Chants of the Vatican Graduale - MusicaSacra

Low Sunday 189
of the spirit; do not become children of the flesh. Remain sine dolo; preserve
the truth without falsity, and love without envy. And come to
me and nourish yourselves upon the stores which Christ has confided to
me. Then deep joy will fill your hearts; God will be your Helper and you
will rejoice and exult in His sight.
The song is extremely simple, almost naive. After it has risen to the
tonic of the sixth mode (f), it clings to it as if in fear. It moves about
this note, several times descends lower, but always strives toward it
again. This is especially shown with infantes, al-(leluia). The plagal
form of the F mode could scarcely be evidenced more clearly. Melodically,
rationdbiles, with its harmonious line, is the highest point of the song.
Its constituent notes are but a syllabic part of the psalm-verse of the
Introit: adjutori nostro. The Introit for the vigil of Christmas resembles
this melody to some extent. After sine dolo there is a sort of break. It
is for this reason that in the translation it has not been connected with
the subsequent lac, as some do who translate thus: "Desire after the unadulterated
milk"; it must be considered a separate phrase. Concupiscite
is a pleasing variant of (do)-lo. Of the three alleluia the second forms a
contrast to the two others, which are identical with the exception of one
single note. After the preceding d, the first sets in on c, while the third
sets in on d after the preceding c; thus the beginnings are pleasantly
varied.
In the psalm-verse, since the second half of the text is very short,
the melody cannot unfold itself entirely.
FIRST ALLELUIA VERSE (Matt. 28: 7)
1. In die resurrectionis meae, 1. On the day of my resurrection,
dicit Dominus, 2. praecedam vos in saith the Lord, 2. I will go before
Galilaeam. you into Galilee.
Manuscript 121 of Einsiedeln assigns this Alleluia to Thursday in
Easter Week. The jubilus has the form a a 1 b. It seems that the composer
was much concerned about the words In die, but wanted to give still
more prominence to praecedam vos which soars a fifth above the surrounding
melody. This seems rather strange to us, and makes us doubt
whether the composition at hand is entirely original.
There is a free adaptation of text here. The words which are placed
in the mouth of the risen Christ were spoken by the angel on Easter
morning to the women at the tomb: "And going quickly, tell ye His
disciples that He is risen: and behold He will go before you into Galilee;
there you shall see Him." The singular melody is perhaps influenced by
the fact that we have to do here with an extraordinary solemn appear-