Lightens the dark clouds, which He treads upon

"Lightens the dark clouds, which He treads upon" is a mediation on the process of becoming illuminated. In 1911 Evelyn Underhill wrote in "Mysticism," "In illumination we come to that state of consciousness which is popularly supposed to be peculiar to the mystic: a form of mental life, a kind of perception, radically different from that of 'normal' men." Much of the music was inspired by two images from the illuminated St. John's Bible: "Crucifixion" and "Transfiguration." The title comes from "Ascension," a poem written by John Donne (15711631): Salute the last, and everlasting day, Joy at the uprising of this Sun, and Son, Ye whose true tears, or tribulation Have purely wash'd, or burnt your drossy clay. Behold, the Highest, parting hence away, Lightens the dark clouds, which He treads upon; Nor doth he by ascending show alone, But first He, and He first enters the way. O strong Ram, which hast batter'd heaven for me! Mild lamb, which with Thy Blood hast mark'd the path! Bright Torch, which shinest, that I the way may see! O, with Thy own Blood quench Thy own just wrath; And if Thy Holy Spirit my Muse did raise, Deign at my hands this crown of prayer and praise Lightens contains moments of layered textures that overlap like waves on a beach. I tried to make it very colorful from an orchestrational perspective. A few simple thematic ideas, one of which is a chaconne-style bass line that keeps coming back and is the basis for much of the later chord progressions. The music is fairly sectional, but to me that helps drive the drama of illumination. There's nothing tricky rhythmically, however, the tonal centers and shifting chromatics can make intonation across the ensemble a challenge.