tippett uses a similar structure to the passions of bach. this meant that he used a narrator (like the evangelist in bach’s passions) who tells the story. instead of bach’s lutheran chorales he adds five negro spirituals which add an emotional comment to the events. the music of these spirituals blend very cleverly into the style of tippett’s music. the whole oratorio, which lasts a little over one hour, has three parts. this idea is based on the three parts of handel's "messiah". tippett calls the three parts: 1) prophecy; 2) narrative; 3) meditation.