Saturday, February 25, 2006

One Hundred Words About Prayer of the Heart

John Tavener - Prayer of the Heart from John Tavener A Portrait

The first time I heard a piece of music that started with a heartbeat it changed my life. That was in 1973, thirty-three years ago.

The second piece of music I heard that starts with a heartbeat I heard for the first time today. I wonder where it will take me.

I listened, unable to move.

A girl’s voice emerged from the tangle of heartbeat and strings, then struggled free and climbed in a wild, raw, painful, fragile, insistent spiralling chant, sometimes so thin I thought it would break and in a moment a voice so strong, deep and rich.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

So where did you hear it?

David said...

Alex and Steph bought it for me last June just before we packed up the cd's and music system. I've only just got round to setting the music back up again.

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