Song for Athene

Song for Athene (1993) is an emblematic sacred choral work and one of the most celebrated compositions by the British composer JOHN TAVENER. It is dedicated to the young actress Athene Persephone Hariades, who died tragically in a cycling accident. Tavener combines text from the Orthodox funeral service with text from Shakespeare’s Hamlet: “May flights of angels sing thee to thy rest”. As an Orthodox Christian since 1977, the composer followed in his musical language the Eastern Orthodox tradition, with its characteristic ascetic sound and texture, narrow melodic ranges, patterns from ancient church chant and a typical atmosphere of contemplation. The work became especially well known in 1997, when it accompanied – at the wish of Prince Charles – the funeral of Princess Diana at Westminster Abbey. It sounded at the moment when the coffin left the church, becoming one of the most memorable musical moments of the ceremony. Since then, Song for Athene has been associated with moments of national mourning in contemporary British history.