Outwardly this might appear to be a companion to Bloch's best-known work, Schelomo for cello and orchestra. But whereas that work is a dazzling display for both the soloist and the orchestra, Voice in the Wilderness is introverted and reserved. If the music was purely meditative it might work on that level, but Bloch's complex harmonies and occasional bursts of energy mitigate against that kind of passivity in the listener.

On the other hand, those dramatic elements lack the freshness and excitement that similar passages elicit during a listening to Schelomo. With all that in mind, it is not this writer's intent to scare the curious away from sampling this work. It is very possible that someone, whose musical tastes tend towards the less voluptuously exotic, might find this piece to be more to his or her liking.

It was written in the years 1935-1936. Bloch must have believed in it since he set it in three ways: the original version with orchestra, a version for cello and piano, and a shortened transcription for piano solo called Visions & Prophecies.

There are six connected movements. Although the cello is often spotlighted, it is not the main focus or protagonist of the work. Rather it is a commentator on the orchestral statements. Rhythmically, the themes are dominated by what is known as the Scottish snap. The cello has only one real featured solo passage, and that is in the fifth movement. Voice in the Wilderness is scored for a large orchestra with woodwinds in threes, full brass, percussion, two harps, celesta, and strings. It has a duration of roughly 25 minutes.

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