Chants of the Vatican Graduale - MusicaSacra

186 Easter Monday
actually closes on g. But if we compare it with the Alleluia now sung on
the feast of the Assumption, then it does not seem improbable that we
here have the C mode with a close on the fifth above.
The angel at the tomb occupies the mind of the Church considerably.
We have met him already in the Gospel for Holy Saturday, and
throughout the week he appears in the antiphons for Vespers and Lauds.
Today we see him also in the Alleluia-verse and in the Offertory.
OFFERTORY (Matt. 28: 2, 5, 6)
1. Angelus Domini descendit de 1. An angel of the Lord descended
caelo, et dixit mulieribus: 2. Quern from heaven, and said to the women:
quaeritis, surrexit, sicut dixit, alle- 2. He whom you seek is risen as he
luia. said, alleluia.
At an early date this melody was set to the text Posuisti for the feast
of St. Gorgonius (Sept. 9), was used also for the feast of St. Matthew,
and finally was introduced into the Mass Laetdbitur common to martyrs.
It is also sung on the feast of the Assumption to the text Assumpta est.
He who can abstract from the historical side and look at these Offertories
from a purely melodic point of view accordng to the relation of
word and sound and according to their phrasing, will without much
hesitation place Posuisti first, Asstimpta second, and Angelus third. In
the Offertory Posuisti the words cor mam and pretioso—"Thou hast set
on his head a crown of precious stones"—receive a most effective treatment.
With vitam petiit a new thought begins melodically, to which
tribuisti ei, alleluia is admirably proportioned. In like manner, the climaxes
of Asstimpta est occur on the words gaudent and collauddntes, while
dngeli and benedicunt, respectively, after the great development bring
pleasant relaxation and rest. Benedicunt, it is true, produces this effect
too dependently. The motive which in the two other Offertories is given
to sicut dixit and to tribuisti ei, respectively, drops away entirely. But
the first phrase of the Offertory for the feast of the Assumption rounds
out beautifully. It will well repay one's efforts to compare the Offertories
with one another:
1. a) Angelus Domini descendit
b) Posuisti Domine in cdpite ejus
c) Assumpta est Maria in caelum
2. a) de caelo et dixit mulieribus:
b) coronam de Idpide pretioso:
c) gaudent Angeli collauddntes