This is one of the love duet choruses based on music for two sopranos and continuo. It had as its original Italian text: “no , di voi non vo’ fidarmi” (“No, I will not trust you, blind love”). With very few changes, it became this joyous expression of the world’s reaction to the nativity of the Savior. It follows the bass recitative and aria that deal with the contrast of darkness with light. The chorus tells of birth, and life; Christians believe that the expected “light” is the light of the world, Jesus Christ. The predicted child/son shall be known as: “Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father”, and “Prince of Peace”. Such language was also employed in Egyptian hymnology in praise of the pharaoh, but here the paeans of praise look forward “to a restoration of the promise to David of a kingdom with no end.” This expected king represents the best qualities of Israel’s heroes and will have authority, divinity, might, and an eternally peaceful reign. This chorus is the answer to all messianic expectations expressed in the oratorio thus far. The texts of the bass solos (Nos. 10 and 11) and this chorus all come from the Old Testament prophet Isaiah.

Theme A – SOPRANO, measures 7-12

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a son is given - flipped ‘r’ on ‘for’, glottal stop after ‘unto’,

Omit ‘r’ in ‘born", one full beat on 2nd ‘us’ and

Minimize the ‘s’, strong N’s, G

F(AW)d (UH)n – t(oo)(OO) // (UH)s // (UH) CH(UH)(EE)LD (IH)z b(AW)n,

(UH)n – t(oo)(OO) (UH)S (UH) S(UH)N (IH)z G(IH) – v(IH)n

BASS, measures 19-25 - on melisma - emphasize beat 3 measure 20, beats 1 and 3 measure 21+ 22,

Beats 1, 2, 3, and all 4 sixteenths of beat 4 in measure 23

Theme B – ALTO, measure 80-81

And the government shall be upon His shoulder - emphasize Ms Ns and Ls,

omit "r" in "government" and "shoulder"

(EH)nd th(oo) G(UH) - V(oo) – m(EH)nt sh(EH)ll b(EE) (UH) – p(AW)n H(IH)Z

SH(AW)(OO)L – d(oo)

Theme C – ALL, measures 33-37

Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace -

Omit all ‘r’s, TENOR emphasized on Wonderful, Counsellor; ALTO emphasized on

The Mighty God; TENOR emphasized on The Everlasting Father, ALTO emphasized on

The Prince of Peace. Separate Prince / of / Peace – peace has one full count then a small ‘s’

(OO)(UH)N – d(oo) – f(oo)l, C(UH)(OO)N – s(EH)l – l(oo), th(oo) M(UH)(EE) – t(EE) G(AW)D,

th(EE) (EH)V – V(oo) – L(EH) – st(IH)ng F(UH) – th(oo), th(oo) PR(IH)NCE // (UH)v //

P(EE)ce