Chants of the Vatican Graduale - MusicaSacra

108 Quinquagesima Sunday
with me, Thou leadest me, and gladly will I follow. In graceful undulations
the melody sinks to the tonic. Thou wilt be not only my Leader;
nay, much more! The emphatic et is really arresting, and has the same
effect here in chant as that which Beethoven achieved in the Credo of
his Missa solemnis where, after an elaboration of et, which heralds great
things to come, he inserts a pause, thereby adding much to the intensity
of the passage. In like manner our melody says: Thou wilt even be
my Sustainer. The idea is still more emphasized by the interval of a
fourth, d-g, after the repeated c-f interval. Thou art indeed the Good
Shepherd. I shall henceforth place my entire trust in Thee; never shall I
then be led astray.
Psalm 30, from which this Introit takes its text, was the prayer of
David in his greatest need. Now David is the type of Christ. And when
He was hanging on the cross, Christ prayed one of the verses of this
psalm aloud: "Into Thy hands I commend My spirit." We shall, therefore,
also pray this Introit with great fervor, and thus come closer to
the very heart of Christ. The melody colors the words even at this early
date with the light of the Easter dawn.
Analyses, VII, 8 ff.
GRADUAL (Ps. 76: 15, 16)
l.Tu es Deus, quifacis mirabilia 1. Thou art the God that alone
solus: 2. notam fecisti in gentibus dost wonders: 2. thou hast made thy
virtutem tuam. $. 1. Liberasti in power known among the nations. $".
brachio tuo 2. populum tuum, 3. 1. With thy arm thou hast redeemed
filios Israel et Joseph. 2. thy people, 3. the children of
Israel and of Joseph.
We heard many sublime things foretold about the Messias, especially
during the Christmas cycle. Now He Himself speaks of His
suffering: He is to undergo deep disgrace—and death. But we do not
wish to err like the disciples at Emmaus, who said: "We hoped that it
was He that should have redeemed Israel." Hence the solemn profession
in the Gradual: "Thou art God," and, "Thou alone dost wonders."
How heathen Egypt (gentibus) and Pharaoh rued the day they had to
acknowledge Thy power! How mighty the arm with which Thou didst
redeem Thy people! But all that was mere prototype of the wonders
which Thy redemptive work will effect, of the freedom which Thou wilt
give us, and by means of which Thou wilt make us Thy chosen people.
It is Thy love which will accomplish all.
The Pasch of the Old Testament was but a shadowy likeness of the
Christian Pasch with its Easter victory and its Easter joy.