five visions from the book of enoch (2009)

For solo organ

Commissioned by Tom Bell

Programme Note:

The Book of Enoch is an ancient religious document propounding to be the writings of Enoch, son of Jared. Scholars have placed the text as dating from 150-300 B.C. and Aramaic fragments of the text have even been found at the Qumran site, thus forming part of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Although the character of Enoch himself is mentioned only fleetingly in the Old Testament (Genesis 5:18), the Book of Enoch was widely read by early Christians and the content of the text is actually referred to in the Epistle of Jude (Jude 1:14-15). Today only the Ethiopian Orthodox Church includes the Book of Enoch amongst its canon and mainstream Christianity considers it part of the apocrypha.

The Book of Enoch describes Enoch’s personal encounters with the divine and provides accounts of several visitations by angels, each of which resulted in miraculous journeys and new revelations. Amongst much else, Enoch describes nineteen angels that fell to earth with Satan and a flight through the underworld (sheol). Five such visions are presented in my organ work.

five visions from the book of enoch was written for and dedicated to Tom Bell, in friendship.

The first performance: was given by organist Tom Bell at the Glasgow University Memorial Chapel on the 24th of October 2009.

Duration:

Approximately 12 minutes

Score Excerpt: