penny rimbaud- my top 10 favourite albums: number 3

John Tavener – ‘In Alium’ 

I was fortunate enough to be at the first performance of ‘In Alium’ at the Proms, way back in the sixties when Tavener was an unknown young lad sporting wild flares, a Beatles’ haircut and promise of a great future. In many respects ‘In Alium’ caught the atmosphere of the time: it was experimental, groovy and, in a completely non-sexual way, very sexy. Equally, the piece was imbued with a rich sense of innocence, amplified by the use of children’s prayers, whispered and spoken in many tongues. There was a universality to this early work which became more and more evident in Tavener’s output as he grew to maturity. His devotion to the greater forces of life was, and remains, a great inspiration to me. He is greatly missed.

For number 4 in Penny Rimbaud’s top 10 favourite album list please go link