Eternal Wisdom

Oliver Holden’s Eternal Wisdom opens with a majestic, unfolding musical idea, gradually revealing its three-part STB texture. The music builds in confidence as the voices entwine, reflecting the grandeur of the opening text. The English words speak of praise for divine wisdom, personified as the creator of all things, from the vastness of the sky to the celestial bodies that govern day and night. The composer’s setting captures the awe and wonder of beholding God's handiwork. As the text moves to consider the ‘under-regions of the skies’ and the forces of nature, the musical material, though often homophonic and direct, retains a sense of expansive power, fitting for this sacred contemplation.