Text Inspiration: "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord."
Music: Solemn, expansive theme in the cello with sustained notes.
Technique: Slow bowing, rich vibrato, open intervals.
Mood: Awe and reverence.
Text Inspiration: Descriptions of Christ with hair "white like wool," eyes "as a flame of fire."
Music: Sharp, fiery texture in the first violin, echoed by other instruments.
Technique: Rapid bowing, trills, dynamic swells.
Mood: Wonder and fear.
Text Inspiration: "And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead."
Music: Solo in the first violin with trembling effects in other parts.
Technique: Decrescendo to pianissimo, use of harmonic, fluttering bow strokes.
Mood: Shock and fear.
Text Inspiration: "Fear not; I am the first and the last:... Write the things which thou hast seen."
Music: Comforting, lyrical theme in the viola, building to a determined finale.
Technique: Warm lines in the viola, grounding pizzicato in the cello.
Mood: Comfort and reassurance, transitioning to determination.