Shapiera: "This is the biggest piece I've ever done! I created this for my final year of school - it was originally going to be performed by the school choir and orchestra for our graduation, but they were not big enough! This piece needs almost every instrument in a full orchestra, barring a harp, a contrabassoon and a cor anglais (plus it only has a small percussion section).
The text was adapted from two places - the Requiem (most famously done by Mozart) and Uematsu's One Winged Angel (which is in turn adapted from Orff's Carmina Burana). The word "Ragnarok" is from Norse mythology, their apocalypse. I chose this legend as it is full of fire, battle and death, which is the most appropriate for the text."