This work has the effect of a Lesson, an emotional Interpretation, and a Blessing. Stylistically it moves gradually from ancient to Romantic modern. The form is episodic, in 8 distinct sections, starting with a dialog between Cantor and chorus and building successively to two big climaxes, the first bitter, the second sweet.
Along the way, the handbells provide altar-bell-like punctuations (one almost expects to smell incense), cadence-markers, and short transitions at the start and very end, plus extended walking-line ostinato accompaniment under two perorations in the middle, the second becoming thick and dissonant, and a burst of clangorous, continuous light at the second climax on the word “God”.
| Listen | Score | Title | Voices | Solos | Accomp. | Dur. | Lyrics by | Year |
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The Mixed Blessings | SSAATTBB | bar and/or low T | handbells (or vibr, glock) | 13′ | Matthew/Luke | 2010 |
| Order This» | Ritualized, dramatic dialectic illuminating the paradoxical contradictions of the two sets of Blessings (and Woes) attributed to the Christ. Formalized semi-medieval quasi-Anglican-style start and end, one angry climax, one romantic climax on the word God. Punctuations, ostinatos, flashes of divine light from handbells. | Lyrics» | Notes» | |||||