An Axolotl pure and mild

This SATB anthem opens with a vivid musical depiction of the Christmas prophecy concerning the coming of the Messiah. The text playfully reimagines the traditional Advent imagery of Jesse's stem with a central figure of an axolotl, described as rising without metamorphosis, its smile and feet heralding apotheosis. The music draws on this juxtaposition, perhaps with a gentle, lyrical quality for the axolotl's description, leading into more dramatic textures as the text speaks of breaking ties and defeating hell. The composer Peter Foggitt uses the English text to explore a familiar prophetic passage through an unexpected and contemporary lens, creating a piece that is both humorous and profound in its musical interpretation of scripture.