Therefore God exalted Him

These words are a famous early Christian hymn. They talk of Christ humbling himself even to death on a cross. Because of this God exalted him to the highest place and now sits at God’s right hand.

The tune begins with the ladies singing a tune in a minor key reflecting Christ’s humility. The piano underlay provides a rhythmic 4/4 pulse. 

The men then join the tune repeating what has been already sung. The complexity of the piano part grows and this intensity is added to by the choir going from unison to harmony. We fade away again as the “death on the cross” is sung.

The piece now takes a more uplifting theme as “God exalts Him”. So we are now in a major key and 3/4 time. This hymn is first sung a cappella by the choir. The piano then plays a similar tune with increasing complexity. This builds to a crescendo. At this point the choir joins, the men singing the tune while the ladies sing a descant.

We return to the original 4/4 rhythm but now in a major key portraying Christ’s redemptive work on the cross “To the Glory of God the Father”.

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