Extraits de la Bible - 1. L'Echelle de lumière

Reveyron wrote 6 pieces in his collection "Excerpts From the Bible", this is the first of those pieces "The Ladder of Light". The composer writes this about the piece:

"Jacob lay down and fell asleep under the starry sky. And he had a dream. He saw a ladder of light. It rested on the earth and rose to the sky. Angels were constantly ascending and descending. High above shone the face of GOD...

...Jacob woke up at daybreak...

The first part of this piece evokes Jacob's sleep; the descending bass emphasizes his deep rest while the main theme in D sings of his faith. (D, Dorien)

Then Jacob thinks: The theme, with a slightly modified rhythm, is presented in dominant A, with a motif in 6/8 evoking the ascension of the Angels; motif leading the theme by successive dominants to the peroration: Theme and motif superimposed in F sharp, then in C sharp at the very top of the tonal scale, like the face of GOD, at the very top of the ladder scale. Finally, the return to the initial tone of the first sentence indicates the end of the dream and Jacob's awakening."

The movement is dedicated to Marcel Paponaud.

Joseph Reveyron was born in Lyons on September 2nd, 1917, He studed organ, harmony and counterpoint with Eduoard Commette (1883-1967). Having held the post of organist at Notre-Dame de la Mulatière, he was appointed Commette's assistant at the Primatiale Saint-Jean in Lyons in 1954. When his teacher died, he became his successor as "titulaire".