Fugue on the Chant Rorate coeli

Liszt opens his sprawling oratorio "Christus" with this straightforward instrumental fugue. Marked with the opening words of Isaiah 45:8 Rorate coeli (heavenly dewdrops), the fugue adapts the opening musical phrase of the antiphon on this text for its subject. It thereby gives expression to the longing of the biblical patriarchs and prophets for the coming of righteousness through the advent of the Messiah. The fugue climaxes with violins and violas descending with sequential repetitions of the only major third, also descending.