Cecilia McDowall: Love Incorruptible

Love Incorruptible sets words from Ephesians that explore the themes of love and kindness. The anthem begins with the directive ‘Let all bitterness and wrath and anger be put away, awake!’, set by the composer in a way that engenders a mood of reflection and hopefulness. The tender central section is built around the words ‘Be kind, tender-hearted, one to another’, while the closing section presents a compelling contrast of emphatic ‘awake!’ declarations in the upper voices and punchily rhythmic repetitions of the titular words in the lower voices.