first performed in New College Chapel on 10 March 1989 by Collegium Novum under the direction of the composer; duration: c.12'

The essence of this setting of the famous anonymous story, The Long Silence, is the conflict between ritual and drama. The scene is the Last Judgement; the ritual aspect (mostly the narrative) is given to soloists who sing a simple chant while the drama of the situation is portayed by the harmonies and rhythms of the full choir. Gradually ritual and drama overlap and interact, climaxing on the simultaneous recapitulation of the opening chords ("Let there be a great host of witnesses to verify it").