The Day of the Lord

Justin Wedgewood's Advent song looks simultaneously toward the celebration of the birth of the infant Jesus and the second coming of the Risen Christ. Fusing lyrics for the verses by Harry Hagan, OSB with a refrain of his own composition, he has set the piece for congregation, SAB choir with descant accompanied by keyboard, guitar, and solo instrument. Composed in 3/8 and flowing smoothly with one beat per bar, it musically evokes an ancient past: it features dronelike open fifths at the beginning and end; it also uses melodic raised sixths and the minor dominant at cadential points, giving the piece an effective modal (Dorian) tinge.