The Dances and Lamentations of Enoch the Prophet was a project that arose out of several intersecting circumstances.  My friend James Rasmussen, general scholar extraordinaire, and I have been tossing about an idea for an opera about Enoch, the antediluvian prophet, for some time.  While the libretto was fermenting, I decided to approach the material from a musical point of view just to get my creativity flowing. Fortunately I also reconnected with my old friend Dan Thrower, a fantastic trumpetist.  With his interest, encouragement, and insight, I set to work. No story in all of scriptural canon stirs my imagination as does the account of Enoch in the Pearl of Great Price.  It is ancient, yet vitally relevant.  It is detailed in parts and tantalizingly vague in others.  This work portrays Enoch in his relationship with man and with God.  The primary instruments - trumpet and organ - have been used for millennia in both worship and ritual.  Both have been used as symbols for the voice of God speaking to man. This work was written for Dan Thrower, to whom I am very much indebted. And it came to pass that Enoch journeyed... And it came to pass that Enoch journeyed in the land, among the people; and as he journeyed, the Spirit of God descended out of heaven, and abode upon him.  And he heard a voice from heaven, saying: Enoch, my son, prophesy unto this people. A wild man hath come among us... “Tell us plainly who thou art” And it came to pass that Enoch went forth in the land, among the people... And they came forth to hear him, upon the high places, saying unto the tent-keepers: Tarry ye here and keep the tents, while we go yonder to behold the seer, for he prophesieth, and there is a strange thing in the land; a wild man hath come among us... And there came a man unto him, whose name was Mahijah, and said unto him: Tell us plainly who thou art, and from whence thou comest? Enoch spake forth And he said unto them: I came out from the land of Canaan, the land of my fathers, a land of righteousness unto this day.  And my father taught me in all the ways of God... And as Enoch spake forth the words of God, the people trembled, and could not stand in his presence. And they were blessed upon the mountains, and upon the high places, and did flourish The Lord came and dwelt with his people, and they dwelt in righteousness.  The fear of the Lord was upon all nations, so great was the glory of the Lord, which was upon his people.  And the Lord blessed the land, and they were blessed upon the mountains, and upon the high places, and did flourish. How is it that the heavens weep? And it came to pass that the God of heaven looked upon the residue of the people, and he wept; and Enoch bore record of it, saying: How is it that the heavens weep, and shed forth their tears as the rain upon the mountains? Wherefore Enoch knew And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto Enoch, and told Enoch all the doings of the children of men; wherefore Enoch knew, and looked upon their wickedness, and their misery, and wept and stretched forth his arms, and his heart swelled wide as eternity; and his bowels yearned; and all eternity shook. Lift up your heart, and be glad; and look But the Lord said unto Enoch: Lift up your heart, and be glad; and look.  And it came to pass that Enoch looked... and behold, Enoch saw the day of the coming of the Son of Man, even in the flesh; and his soul rejoiced, saying: The Righteous is lifted up, and the Lamb is slain from the foundation of the world; and through faith I am in the bosom of the Father, and behold, Zion is with me. ZION IS FLED And it came to pass the the Lord showed unto Enoch all the inhabitants of the earth; and he beheld, and lo, Zion, in process of time, was taken up into heaven.  And the Lord said unto Enoch: Behold mine abode forever... And Enoch and all his people walked with God, and he dwelt in the midst of Zion; and it came to pass that Zion was not, for God received it up into his own bosom; and from thence went forth the saying, ZION IS FLED.