John Tavener

Three Hymns Of George Herbert

Vocal Score for John Tavener's Three Hymns Of George Herbert for SATB chorus, percussion and strings. Commissioned by the Legatum Institute as part of its 'British and American Notions of Liberty' programme, in the year of the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. First performance on 21st April 2013 in Washington National Cathedral, by the City Choir of Washington conducted by Robert Shafer.

'The Three Hymns of George Herbert were written after a long illness, and represent for me a Hymn of thanksgiving to God for a relative return to health. They are intended to be sung in a large, resonant acoustic, with the main choir and string orchestra at one end of the building, and an echo choir and string quartet at the other. The percussion (tubular bells, gongs and tam-tams) should sound from a gallery or other raised position.

The Hymns were inspired by the transparent poetry of George Herbert, and are dedicated in gratitude and love to the memory of Mother Thekla, former Abbess of the Orthodox Monastery of the Assumption, Normanby, near Whitby, who died in 2011.

' - John Tavener