Lifting the Veil: The Biography of Sir John Tavener

Lifting the Veil: The Biography of Sir John Tavener

by PiersDudgeon (Author)

Synopsis

The first full-length biography of our greatest living classical composer, written with his full collaboration. Since 1997, when John Tavener's Song for Athene reduced the crowds to tears at the funeral of Princess Diana, he has enjoyed world-wide recognition. But ever since the 1960s - when he was a friend of the Beatles and lover of Mia Farrow - Tavener has been composing intensely personal and inspirational music that has made his voice distinct from any of his contemporaries. It was not, however, until the 1980s when Mother Thekla, a Greek Orthodox nun, became his librettist and spiritual guide, that Tavener found massive commercial success, with the Number One Bestseller The Protecting Veil. Piers Dudgeon has had unprecedented access to Sir John Tavener, who has given extensive interviews for the book; and to those who have most influenced his music, particularly Mother Thekla.

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Quantity

2 in stock

More Information

Format: Hardcover
Pages: 352
Edition: First Edition
Publisher: Portrait
Published: 27 Nov 2003

ISBN 10: 074995003X
ISBN 13: 9780749950033

Media Reviews
An intriguing psychosexual biography...Dudgeon is dogged; if he has to prise off all seven veils to locate the core, he will. THE INDEPENDENT Dudgeon's title, Lifting the Veil, is justified. What he is concerned with is cutting through the nonsense... Dudgeon is tenacious and perceptive; he asks the right questions of himself and those he enquires of. Not just a veil, but veils galore, are lif THE CHURCH TIMES
Author Bio
Piers Dudgeon has written and edited many bestselling books in the company of authors as diverse as Ted Hughes, Peter Ackroyd, Daphne du Maurier and Catherine Cookson; his biography of Catherine Cookson sold over 70,000 copies in hardcover for Headline.