Revelation
For soprano, mezzo soprano, 2 tenors, baritone, chorus and orchestra.
Based on the Biblical text of the Book of Revelation. Text adapted by the composer. (preface suggests cuts)
Commissioned by the Fast Family – (Bernhard, Luise (Goosen), Cornelius, Cornelia (Dahl) and William)
Premiere: Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Mennonite Oratorio Choir (William Baerg and Rudy Schellenberg conductors), Bramwell Tovey, conductor, February 3, 1996.
2 CBC radio broadcasts, first CBC broadcast on the Internet.
1 hour documentary by CBC TV’s Adrienne Clarkson Presents on the creation & premiere of the work.
Other performances: Festival Canada, Ottawa, National Arts Centre Orchestra, Ottawa Choral Society and St. Lawrence Choir (Montreal) (Iwan Edwards, chorus master), Bramwell Tovey, conductor, July 1997;
Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra, Michael Reason, conductor, Bach Elgar Choir and Vox Nouveau, May 2000.
Choral selections performed at PACEM Summer Sing – San Diego, 2005.
Instrumentation: 2222/4331/timp/2 perc/harp/synth=acoustic piano/strings.
Complete piano/vocal score, orchestra score, selections for piano and chorus (SATB) solos and duets, for sale. (Orchestra parts – rental)
Selections:
Chorus SATB:
How Long Oh Lord
Sing Unto the Lord a New Song
Salvation To God Who Sits on the Throne
Worthy is the Lamb Who is Slain
Now Has Come Our Salvation & Strength
Amen
The Kingdoms of This World
Praise Ye the Lord
Hallelujah! Let Us Be Glad & Rejoice
Baritone solo:
These Are They Which Came
Soprano/mezzo soprano duet:
That Great City Babylon Shall Be Thrown Down
Tenor solo and chorus:
True And Righteous Are Your Judgments
“Davies’ extraordinary work Revelation was an electric performance. For me it was the most stunning musical event in recent memory” Adrienne Clarkson – CBC TV.
“I have little doubt Davies’ work is a masterpiece. It is gloriously tuneful, brilliantly orchestrated and has all the aleatory chaos, harsh, brassy dissonances and driving percussive rhythms…used …in stunning effective emotional contexts that tells a tale the human ear not only can easily comprehend, but is aching to hear..”
Hugh Fraser – Hamilton Spectator, May 29, 2000.“… a masterful oratorio … The music is focused and graspable, its intentions genuinely heartfelt and sincere. It is Handelian inspiration viewed through a cinemascopic prism, with Mahlerian scaled heaven-storming aptly placed and effective. Revelation is a celebration of life, faith and music.” James Manishen – Winnipeg Free Press.
“Davies’ melodic skill assured that his ‘gospel with a swing’ Salvation to God And To The Lamb could stand next to the choral successes of Handel’s Messiah or Mendelssohn’s Elijah.” Professor John Martens – Concord College Winnipeg.
“Grand in scope, fervent in expression, apocalyptic in its vision, the oratorio Revelation made a deeply moving impression …as the grand finale to Festival Ottawa’s four week program at the National Arts Centre……only the second performance…..but the work has already made its mark as one of the most significant large-scaled Canadian compositions of the late 20th century. ….the chorus delivers one memorable number after another: the rhythmically powerful…infectiously joyful…the poignant…and the radiant… Masterpiece may be too strong a word, for Revelation, but in its simplicity and sincerity, it seemed to touch virtually the entire audience.”
Robert Markow – The Globe and Mail
