This Symphony takes its inspiration from Luke 1:36-38. The first movement begins with a dialogue between the violin and the organ. God is commissioning the Angel Gabriel to appear to the Virgin Mary with a message that will change the world. The second movement invokes the Angel Gabriel's appearance to Mary, his message to her and her deeply troubled reaction to it. 

The musical use of the tritone, the augmented fourth, or the diabolus interval (the devil's interval) as the Medieval Monks called it, suggests a world in chaos--a world damaged by original sin. The resolution of the final chord is the Angel's confidence in Mary's answer. The third movement, Mary's Song, is a vocalise.  It is  Mary's leap of faith as she proclaims "I am the servant of the Lord.  Let it be done to me as you say." The final movement, entitled "Celestial Celebration" proclaims the great joy of the Heavenly Court as it awaits the birth of the Redeemer.

Listen (2nd movement).