In this arrangement, a familiar carol melody is presented with unfamiliar rhythms, accompanied by ostinato quavers and with the short Gloria refrain extended contrapuntally at the end of each verse. Sopranos set the scene in verse one, tenors take on the role of the angel in verse two, and altos provide Mary's awe-struck response in verse three, with reflective and almost static harmonies. The concluding narration is shared by the whole choir in verse four, culminating in an exuberant cascade.