Sir John Tavener - Composer

To mark HARDtalk's 20th anniversary, here is another chance to see Sarah Montague's interview with one of Britain's most celebrated composers Sir John Tavener, filmed just months before his death in 2013.

Sir John said his music was for God. 40 years ago his work was sometimes dismissed as bland, populist, new age. But over time he defied the critics - the Protecting Veil was one of the biggest selling classical albums ever, and his Song for Athene was played at the funeral of Princess Diana. Having been ill for much of his life, he said that everything changed after he nearly died from a heart attack in 2007. How did this experience affect his view of life, his music, and his faith?