Composer

:

John Tavener

Genre

:

Chamber

Style

:

Open Form

Compose Date

:

1981

Average_duration

:

13:33

Trisagion is a choral work composed by John Tavener in 1980. It was premiered on 28th September 1980 at the Canterbury Cathedral in England. The piece is divided into three movements, each of which is based on the Trisagion hymn, which is a traditional Christian hymn that is sung during the liturgy. The first movement of Trisagion is a setting of the Trisagion hymn in Greek. The music is slow and meditative, with the choir singing in unison for much of the piece. The harmonies are simple and repetitive, creating a sense of timelessness and transcendence. The movement ends with a quiet, sustained chord that fades away into silence. The second movement of Trisagion is a setting of the same hymn in English. The music is more complex than the first movement, with the choir singing in four-part harmony. The harmonies are still repetitive, but they are more varied and colorful than in the first movement. The music builds to a climax before subsiding into a quiet, reflective ending. The third movement of Trisagion is a setting of the hymn in Greek once again. This movement is the most dramatic of the three, with the choir singing in a more declamatory style. The harmonies are still simple and repetitive, but they are more forceful and intense than in the previous movements. The music builds to a powerful climax before ending with a quiet, sustained chord. Overall, Trisagion is a deeply spiritual work that reflects Tavener's interest in Eastern Orthodox Christianity. The music is simple and repetitive, but it is also deeply moving and transcendent. The piece has become one of Tavener's most popular works and is frequently performed by choirs around the world.

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