This work investigates the dramatic and musical potential of the biblical narrative concerning the fall of Babylon as depicted in the Book of Daniel. The composition, created by William Walton with a text arrangement by Sir Osbert Sitwell, serves as a large-scale cantata for mixed choir, baritone soloist, and orchestra. It utilizes a sophisticated harmonic language and rhythmic complexity to translate the ancient narrative into a modern musical framework.

Musicologists and conductors regard this score as a foundational piece of 20th-century British choral music. Experts frequently highlight the technical demands placed on the choir and the orchestral precision required to execute the work's complex rhythmic shifts.