Presentations of the book ‘Heart’s Ease. Spirituality in the Music of John Tavener’

Our age owes Sir John Tavener deep gratitude. His works cross both cultural and disciplinary boundaries. He illustrated how to deal with intense suffering and felt deeply for the suffering of the world. He stands as an icon representing a view of artistic expression as a way of generating hope and transcendence.

In Tavener’s thinking, spirituality was closely tied to wellbeing and healing and this book considers the spiritual encounters that brought him ‘heart’s ease’ and the communication of that experience to performers and listeners through his composition. The contributors to this book include scholars, musicians, theologians, medical practitioners, informed listeners and practitioners in religious traditions. It includes case study material, empirical studies, philosophical, theological and theoretical contributions along with accounts from lived experience of the spirituality generated by Tavener’s music. This is set in the context of a world that sees spirituality sometimes coupled and sometimes uncoupled from religion.

The pattern of the book is an alternation between interludes and chapters illuminating different facets of the crystal of Tavener’s creative work and the spirituality and ‘heart’s ease’ it can offer.

This will be presented on November the 12th in Winchester Cathedral at 4pm

The presentation includes a drinks reception and Tavener Memorial Evensong (including Tavener’s Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis)

12th November

The second event will take place on November the 13th in Middlesex University at 6pm

Featuring introductory talks from the book’s editor June Boyce-Tillman and Brian Inglis, there will be performances by Middlesex University students – undergraduate and postgraduate soloists, and the University choir.

30th November