O magnum mysterium

O magnum mysterium was written in 2013 and is dedicated to Dawn Herbert, the composer’s ex-wife and the mother of his son, Reginald. It was written while staying at her family’s farm in Cambridgeshire. Unintentionally, the wide-open spaces infused Ben Ponniah’s writing. This work uses the following 7-note scale: G, A, Bb, C, D, E and F#. Only these notes are used throughout the piece and the scale is derived from Scriabin’s ‘Mystic Chord’. The u and unresolved tonality, therefore, reflects the mystery surrounding the miraculous birth of Jesus, as well as Ponniah’s own personal doubts and wonder.