The composition consists of the following parts: {{Image frame | content= \header { tagline = ##f } upper = \relative c'' { \set Staff.midiInstrument = "trumpet" \clef treble \key d \major \time 2/2 \tempo 2 = 65 \partial 4 a4 d d8 e fis4 d a'2 fis4.\prall fis8 g4 a8 g fis g a4 e8 d e fis e4 a, d d8 e fis4 d a'2 fis4.\prall fis8 g a fis g e4.\prall d8 d2. \bar "||" } lower = \relative c { \set Staff.midiInstrument = "church organ" \clef bass \key d \major \partial 4 d4 d2 d4 d cis a d4. d8 g,4 g d'8 e fis g a2 a8 g fis e d2 d4 d cis a d4. d8 g4 d a' a, d2. } \score { \new PianoStaff > \layout { \context { \Score \remove "Metronome_mark_engraver" } } } |caption=Prelude| align=left }} • Prelude (
Marche en rondeau) • Te Deum laudamus (bass solo) • Te aeternum Patrem (chorus and SSAT solo) • Pleni sunt caeli et terra (chorus) • Te per orbem terrarum (trio, ATB) • Tu devicto mortis aculeo (chorus, bass solo) • Te ergo quaesumus (soprano solo) • Aeterna fac cum sanctis tuis (chorus) • Dignare, Domine (duo, SB) • Fiat misericordia tua (trio, SSB) • In te, Domine, speravi (chorus with ATB trio) Charpentier considered the key
D major as "bright and very warlike"; indeed D major was regarded as the "key of glory" in
Baroque music. The instrumental introduction, composed in the form of rondo, precedes the first verset, led by the bass soloist. The choir and other soloists join gradually. Charpentier apparently intended to orchestrate the work according to the traditional exegesis of the Latin text. The choir thus predominates in the first part (verset 1–10, praise of God, heavenly dimension), and individual soloists in the second part (verset 11–20, Christological section, secular dimension). In subsequent versets, nos. 21–25, both soloists and choir alternate, and the final verset is a large-scale fugue written for choir, with a short trio for soloists in the middle. == Orchestration ==