A similar pattern follows in measures 5 to 8 on the words 'qui tollis peccata mundi' (who takes away the sins of the world), moving down on 'peccata mundi'. The other voices enter half a measure later on a chord, move to a different chord in measure 2 and sustain it throughout the measure, while the soprano holds its first note through measure one and moves only after the supporting chord has changed to a tension. The music is dominated by a melody, first presented by the soprano, which begins on a long note and then undulates in even rhythm and diatonic steps, a melisma of two measures on the words 'Agnus Dei'. Soprano and alto are divided in two parts, tenor and bass occasionally even in three. The music is set for soprano, alto, tenor and bass (SATB) all four parts are sometimes divided measures 12 to 14 call for a solo soprano. The initial time is 4/2, but some measures are expanded to 5/2 and 6/2 throughout the piece of 69 measures. Agnus Dei is in B-flat minor, marked 'molto adagio' (very slow) and 'molto espressivo' (very expressive) and in the beginning 'pp' (pianissimo, very soft).
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