Pepperdine University, April 8th 2017 by Louise Lofquist, piano

Along with Lament and Judgment (2015), this composition was originally conceived as part of a sonata themed around the apocalypse. The sextuplet figure from the first piece is transformed into an angular, rollicking bass ostinato, and the musical language becomes jazzier, reflecting the sinfulness that lead to mankind’s downfall. The piece lives up to its title in that it is indeed in strict sonata form, though I do indulge in a couple of stylistic variations in the development section. The coda is a bombastic, quasi-improvisatory section that includes, as good jazz often does, a couple of popular tunes in quotation—though not in the form one would expect.