Probably the most popular and often performed choral piece is the "Alleluia Chorus" from Handel's Messiah. A growing number of performances are now colored with modern phrasing, frequently of a "gospel" nature. We thought it might be an interesting harmonic exercise to see how many variations we could find of its "Amen"-style ending.

The Original

Here is the original version of the last 2 bars of Handel'sAlleluia,
     withSubstitution 1(3)on both TONIC and COUNTER chords D \ G, G / D,
           Real Triadsin Root Position, with note-values\.,/.

Orbit Lines-
     Soprano -0\0,0/0, notes D \ D , D / D,
     Alto -2\1,1(3)/2, notes F# \ G , G / F#,
     Tenor -1(3)\2,2/1, notes A \ B , B / A,
     Bass -theFundamentalBass/, notes D \ G , G / D.

Possible Changes

We will now apply changes to this simple Triad version -
      replacethe missingMOTRIXs, first on the 2s, then on the.,
      dominantizeboth the TONIC and the COUNTER chords, first on the 2s, then on the.;
     half-diminishthe COUNTER chord, first on the second, then on the.;
      augmentthe TONIC chord, on the first.

The Soprano and Bass voices will remain unchanged,
     Soprano on theCOMMON TONE, notes D \ D, D / D,
     Bass on theFundamentalBass, notes D \ G, G / D.
The Alto voice will have six different possibilities -
     1. the original line2\1,1(3)/2, notes F# \ G, G / F# ;
     2. with theMOTRIXon the second, notes F# \ G, E / F# ;
     3. with a diminishedMOTRIXon the second, notes F# \ G, E# / F# ;
     4. with theMOTRIXon the.and the second, notes F# \ E, E / F# ;
     5. with theMOTRIXon the., diminished on the second, notes F# \ E, E# / F# ;
     6. with the diminishedMOTRIXon both the.and the second, notes F# \ E#, E# / F#.
The Tenor voice will have nine different possibilities -
     1. the original line1(3)\2,2/1, A \ B, B / A ;
     2. with a dominantized COUNTER on the, A \ B, Bb / A ;
     3. with a dominantized COUNTER on the.and on the, A \ Bb, Bb / A ;
     4. with a dominantizedMOTRIXon the TONIC, C \ B, B / A ;
     5. with dominantizeds on both TONIC and COUNTER, C \ B, Bb / A ;
     6. with dominantized.ands, C \ Bb, Bb / A ;
     7. with major seventh on the TONIC, C# \ B, B / A ;
     8. with augmented fifth on the TONIC, A# \ B, B / A ;
     9. with augmented fifth on the TONIC, and dominantizedon the COUNTER, A# \ B, Bb / A.
The six Alto lines are compatible with the nine Tenor lines, producing 54 different combinations.
     You might feel like working them out.

Examples

However, presenting a few particularly pleasant combinations might be a good idea.

. . .

The first example, on the left, consists of Alto Line 2 and Tenor Line 5 -
     F# \ G, E / F# and C \ B, Bb / A, with chords D⁷\ G, Gm⁶/ D,
          eachis complete and dominantized.
     Very current usage, especially in Dixieland.
The second example, on the right, consists of Alto Line 6 and Tenor Line 4 -
     F# \ E#, E# / F# and C \ B, B / A, with chords D⁷\ G⁺⁶, G⁺⁶/ D,
          the firstis complete and dominantized,
               the.and the secondare complete and half-diminished.
     No mistaking this one, pure Blues.

. . .

The first example, on the left, consists of Alto Line 3 and Tenor Line 9 -
     F# \ G, E# / F# and A# \ B, Bb / A, with chords D⁺⁵\ G, Gm⁺⁶/ D,
          the firstis augmented,
               the secondis dominantized and half-diminished.
     NOTE the simultaneous use of the E# and the Bb in these chromatic embroideries.
The second example, on the right, consists of Alto Line 5 and Tenor Line 5 -
     F# \ E, E# / F# and C \ B, Bb / A, with chords D⁷\ G⁶, Gm⁺⁶/ D,
          the firstis complete and dominantized,
               the.is complete and the secondis dominantized and half-diminished.
     NOTE again the E# and Bb in (almost) chromatic scales.
          This one is worth doing over.

Just One More

The last example almost established two contrary-motion chromatic scales. The only problem was the first Alto note, F# instead of D#, which could be produced by the only form of chromaticism which we have not yet used,Orbit 4.

This example consists of Alto Line 7 (not in the table) and Tenor Line 5 -
     D# \ E, E# / F# and C \ B, Bb / A, with chords D⁷⁺¹/F# \ G⁶, Gm⁺⁶/ D,
          Orbit 4 applied to the firstand the F# (abandoned by the Alto) placed in the Bass,
               the.is complete and the secondis dominantized and half-diminished.
     NOTE the contrary-motion chromaticism in the Alto and Tenor.