Mitch Friedfeld <[log in to unmask]> wrote: >.... Take the Messiah. In "Glory to God in the Highest," the word "high" >is on the highest note. When the bass sings "The Nations Shake," he is >very melismatic, shaking. Outside of classical music, Elvis Costello in >"Alison" stops the music at the word "Stop" (IIRC). ... What's that >device called? The technique is called "text painting." Other examples are readily found in Haydn's "Creation." Jonathan Knapp