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