07/25/2025
In Paradisum
Composer: Dan Forrest
Voicing: SATB divisi
Accompaniment: Available with Wind Ensemble, Full Orchestra, or Brass/Percussion/Organ
Handbells: Optional (included in choral octavo)
Duration: Approx. 11 minutes
Publisher: Hinshaw Music
In Paradisum:
Dan Forrest’s In Paradisum is an expansive and deeply expressive work exploring the themes of death, resurrection, and the eternal promise of paradise. Originally commissioned for wind ensemble and large chorus, this eleven-minute composition has been beautifully adapted for full orchestra, and for brass, percussion, and organ—each version compatible with the included optional handbell part.
From the first resonant “pillar chords”—Forrest’s term for the grounded, powerful harmonies that recur throughout—the work evokes a sense of majesty and mystery. Rich orchestration, shimmering handbells, and lush choral textures draw singers and audiences into a transcendent soundscape, capturing both the sorrow of earthly parting and the radiance of hope beyond.
At the heart of In Paradisum lies Forrest’s unique harmonic language: the flatted seventh expresses grief and longing, while its transformation into the raised seventh becomes a metaphor for healing and divine restoration—“God shall wipe away all tears.” This musical shift becomes the emotional turning point, culminating in a radiant declaration of the words “in paradise.”
The piece closes with a serene and hopeful “new song,” echoing from eternity and leaving both singer and listener with a profound sense of peace and spiritual resolution.
In Paradisum is best suited for large, advanced choirs and has been performed widely across the U.S. and internationally. Whether presented in sacred services, memorial concerts, or festival settings, it offers a compelling next step for choirs seeking repertoire that is both artistically ambitious and spiritually resonant.
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