"History, Analysis and Performance Considerations of Gerald Finzi's ...

55global humanity en masse, but more honestly and with much more intensity, “to wash my worldsof sins from me” (italics added). Finzi’s indications for two soloists (“or a few voices”) topresent this moving petition is therefore highly appropriate.The harmonic movement of Section C’ is quite transitory, progressing from B♭ minorthrough the key areas of A♭, D♭, and C♯ major, F♯ minor, and D major in the span of thirteenmeasures. As the section draws to a close at measure 140, Finzi prepares what is anticipated tobe the familiar minor plagal gesture confirming D major, but instead, by one subtle shift of theorgan B♭ to B♮ creates a minor plagal cadence into B major, eliding with Section B’(see Figure36). Thematically, Section C’ is an abbreviated return of Section C, presenting only one if itsthemes. Interestingly however, theme f itself is not abbreviated, but a more developed andlyrically intricate version of itself, and is therefore identified here as f ’ (see Table 5).Figure 36. Reduction of Section C’ (measures 127-141).Table 5Section C’ – Thematic StructureTheme Function Measures Textf ’ Thematic 126-141 O Soft self-wounding Pelican