Chants of the Vatican Graduale - MusicaSacra

6 Structure and Expressiveness of the Variable Mass-Chants
time during which the faithful brought their gifts to the altar (Wagner,
III, 429).
C. THE COMMUNION
The Communion, like the Introit, had at one time the form ABA,
the sole remaining example of which we find in the Requiem Mass of
today. In addition to the Communions that are practically syllabic and
differ in nothing from ordinary antiphons, there are many which surpass
the Introit in richness of melody, and others which are sung in extended
responsorial form at the Night Office.
ii.
In contrast to the above chants which originally accompanied some
liturgical action, we might designate those chants which occur between
the Epistle and Gospel as chants of rest, since they accompany no liturgical
action. Historically this latter class is the older of the two. The
early Church utilized these chants as a means to impress on the hearts
of the faithful the lessons inculcated by the Epistle, and to make them
the more readily susceptible for the Gospel. Clergy and laity should,
without any further ado, be enabled to devote themselves entirely to
the contemplation of the chant and its import.
"The Epistle and Gospel are chanted in simple, recitative style,
generally monotone, with simple, stereotyped variations at the more
important punctuation marks. And rightly so. Here the important feature
is the word which leads to the comprehensive understanding of the
text. Between the Epistle and Gospel, however, there are responsorial
chants of the richest lyrical melodies. And this with wise forethought,
for it accords with the laws of aesthetics in regard to contrast. These
chants act as a counterpoise to the external musical simplicity of the
Epistle and Gospel." 4
D. THE GRADUAL RESPONSORIES
The Gradual responsories formerly had a refrain (hence the usual
form ABA). Without this refrain, text and melody are at present sometimes
unintelligible, as for instance, the Gradual on the feast of St. John
the Baptist. Present usage, however, permits the addition of the refrain.
According to the notation of the Vatican edition, the Gradual is divided
into a corpus and a verse. The corpus, as a rule, is more quiet, simple,
and reserved, and not infrequently assigned to a plagal mode. Accordingly,
it may be well rendered by a small, choice choir. The verse is con-
4 Gregoriusblatt, 50, 18.