This setting of Dies lrae isolates a portion of the "Dies lrae" text, and juxtaposes driving, accentuated rhythms with towers of full sonorities. The piano writing provides an agitating "undercurrent" in the opening and closing sections. The composer has placed the voices in what he aptly calls the "resonance pockets" of the treble voice, creating powerful "sonic fireworks" appropriate to the drama of this text.