A Song of the New Jerusalem

A Song of the New Jerusalem (And I saw a New Heaven) was commissioned by the Sanders Society in 2011 and first performed by the choir of Gloucester Cathedral in July that year.

It is dedicated to the late Dr John Sanders OBE who was organist of Gloucester Cathedral from 1967-1994. The piece serves as an alternative to the well-known and much loved classic by Edgar Bainton, and is designed to be of similar choral difficulty, though the organ part is generally a little more involved. It consists of shimmering effects, arresting motifs and builds towards a grand climax for the words "Behold, I make all things new".

The music then subsides and disappears as quickly as it emerged. It is a particularly effective anthem for Remembrance and Advent, but also for more general use throughout the liturgical year.