Seven Angels

A setting of passages from the Book of Revelation, with particular reference to the angels who appear with seven trumpet blasts, heralding a series of apocalyptic scenes. Commissioned by Jeffrey Skidmore, director of Ex Cathedra, and first performed by them at Birmingham Town Hall in 2015. The composer states, “There is a vividness and strangeness in these dramatic texts, which are endlessly fascinating and disturbing. The instruments used here are based on the various instrumental types mentioned throughout scripture – trumpets, harp, bells, cymbals, tabor, rebec.” These are scored for mostly in their modern forms, but shofars (Jewish ritual temple trumpets) and early trumpets are also used. The choral writing shows a similar contrast between traditional and contemporary scoring, with polyphony and homophony alongside extended vocal techniques, including Sprechstimme. Leading choral director Paul Spicer comments, “This is an extremely dramatic work which draws the listener into the apocalyptic story line … The ending is cataclysmic.”