The compositional world of Milan Slavicky (born 1947) is marked by a close affinity between its individual pieces which are almost all constructed from a few intervals which the composer selects and adheres to throughout the whole composition.

The same applies to Sursum corda written in 1994. From the opening Sursum corda (Lift up your hearts!) to the Habemus ad Dominum (We have lifted them up to the Lord), the musical stream is developed from the opening indefinite sound layer leading to the final C major at the end of the piece.