Handel: 'And the Glory of the Lord' from Messiah

Handel: 'And the Glory of the Lord' from Messiah

1. PERFORMING FORCES

   • Choir is made up of sopranos, altos, tenors and basses
   • They are accompanied by strings and continuo (for cello and harpsichord or organ
   • The orchestra often doubles the vocal lines

2. STRUCTURE

   • Starts with an orchestral introduction, called a ritornello which means little return. Returns back to original idea/ motif (ABACA)
   • Based on different combinations of four motifs.

3. MELODY

   • Based upon four different motifs

4. RHYTHM, METRE AND TEMPO

   • This piece is in 3/4
   • Fast tempo (Allegro)
   • There are a number of hemiolas in the piece (where music feels as if its in 2/4 rather than 3/4

5. TONALITY AND HARMONY

   • The piece is in A major. It modulates to two related keys: the dominant, E major and the supertonic, B major
   • Piece ends with a plagal cadance in A major.
   • The harmony is diatonic.

6. TEXTURE

   • Most of the piece alternates between homophonic and contrapuntal.
   • Very short monophonic passage in bars 108-9
   • Handel uses imitation

7. WORD SETTING

   • Mixture of syllabic and melismatic word setting.
   • Different phrases of text are repeated many times, helping to make the words as clear as possible

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