Pott's setting, in a rather oblique, modal harmony, captures an almost dreamlike quality, as the angel's prophecy of Christ's imminent birth envelopes its recipient.

Over the past twenty-five years Francis Pott has acquired an international reputation as a composer of dramatic and emotionally challenging music. His writing unites a distinctive personal voice with a highly disciplined yet versatile technique that is rooted in a keen awareness of the past. Including a steady flow of major commissions, his works are regularly performed, recorded, and broadcast throughout the world. Formerly Lecturer in Music at St Hilda's College, Oxford, he is currently Professor of Composition at London College of Music, The University of West London.