Robert Shaw（1916-1999）有“合唱之神”的美誉，他在美国拥有超高的人气。1945年受指挥大师托斯卡尼尼（Toscanini）之请，为他准备贝多芬第九号合唱交响曲的合唱团部，随后备受高度倚重，多次与托氏在大都会歌剧院合作歌剧。之后Shaw又被指挥泰斗库赛维兹基邀请与波士顿交响乐团合作，甚获乐团肯定，乃被世界第一音乐学府茱莉亚音乐院聘为合唱团总监。在塞尔(Szell)领军下，Shaw创立了克利夫兰管弦乐团合唱团，同时名列克利夫兰管弦乐团的指挥之一。Shaw是美国当代最伟大的合唱指挥家，他训练的合唱团声部均衡、音色和谐、表现力丰富，被誉为“美国浪漫合唱学派”的集大成者。他所指挥的合唱团演唱的圣乐合唱，音色明亮辉煌，气势壮丽磅薄，艺术表现深刻与震撼。因为美式合唱的自由度高，情感丰富，所以这些圣乐作品都有一种尘世之美，不懂宗教的人也能接受和欣赏。他们的歌唱艺术中表现出对平安、对爱和幸福恳切、热烈的渴求深深打动人心。有人说音乐能够净化人心，真正崇高的音乐则能使人感受到上天照看人类力量，那股力量让人感到温暖、不再无助，圣乐更是如此。
Robert Shaw 录制了CD无数，但音像产品极少。在1987年圣诞节献演了一场神曲《弥赛亚》的第一部分加哈里路亚合唱，被录制成录像带出版，成为这位大师留下的少有的音像精品，弥足珍贵。有爱好者将该录像带的大部分搬上了YOUTUBE。链接如下。全部英文原文歌词均出自十八世纪流行的英王钦定本圣经(King James Version)。
《弥赛亚》歌词经文选辑
1. 交响乐（序曲） 4:47
2. 你们要安慰我的百姓（男高音） 3:38
Comfort ye, comfort ye, My people, saith your God; speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned; ...The voice of him that cried in the wilderness: Prepare ye the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
你们的神说：“你们要安慰，安慰我的百姓。要对耶路撒冷说安慰的话，又向她宣告说：她争战的日子已满了，她的罪孽赦免了,...在旷野有人声喊著说：当预备耶和华的路，在沙漠地修平我们神的道。——以赛亚书40:1-3
3. 一切山洼都要填满（男高音） 3:32
Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill made low, the crooked straight and the rough places plain. 一切山洼都要填满，大小山冈都要削平，高高低低的要改为平坦，崎崎岖岖的必成为平原。——以赛亚书40:4
4. 耶和华的荣耀（合唱） 3:36
And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. 耶和华的荣耀必然显现，凡有血气的，必一同看见，因为这是耶和华亲口说的。——以赛亚书40:5
5. 耶和华如此说（男低音) 1:52
Thus saith the Lord of Hosts: Yet once a little while and I will shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land; and I will shake all nations; and the desire of all nations shall come. 万军之耶和华如此说：“过不多时，我必再一次震动天地、沧海与旱地。我必震动万国；万国的珍宝，必都运来。”——哈该书2:6-7
The Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in; behold, He shall come, saith the Lord of Hosts. 万军之耶和华说：“你们所寻求的主，必忽然进入他的殿；立约的使者，就是你们所仰慕的，快要来到。”——玛拉基书3:1
6. 谁能当得起呢（女低音) 5:01
But who may abide the day of his coming and who shall stand when He appeareth? For He is like a refiner's fire. 他来的日子，谁能当得起呢？他显现的时候，谁能立得住呢？因为他如炼金之人的火。——玛拉基书3:2
7. 他必洁净（合唱） 3:11
And He shall purify the sons of Levy, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering of righteousness. 他必洁净利未人，他们就凭公义献供物给耶和华。——玛拉基书3:3
8. 必有童女怀孕（女低音) 0:43
Behold! A virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Emmanuel, God with us. 必有童女怀孕生子，给他起名叫以马内利，神与我们同在。——以赛亚书7:14/马太福音1:23
9. 报好信息给锡安的啊（合唱） 7:22
O thou that tellest good tidings of Zion, get thee up into the high mountain; O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! 报好信息给锡安的啊，你要登高山，报好信息给耶路撒冷的啊，你要极力扬声。扬声不要惧怕，对犹大的城邑说：“看哪，你们的神。”—— 以赛亚书40:9
Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. 兴起！发光！因为你的光已经来到，耶和华的荣耀发现照耀你。——以赛亚书60:1
10. 看哪！黑暗遮盖大地（男低音) 2:59
For, behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people; but the Lord shall arise upon thee; and His glory shall be seen upon thee, and the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. 看哪！黑暗遮盖大地，幽暗遮盖万民，耶和华却要显现照耀你，他的荣耀要现在你身上。万国要来就你的光，君王要来就你发现的光辉。——以赛亚书60:2-3
11. 在黑暗中行走的百姓（男低音) 4:51
The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; and they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. 在黑暗中行走的百姓看见了大光；住在死荫之地的人有光照耀他们。——以赛亚书9:2
12. 有一婴孩为我们而生（合唱） 4:49
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. 因有一婴孩为我们而生，有一子赐给我们，政权必担在他的肩头上。他名称为奇妙、策士、全能的神、永在的父、和平的君。——以赛亚书9:6
14. 野地里有牧羊的人（女高音) 0:59
There were shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flocks by night, And lo! the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid. 野地里有牧羊的人，夜间按著更次看守羊群。看哪！有主的使者站在他们旁边，主的荣光四面照著他们。牧羊的人就甚惧怕。——路加福音2:8-9
15. 天使对他们说（女高音) 0:53
And the Angel said unto them, Fear not; for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people; for unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 那天使对他们说：“不要惧怕，我报给你们大喜的信息，是关乎万民的，因今天在大卫的城里，为你们生了救主，就是主基督。”——路加福音2:10-11
16. 忽然，有一大队天兵（女高音) 0:21
And suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying: ... 忽然，有一大队天兵同那天使讚美神说： ——路加福音2:13
17. 在至高之处荣耀归于神（合唱） 2:17
Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth, goodwill towards men. 在至高之处荣耀归于神，在地上平安归于他所喜悦的人。——路加福音2:14
18. . 锡安的民哪，应当大大喜乐（女高音) 4:32
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, thy King cometh unto thee! He is the righteous Saviour, and He shall speak peace unto the heathen. 锡安的民哪，应当大大喜乐；耶路撒冷的民哪，应当欢呼。看哪，你的王来到你这里。他是公义的，并且实行拯救。他必向列国讲和平。——撒迦利亚书9:9-10
19. 那时瞎子的眼（女低音) 0:31
Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing. 那时瞎子的眼必睁开，聋子的耳必开通。那时瘸子必跳跃象鹿，哑巴的舌头必能歌唱。——以赛亚书35:5-6
20. 他必牧养自己的羊群（女低音/女高音) 6:12
He shall feed his flock like a shepherd, and He shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young. 他必象牧人牧养自己的羊群，用膀臂聚集羊羔抱在怀中，慢慢引导那乳养小羊的。 ——以赛亚书40:11
Come unto him, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and He will give you rest. Take his yoke upon you, and learn of him, for He is meek and lowly of heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 凡劳苦担重担的人，可以到他这里来，他就使你们得安息。你们当负他的轭，学他的样式，这样，你们心里就必得享安息。——马太福音11:28-29
21. 他的轭是容易的（合唱） 3:03
His yoke is easy, and His burthen is light. 因为他的轭是容易的，他的担子是轻省的。——马太福音11:30
44. 哈利路亚（合唱） 3:32
Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.(Revelation 19:6b) The Kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever.（Revelation 11:15b) KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.（Revelation 19:16b) 哈利路亚！因为主我们的神，全能者作王了。世上的国成了我主和主基督的国；他要作王，直到永永远远。万王之王，万主之主。——启示录19:6，11:15
