Numbers also determine the order of the five different durations used (1 unit=1 semiquaver).
The text, of course, justifies this change: the excited murmur of the disputing singers finds its perfect illustration in their simultaneous semiquavers.
The vocalist has to give the lead here, and much depends on the clarity of the opening two semiquavers.
The piano had a punctuating crotchet chordal motif while the flute part was a melodic, demi- and semiquaver ascending/descending motif with volume changes.
The various forms of the semiquaver figure serve to divide bars 1-108 into three sections.
The orchestra also joins with the chorus, finally abandoning its urgent semiquaver scales.
The woodwind/strings have semiquaver thirds in groups of seven, with each group separated from the next by a semiquaver rest.
After a short introduction from the solo violin the movement is dominated by material built on semiquaver runs and ostinati.
