Handel 'And the Glory of the Lord'

Messiah 

Baroque 1600-1750

Handel 1685-1759 Germany

Composed 1741 first performed in Dublin 1742

Oratorio religious story told through words, solo voice, chorus, orchestra

First chorus in Messiah 'And the Glory of the Lord'

Altos bar 11       syllabic

Tenors bar 17   melismatic    descending sequence 

Altos bar 43  melismatic   short descending sequence 

Tenors and basses bar 51   syllabic   long notes, solemn

Homophonic e.g bars 14-17

Contrapuntal e.g bars 17-33

Monophonic bars 108-109

Imitation bar 17 'shall be revealed' 

Varying number of parts

Syllabic motifs 1 + 4

Melismatic motifs 2 + 3

Phrases repeated, words clear

Four motifs

Ritornello at start

3/4 dance like

Allegro 3 bars adagio after general pause

Hemiolas bars 9-10

Diatonic harmony

A major

modulates to dominant (E major) and supertonic (B major)

Plagal cadence at end 

in tonic IV-I  (bar 136-138)

Perfect cadences throughout