Angels of the Apocalypse (percussion ensemble)

Inspired by the Book of Revelation, Gillingham's Angels of the Apocalypse is a dramatic work for 5 keyboard percussion and 3 battery percussion that features lush, chromatic harmonies, gorgeous lyrical lines and sweeping, breathtaking arpeggios. This is not a piece to overlook!

Program Notes

Angels of the Apocalypse was inspired by the Biblical book of Revelation. The work begins with the opening of the Seventh Seal with trumpets being given to seven angels. One of the angels has a golden censer and offers prayers of the saints at the altar and then takes fire from the altar, puts it in the censer and throws it down to the earth causing thunder, lightning and earthquakes. Following six sections, each representing the first six angels. The first angel blows the trumpet (fanfare like motives in the keyboards) that brings about hail and fire. A trumpet call by the second angel produces a mountain of fire thrown to the earth and one third of the oceans and water on earth become blood. Following a trumpet call by the third angel, the star, Wormwood, poisons all the waters. The angel blowing the fourth trumpet causes one third of the sun, moon and starts to be smitten. The trumpet call of the fifth angel releases locusts from the bottomless pit to kill those who are without God’s seal and the sixth angel’s trumpet summons four angels from the Euphrates river to slay one third of the people on earth. A rainbow forms over the earth and the seventh angel blows a trumpet: Voices praise God, saying that all the kingdoms of the world are His (“Hymn of the Angels”).

Grade Level: 4
Copyright: 2010
Number of Players: 8
Duration: 7:15

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Instrumentation

Percussion 1 (Bells, Xylophone, Crotales [shared w/ Perc. 2], Vibraphone [shared w/ Perc. 2])
Percussion 2 (Vibraphone, Crotales [shared w/ Perc. 2])
Marimba 1 (4.3-octave)
Marimba 2 (5-octave)
Percussion 3 (Tam-Tam, 2 Brake Drums, Suspended Cymbal)
Timpani (4)
Percussion 4 (2 Small Bass Drums, Marimba [4.3-octave])
Percussion 5 (2 Small Bass Drums, Chimes)