Reflecting Taverner (2019)

My piece is a reflection upon Dum transisset Sabbatum by John Taverner (1490-1545). The word reflection has two meanings, to physically reflect and to contemplate, so I decided to approach the task from two perspectives; the audible and the abstract, hence the homonymous title Reflecting Taverner. The rich tonal language of Taverner is reflected in the harmonic landscape of my piece. Only five words - Sabbatum, Maria, aromata, Jesum, Alleluia - of the original text remain in my work, all of which bear resonant vowels to allow a rich choral sound.

I have also attempted to make the choir sound as if heard from afar or possibly from outside a church, with humming and occasionally chopping the words into syllables.

The choir is split into two groups of four set apart from each other, to allow a certain amount of echo effect and call and response type of interplay. A hushed, distant chorale begins the piece. Words start to emerge. The music soon reaches the climax on the word ‘aromata’ (spices) which is emphasized and reiterated across the choir. This is a word that is also emphasised in Taverner’s setting, through extensive melisma.

By the end, the music has stabilised and reached a whole new place harmonically, with the repetition of the words ‘Jesum’ and ‘Alleluia’.

- Joel Järventausta