This opening chorus is the concluding section of four movements that tell of God’s promise of hope through prophecy. They are based on successive verses from Isaiah 40:1-5. Remember that the words which the chorus sings are spoken by “the voice of him that crieth in the wilderness” of which the tenor sang in “Comfort ye.” This well known chorus is full of praise, and is based on four musical subjects used several times each.

Theme A – ALTO, measures 11-14 (sung marked and detached)

And the glory, the glory of the Lord - strong ND, flip the "r" on "glory", strong Ls,

strong D on Lord placed on the 4th beat,

second "glory of the" performed as three quarter notes - not two eighths and two quarters

(EH)nd th(oo) GL(AW) - d(EE) th(oo) GL(AW) - d(EE) (UH) vth(oo) L(AW)D.

Theme B – BASS, measures 19-22 (sung smoothly and sustained)

shall be revealed. – strong "sh" and "ll", flip "r" on "revealed", unaccented "ed", strong D

Sh(EH)ll b(EE) R(EE) - V(EE) - l(IH)d

Theme C – ALTO, measures 43-46 (sung bouncy and detached)

And all flesh shall see it together. - Connect the "sh" of "flesh" to the "sh" of "shall";

and the "t" of "it" to the "t" of "together", strong consonants

(EH)nd (AW)LL FL(EH) - sh(EH)ll s(EE) (IH) - T(oo) - G(EH) - TH(oo)

Theme D – BASS + TENOR, measures 51-57 (sung broadly and sustained)

For the mouth of the Lord has spoken it. – omit "r" on "For", strong M, L, N

F(AW) th(oo) M(UH)(OO)TH (UH)v th(oo) L(AW)D

h(EH)th SP(AW)(OO) - K(IH)N (IH)t.

BASS emphasized – measures 14-17, 32-38, 51, 59-63, 76-83, 92-94, 110-113

ALTO emphasized – at D

Watch HEMIOLAS – Measures 36-37 – emphasize LORD, BE, VEAL

Measures 92-93 – emphasize 1st and 3rd beats of 92, 2nd beat of 93

Measures 100-101 – emphasize 1st and 3rd beats of 100, 2nd beat of 101

Measures 105-106 – emphasize 1st and 3rd beats of 105, 2nd beat of 106