tone a little thin. I Fiamminghi’s accompaniment does not match that of its rivals either. Upper string parts sound a mite too harsh and strained at times, and I cannot help thinking that their style of playing, which is rooted in the Franco-Belgian School, may not be the best approach for this music.
Stylistically, I Fiamminghi is better suited to The Last Sleep of the Virgin, but again there are problems. Tavener originally wrote this piece for string quartet and handbells, but it is heard here in Rudolf Werthen’s own orchestration for string orchestra and handbells. Whilst there are certainly moments of great beauty in the playing, it does lose something of the intimacy and mystery of Tavener’s original, and the composer’s own instruction that the players ‘perform with the sound at the threshold of audibility’ puts additional strains on a multiple body of strings. Nevertheless, Werthen and players produce an evocative reading.
Overall, my recommendation would be for either Isserlis or Ma in The Protecting Veil, and, for The Last Sleep of the Virgin, the Chilingirian Quartet on Virgin.'
Stylistically, I Fiamminghi is better suited to The Last Sleep of the Virgin, but again there are problems. Tavener originally wrote this piece for string quartet and handbells, but it is heard here in Rudolf Werthen’s own orchestration for string orchestra and handbells. Whilst there are certainly moments of great beauty in the playing, it does lose something of the intimacy and mystery of Tavener’s original, and the composer’s own instruction that the players ‘perform with the sound at the threshold of audibility’ puts additional strains on a multiple body of strings. Nevertheless, Werthen and players produce an evocative reading.
Overall, my recommendation would be for either Isserlis or Ma in The Protecting Veil, and, for The Last Sleep of the Virgin, the Chilingirian Quartet on Virgin.'
Tavener (The) Protecting Veil; Last Sleep of the Virgin
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