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Opening Concert: The Veil of The Temple

 
Mark Harding Review by Mark Harding 4 Published: 3 Aug 2025 Usher Hall Show Dates: 2 Aug 2025-2 Aug 2025

Eight hours of religious choral music: The Veil of the Temple is not so much a musical performance as an experience.

The final chants of 'Shantih, Shantih' sounding not like a whisper but more like a challenge

The work consists of eight cycles, which vary from 30 to 95 minutes. Three ten-minute breaks were scheduled, but audiences could come and go freely, creating a relaxed atmosphere without the fear of having to concentrate for eight hours straight. Notably, few took advantage of the open-door policy beyond the scheduled breaks.

The experience is surprisingly personal – the sharing of the performance is counterbalanced by the length of silence demanded of each individual when listening to a piece of this scale. This is emphasised by the brilliant staging: soloists, instrumentalists and choir members use the entire hall – the main stage, stalls, stepped platforms, the circle balcony and even a corridor entrance – so that each audience member has a different experience depending on their location.

Each cycle is performed in a higher key than the last. This rising pitch – beginning with bass parts sung so low they sound like groaning machinery – creates the sense of slowly ascending from depths to ethereal and ecstatic heights, concluding with the eighth cycle.

The production effort is outstanding: eight hours of performance using five choirs, along with intricate coordinated performer movement designed and mastered under Thomas Guthrie's direction. The lighting design and execution are also superb.

The performance was conducted by the tireless Sofi Jeannin, who – after controlling the music (and occasionally the audience) with command, concentration and precision for eight hours – looked ready to take on another sixteen.

The Veil concludes with the Sanskrit word shantih (peace), referencing T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land. This comparison fits well: just as Eliot’s poem is a survey of the cultural history of East and West, Tavener's Veil – sung in English, Aramaic, Church Slavonic, Greek and Sanskrit – combines Byzantine and Anglican religious traditions with Islamic and Tibetan instruments, Sufi texts, Templar mythology, Jewish texts, the Upanishads and St John's Gospel.

Is knowledge of all this required to appreciate the experience? Thankfully, no. Listening and meditating is all that’s needed.

There's clear contemporary relevance in The Veil’s coalescence of Western, Eastern and Islamic traditions into one search for meaning – with the final chants of Shantih, Shantih sounding not like a whisper but more like a challenge. The EIF should be congratulated on staging this rarely performed and uniquely demanding piece with such care, imagination and passion.

Amir Nisi

Mark Harding

Mark has reviewed books, film, drama, dance and opera for multiple publications. His stories have been published in various magazines. He lives in Edinburgh.

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The Blurb:

BEANBAG CONCERT SERIES

Experience an unforgettable day-to-night concert, inviting introspection and the search for deeper truths.

Eight hours. 250 singers. One monumental choral work.

The Usher Hall transforms into a sanctuary for John Tavener's magnum opus, The Veil of the Temple. This is only the second time it has ever been performed in the UK.

Written just over 20 years ago, The Veil of the Temple isn’t just for religious listeners – Tavener composed it to unlock everyone’s spiritual side. Sung in five different languages and drawing on many of the major world religions, think of The Veil of the Temple as one colossal universal prayer. Fusing Eastern and Western traditions, Tavener’s haunting, meditative music and resonant chants create a sense of mystery and reverence.

In a rare moment of vocal communion, the Monteverdi Choir joins the Edinburgh Festival Chorus and National Youth Choir of Scotland with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra for this once-in-a-lifetime experience. Conducted by Sofi Jeannin, one of the most respected choral specialists today, discover Tavener’s ‘supreme achievement of [his] life’ as it was originally intended: in all its glory.

Settle In

Comprising eight cycles with three short breaks, how you choose to experience this durational performance is deeply personal: feel free to come and go as you need, we’ll give you a wristband to make this easier. Music will be relayed to the front-of-house spaces where you can enjoy refreshments in an atmosphere which keeps you connected to the performance. Complementary tea, coffee and biscuits will be available throughout the performance in the bar areas on each level. If you’ve pre-ordered a grazing box you’ll be able to collect it from the ground floor opposite the Café Bar which will be open throughout to buy drinks and snacks.  You are welcome to bring your own refreshments to enjoy in the front-of-house spaces. If you wish to mark the end of this unforgettable experience by sharing your reflections with other audience members and performers, please assemble in the stalls shortly after the concert ends.

Listen on Soundcloud or Spotify.

Supported by James and Morag Anderson

Sung in English, Aramaic, Church Slavonic, Greek & Sanskrit with English surtitles.

A keepsake freesheet is available at the venue for this performance.

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