Cast the first stone

Edewede Oriwoh’s Cast the first stone opens with a searching, interrogative musical phrase, soon developing into a powerful SATB setting of challenging English text. The composer uses the familiar biblical narrative of the woman taken in adultery to pose urgent questions about judgement, hypocrisy and true Christian practice. The music moves from moments of quiet contemplation to impassioned declamation, reflecting the text’s direct address to the listener. It asks whether outward piety truly translates into compassion for those in need and calls for a more active, sacrificial form of neighbourly love, contrasting the act of casting stones with the example of Christ.