What is John Tavener?
{{Distinguish2|the 15th century English composer [[John Taverner]]}} [[Knight Bachelor|Sir]] '''John Tavener''' (28 January 1944 &ndash; 12 November 2013) was an [[English people|English]] [[composer]]. ==Life== John Tavener was born in [[Wembley]], [[Middlesex]]. He went to Highgate School in North London. Another pupil there at the time was [[John Rutter]]. At school he studied [[piano]], [[pipe organ|organ]] and [[Composition (music)|composition]] and wrote music for the school [[orchestra]]. He also wrote music for the [[Presbyterian]] church where his family went and where his father was organist. In 1962 he went to the [[Royal College of Music]] where he studied the piano at first but then changed to composition. One of his early successes was a [[cantata]] called ''Cain and Abel'' which was performed by the [[London Bach Society]]. It was the performance of ''The Whale'' by the [[London Sinfonietta]] in 1968 that made him really famous. This work used [[collage]], [[pre-recorded tape]], [[amplified]] [[percussion]] and a [[Choir|chorus]] who used [[loudhailers]]. This kind of thing was very fashionable in the 1960s. Another work written in 1968 was ''In Alium''. It was performed at the [[BBC Proms|Proms]]. It was an unusual concert: three works by living composers were played in the first half. The [[audience]] were asked to [[vote]] for which one they wanted to hear again after the [[intermission|interval]]. They chose ''In Alium''. The [[Beatles]] became interested in Tavener’s music. [[John Lennon]] heard The Whale and he decided to issue Tavener’s music on the newly formed Apple label. Tavener became professor of composition at [[Trinity College, London|Trinity College]]. He continued to compose, although he often had difficulty finishing pieces. He was often worried that he might not be able to think of any new music. In 1977 he became a member of the [[Russian Orthodox Church]]. This changed his life. His music was very religious. He married his second wife and had two children. He was also very