Chants of the Vatican Graduale - MusicaSacra

Easter Monday 187
3. a) quern quaeritis, surrexit sicut dixit, alleluia.
b) vitam petiit a te, tribuisti ei, alleluia.
c) benedicunt Dominum, alleluia.
In this Offertory, one becomes painfully aware of the omission of
the' ormer verses. Its present form does not entirely satisfy. Happily
today's Gradual gives some indication of the melody of at least one of
these verses.
The melody of the third verse has been adapted to the Offertory
Bedta es virgo, which is now given in the Votive Masses of the Blessed
Virgin from Easter till Pentecost. Permanes does not allow of such an
adaptation;! t is the same as alleluia in the Offertory for Easter Monday.
Surrexit of today's Offertory and Creatorem of the former have identical
melodies.
In today's Offertory we are tempted to invert the two principal
parts, to sjng the narrative part first in a subdued manner and then to
swing up to the higher regions (which now occur over caelo and mulieribus)
with the words of the angel concerning the resurrection. But even
in its present arrangement the melody appeals, because it has a certain
elegance of movement, fluent melodic line, and charming motivation.
How fine, for instance, is the line d c a gfa a over Domini, the descent
and ascent over descendit and at its close the resemblance to the motive
over (An)-ge-(lus), the contraction of this motive with the first part of
descindit by the notes / gag, the notes a g a c c over Do-(mini), which is
answered by b g a c c over (muli)-e-(ribus)l The two well-proportioned
groups over (sur)-rex-it expand rhythmically over the second syllable of
alleluia; the alleluia itself with its tense (g) b, whose solution (g) cc
comes only after four notes, produces a delightful effect. We might almost
speak of an intentional retarding of the leading note. Dixit with
its energetic pressus likewise challenges attention. What was promised
at that time has now become full reality. The Lord is truly risen. These
words, together with the glorious alleluia, constituted the refrain to the
verses. It is somewhat tiresome to meet the frequent close on the tonic;
only three times is there a variation.
The pious women who gave evidence of such noble courage and
tender love in coming to the tomb of the Saviour, well deserve that
their names be mentioned with honor in the liturgy. This happens more
than once in this solemn Paschal Week. Indeed, the Oriental Church
has a special feast on the second Sunday after Easter, called the feast
"of women bearing myrrh." May they teach us how to become true
searchers after God, how to place all our powers in the service of Jesus
and His cause, His Church, and how to approach the altar with the true