Three stories are told in this piece, all featuring characters in the Bible that exhibited self-control. David showed self-control because after dodging several murder attempts from his enemy King Saul, he decided not to kill King Saul when he himself had the chance. Daniel showed self-control because even though he and his friends had his choice from the king’s table to eat, they chose to eat healthy instead. Joseph showed self-control because he resisted the temptation of sleeping with Potiphar’s wife at her invitation. A comical moment in the music allows the performer to act seductive as Joseph’s story is being told. As this happens, the famous three-note motif from “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?” after a contestant’s answer that creates suspense before revealing the correct answer is played in the accompaniment to create similar suspense. With a proclamation of 1 Peter 4:7 to complete the song, the performer has culminated explaining self-control and encourages listeners to follow suit. Musically speaking, this piece enjoyably bridges the gap between minor and major tonalities as a way to embody the drama of the stories told before releasing the tension into major upon the completion of the story as the words “this is self-control” are proclaimed. The minimalist accompaniment itself demonstrates self-control.
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Austin-Sinclair Harris 