大象传媒

One of Britain鈥檚 most celebrated composers, Sir John Tavener died this week at the age of 69. He was one of the few contemporary composers who became known and loved beyond the classical world. Forty years ago, his work was sometimes dismissed as bland, populist, new age. But over time he has 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.

He said he wrote music for God, even referring to it as a form of divine dictation and Sir John was still composing right up to his last days. He had struggled with ill health for much of his life and had suffered a near fatal heart attack six years ago - something he said that changed everything for him: his music, his outlook on life, and his faith. In this wide-ranging interview, first broadcast in August, he told Sarah Montague about how that experience had affected him.