John Tavener – The Whale (NM/E) – LP, UK 1977

The Whale is an LP by John Tavener from 1977 released on the Ring O'Records label.

About this album

The Whale is a striking early breakthrough from John Tavener, bringing together choral ritual, modernist tension and mystical drama in a single ambitious work. Written in 1970, it helped establish Tavener as one of British music’s most distinctive voices at a time when contemporary classical composition was widening its expressive range. The piece moves between stark, ceremonial writing and intense sonic contrast, drawing on biblical symbolism to create something both austere and theatrical. Long associated with Tavener’s early reputation, it remains a vivid example of his ability to make spiritual subject matter feel immediate and uncompromising.