Athene

It was sad to hear of the death of Sir John Tavener yesterday: a composer who unapologetically poured out his Christian beliefs into his music, creating a unique sound world which mixed the mediaeval with the modern, combining the consoling melodies of Orthodox plainsong with an often disconcerting dissonance. The music draws you out of the stresses of contemporary life (in my case, I was listening while driving to work this morning, which is never the most uplifting of experiences) and leads you somewhere literally other worldly. It is not surprising that he should have proven to be so popular, touching a chord with people who otherwise cannot connect with classical music. A unique vision.