In Friday’s (5/14) Buffalo News, Mary Kunz Goldman writes, “British composer Sir John Tavener claims not to care about his audiences. He must be doing something to endear himself to them, though, because audiences have embraced his music. … Buffalo is about to get to know a new piece by Tavener this weekend at Kleinhans Music Hall, when the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra performs a new cello concerto he wrote. The piece shares the program with Brahms’ intense ‘German Requiem,’ for which the BPO will be joined by the Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus. Tavener’s new cello concerto received its U.S. premiere just a few weeks ago at the Virginia Symphony. For this second American performance, the soloist will be BPO principal cellist Roman Mekinulov. … Tavener’s concerto was inspired by the ancient Gregorian chant ‘Popule Meus.’ As Mekinulov points out, it is a Judeo/Christian meditation, ‘O my people, what have I done to you?’ An intensely religious composer, Tavener is reportedly Russian Orthodox Christian but draws inspiration from a wide variety of faiths. In interviews, he speaks not only of Roman Catholicism but of Judaism, Buddhism, Islam and Hinduism.”
Posted May 17, 2010
