Chants of the Vatican Graduale - MusicaSacra

92 Second Sunday after Epiphany
(Joseph Haas has taken the melody of this Ofifertory as the theme
for a violin sonata with organ accompaniment.)
COMMUNION (John 2: 7, 11)
1. Dicit Dominus: Implete hy- 1. The Lord saith: Fill the waterdrias
aqua et ferte archilriclino. 2. pots with water, and carry to the
Cum gustasset architriclinus aquam chief steward. 2. When the chief
vinum factum, dicit sponso: 3. Ser- steward had tasted the water made
vasti vinum bonum usque adhuc. 4. wine, he said to the bridegroom: 3.
Hoc signum fecit Jesus primum Thou hast kept the good wine until
coram discipulis suis. now. 4. This beginning of miracles
did Jesus before his disciples.
With dramatic brevity the Communion summarizes the Gospel
story. Its melody also is a model of realism. Consider first of all the contrast
between the first dicit, introducing the Saviour's words, and the
second dicit, introducing those of the chief steward. Already from the
intonation we can gather that we have here to do with something unusual.
In the tone of extreme astonishment, the singer cries out: "Who
can do such a thing?" With the threefold repetition of the same high
torculus one seems to see the man shaking his head as if unable to comprehend.
Naturally, this passage demands a lively rendition. Then
there ought to be a considerable pause, after which the second phrase,
relating in reverent astonishment the first miracle, is to follow in a
solemn manner. It differs from the other phrases by reason of its almost
syllabic character. The two parts that compose it are almost alike
melodically. In the second part, however, the tritone, no doubt intentionally,
comes into prominence, for here b is stressed, while in the first
part it belongs rhythmically to the preceding accented c; besides, the
effect of the tritone is almost cancelled by the twofold g.
In the first phrase there is nothing striking about the textual treatment
of Dominus. It seems that the principle of counting the syllables
was applied here, just as it appears in simple psalmody and at the intonation
before some cadences, as well as in the solemn Introit-psalmody
before the closing cadence of most of the modes. But here we have to do
with only three syllables. With this passage compare in the Introit for
the Sunday within the octave of Christmas: silentium and Ddmine; in
the Introit for the third Sunday of Advent: homlnibus and solliciti sitis;
furthermore, in the Introit for Epiphany, although the intervals here
are different: Dominus and imperium. The low inception of implite
necessitates the bending over of the last neum. Thus it becomes apparent
that plain song can also create vivid contrasts. The expression be-