II. all souls transcend — harmony beyond

If the first movement discovers love between souls, the second asks what happens when those souls begin to move beyond themselves.

Flowing begins unexpectedly with the harp. At first, its harmony seems to belong to A minor. Flutes and oboes gradually join it with long, melodic lines, followed by the rest of the woodwinds. Seventh chords begin to alter the colour of the harmony until what seemed minor quietly opens into C major.

At that moment the choir enters.

All souls e'er live in harmony,
transcend to the world of glee,
now be e'er united.

The voices are calm but full of movement. There is brightness in the music, but also a sense that something is still unfolding. Strings begin to move together, carrying the music forward.

Gradually, brass instruments enter. The orchestra becomes larger. What began with a solitary harp now gathers more and more voices, preparing the way for Majestic.

This is the principal climax of the movement.

A broad, deeply emotional melody rises through the orchestra as the choir sings:

Now we will rise
and see the beauty of us!
Our souls will e'er stay elevated!
Beauty within and around us forever!
Praise be to GOD,
for HIS strength and HIS love!

Here, transcendence does not mean escaping the world. It means seeing the beauty that was already within it — within ourselves, within one another, and around us.

After the climax, the music begins to soften.

Choir, tubular bells, marimba and harp sing and shimmer around the words:

Love eternal,
bliss forever.

And eventually the movement reaches a much quieter form of transcendence:

Now we know the world
and it knows us.
Love forever.
Amen.

The movement does not end in conquest or triumph. It ends in recognition.

The souls have not left the world behind.

They have learned to hear it.