Begins with a cautious, understated melody, reflecting Jesus’s reluctance and the underlying tension of His journey to Judea, using a minor key for the mood of anticipation.
Shifts to a confident and authoritative melody as Jesus teaches, with dynamics and a major key shift to signify the strength of His message, incorporating call-and-response patterns to represent dialogue.
Introduces harmonic tension and melodic dissonance to depict the conflicted opinions among the crowd, using fluctuating modes and counterpoint to represent the varying perspectives.
Contrasts skeptical authorities with steadfast believers through angular melodies and rigid rhythms versus smoother, flowing themes, illustrating the tension between disbelief and faith.
Concludes with a reflective epilogue on Nicodemus’s questioning, leaving the piece with unresolved tension to suggest the ongoing search for truth, potentially ending on an unresolved chord.