Martelé bowing in the string section, punctuated with tremolo notes, starts the tune in a gothic and threatening way. Heavy drums, flat and tinny cymbals, and a bass line add to the anxious feeling. The choir carries a brief melody, followed by violins over top of the constancy of the darker strings. A long sustained note hangs over the pulse of the drums, until the choir seems to call, sadly, for mercy.
