The Lord is risen
The triptych begins with an unambiguous Easter proclamation which is repeated for emphasis. The music grows outward from a strongly-dissonant pair of notes, alternating two whole-tone scales in the upper voices, and two simple triads in the lower voices (like a perfect cadence); this stark yet joyful texture is transformed into warm imitative polyphony over another pair of triads (a plagal, or 'Amen' cadence) which becomes more and more ornate the second time through.

The Lord is risen indeed: Hallelujah. Christ is risen from the dead and dieth no more: Hallelujah. Behold, He is alive for evermore, and hath the keys of hell and death: Hallelujah.

Thou knowest my lying down
The subject of the triptych's central panel is new life and the loving omnipresence of God, even in the darkest hours before the dawn of the Resurrection; the text comes from Psalm 139. The twelve voices are divided into a higher choir of six who sing the whole text - the melody on top is a continuously rising chromatic scale - while the lower choir of six elaborate a simple chaconne repeating an answering "Hallelujah!". The conflict of these two compositional ideas is worked out in harmonies that are sometimes transparently consonant, sometimes rich and strange. The soloistic vocal lines give shape to the overall rhythmic motion of the piece, converging from time to time like a giant wave rising out of the sea.

Thou knowest my lying down and mine uprising: Thou understandest my thoughts afar off. When I ascend up into heaven, Thou art there; When I make my bed in hell, behold, Thou art there. How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them! They are more in number than the sand: when I awake I am still with Thee. Hallelujah!

The bread which we break
The triptych ends with the intimate moment of communion with Jesus through the consecrated bread and wine. The breaking and sharing of the Body and the Blood are represented by the simplest of musical gestures - preparation, suspension, and resolution - shared by pairs across all twelve voices. The music ends with extremely static chords in thirds covering the range of the choir all the way from bottom E to top B.

The bread which we break: it is the communion of the body of Christ. The cup which we bless: it is the communion of the blood of Christ. For Christ, our Passover, is sacrificed for us: therefore let us keep the feast, not with the old leaven: but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.