Choral symphony simply an attempt at grandiose effect, though the composer's use of such forces earned the work the subtitle "Symphony of a Thousand" from his press agent (a name still applied to the symphony). Like Stravinsky, Mahler makes extensive and extended use of counterpoint, especially in the first part, "Veni Creator Spiritus". Throughout this section, according to music writer Michael Kennedy, Mahler displays considerable mastery in manipulating multiple independent melodic voices. Musicologist Deryck Cooke adds that Mahler handles his huge forces "with extraordinary clarity". Vaughan Williams also insisted on a balance between words and music in "A Sea Symphony", writing in
A Thousand Lives interviews, Scheeres presents a heart-breaking portrait of belief, survival and loss in this idyllic community. The book was critically acclaimed and widely reviewed. "The San Francisco Chronicle" wrote that it was "Riveting... unforgettable... heart-breaking... bone-chilling. You will not be able to look away." "The Los Angeles Times Book Review" wrote, "Scheeres convincingly portrays the members of this community as victims, not fools. It's hard to imagine how people might be so browbeaten, afraid and misled that they would bring about their own deaths—but Scheeres has made that terrifying story believable and human." A Thousand Lives A Thousand Lives: the Untold