Chants of the Vatican Graduale - MusicaSacra

Corpus Christi 233
follows. The psalm from which these words have been taken was once
sung at the feast of Tabernacles, which was celebrated in the open, in
tents constructed of boughs in memory of the tent-life of Israel in the
desert. Hence it also refers to the dwelling of God with us in the desert
of this world, and to today's festive procession in the open over a path
decorated with boughs (W.K.). Today Mother Church's heart overflows
with joy—with joy that extends beyond the confines of the church
building. All Nature is to exult with her. And, conversely, Nature, with
her trees now wearing their most beautiful green, with her wreaths and
garlands, is allowed to make a solemn entry into the church. For this is
also her festal day. From her the Saviour has selected the two species,
bread and wine, under the appearance of which He gives Himself to us.
In 1264, under Pope Urban IV, this feast was extended to the universal
Church; its liturgy was composed by St. Thomas Aquinas (+ 1274).
The melodies have been borrowed from earlier Sundays or feasts; the
following Introit, for instance, has received both text and melody from
the Monday in Whitsun Week.
INTROIT (Ps. 80: 17)
1. Cibavit eos ex adipe frumenti 1. He fed them with the fat of
alleluia: 2. et de petra, melle satura- wheat, alleluia: 2. and filled them
vit eos, 3. alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, with honey out of the rock, 3. alleys.
Exsultate Deo adjutori nostro: * luia, alleluia, alleluia. Ps. Rejoice
jubilate Deo Jacob. to God our helper: * sing aloud to
the God of Jacob.
Profound awe and reverence for the true Manna marks the beginning
of this piece; yet it sounds like the joyous ringing of bells. This Manna
is the nourishment of our souls! That is the thought of the first phrase,
which never extends beyond the tenor, but twice descends to low a. The
accented syllable of ddipe carries only a single note, while the following
unaccented syllable has a tristropha. We meet this construction rather
frequently. Compare, for example, the Introit for the fourth Sunday
after Pentecost (Illumindtio), the Offertory for the fifteenth Sunday after
Pentecost (Dominum), the Offertory for the sixteenth Sunday after
Pentecost (Domine), the Communion for the seventeenth Sunday after
Pentecost (Domino).
The second phrase augments the initial motive of the first phrase:
acdf becomes cdfg over melle; and, as further development, dgffga.
Rightly does saturdvit mark the summit of the piece. Before the melody
reaches it, however, there is a retarding motive (cf. dolo on Low Sunday),
downward bent, making the development of saturdvit all the more bril-