Chants of the Vatican Graduale - MusicaSacra

Easter Sunday 181
innocence and of the true faith. This thought alone was enough to make
well up from their innermost hearts the song: "Give praise to the Lord,
for He is good and His mercy endureth forever."
It was on Easter evening, moreover, that the Lord not only wished
peace to His disciples, but left to the entire world an unfailing source of
peace in the Sacrament of Penance, which He instituted on this very day.
This is the day, therefore, on which He bestowed upon His Church that
great treasure of solace and consolation, which since that time has rejoiced
the hearts of millions. Indeed, "the Lord is good and His mercy
endureth forever."
The melody has much in common with the typical melody which
was explained on the first Sunday of Lent (q.v.). But it also possesses
noteworthy peculiarities. The first motive opens the chant in an almost
dreamy manner; the following Dominus, however, rises up in radiant
tones. Laetemur in ea is more gracefully developed than in the former
melody: c cdc a, dc ded c, ec efdb c. Quoniam bonus soars brilliantly above
all else. The thought of God's goodness permits the singer to forget the
limits to which the melody is otherwise confined. Although there is so
much enthusiasm displayed, there is nevertheless a careful plan. The
melody reaches its peak in Quoniam, and never thereafter does it rise to
/, which has hitherto dominated the tonal line. The repeated e c a, which
we feel to be a minor chord, and the broadening of the low g create a
tension which finds a brilliant resolution in the G-major triad with its
prolonged high g. The clivis which follows serves as transition to the
tender bonus, which is to be rendered with great fervor.
Musica s., 45, 74 ff. and 105 f.
ALLELUIA VERSE (I Cor. 5: 7)
Pascha nostrum immolatus est Christ our Pasch is immolated.
Christus.
This most striking thought of today's Epistle has called into being
one of the most beautiful creations of choral chant. Here the triumphal
shout of Easter is best realized. It is melodic thanksgiving and jubilation
and revelry. For now, in very deed, the great work of our redemption
is an accomplished fact.
Over the Alleluia and in the first four notes of the first phrase of
the jubilus, the melody shows an ascent, which in turn is answered by a
descent in three groups of delightful turns. The first and second member
of the jubilus have an identical ending; the third member in its second
half reminds one of the close of the Alleluia on Holy Saturday.