- Publisher: Lounsbrough Music
- Available in: PDF Score and Parts; Printed Score and Parts ($10 printing fee)
Program Note
The title of this work is taken from the Latin Vulgate translation of Hebrews 9:12 which speaks of the eternal redemption accomplished by the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross and offered to those who draw near to God in faith. The work is a fantasia on a hymn tune by the composer set to a Philip Bliss text, “Hallelujah, What a Savior”.
The opening antiphonal solos are intended to convey mankind’s position of alienation from God. The hymn tune is introduced in the woodwinds in its simplest statement as an expression of sorrow. In a dramatic surge, the brass enters and the horns take over the melody with a swelling accompaniment by piano, mallet percussion, and clarinet choir. The lament ebbs away into a thin, suspenseful chord.
Timpani and bass drum herald the centerpiece, entitled “propitiation.” This section paints the lifting up of Christ on the cross with ascending scales in the brass and suggests the cosmic nature of the crucifixion with crashes and surges in the percussion. The tension builds to the dramatic climax, entitled “cleansing,” where brass and woodwinds call and answer with a new majestic, joyful theme. Piano and mallet percussion are used to create a shimmering, refreshing effect.