'And the Glory of the Lord' from Messiah - Handel - Essay

'And the Glory of the Lord' from Messiah - Handel - Essay

1. Melody

   • 4 main melodies
     • Sung by the SATB choir
     • Combined and contrasted throughout the piece
   • Melody 1
     • Only melody to begin with a broken chord of A major
   • Melody 2
     • Uses a descending sequence with extended melisma on the word 'revealed'
   • Melody 3
     • 3 short descending tunes from A-E
   • Melody 4
     • Contrasts the most
     • Long repeating A's making it sound solemn rather than joyful

2. Tonality

   • In the key of A major
     • Modulations to ...
       • Dominant key E major
       • Dominant of the dominant B major
     • Creates a bright and joyful mood
       • Enforced by its diatonic harmony
   • Frequent perfect cadences to enforce keys and modulations to new keys
     • Ends in a Plagal cadence

3. Dynamics

   • No dynamics are written on the score so they are determined by the number of parts playing at any one time
     • One voice = piano
     • Full choir = forte
   • Starts quietly and ends with the full choir
   • Only use of terraced dynamics

4. Mood

   • 'Affection' piece
     • Joy and celebration
     • Common in the Baroque period
     • Enforced by:
       • Major tonality
       • Allegro tempo
       • Dance-like 3/4 tempo