Chants of the Vatican Graduale - MusicaSacra

Fourth Sunday after Pentecost 257
lists against the entire world, contemning death. For they were invested
with the firm conviction that all these attacks would be repelled by the
Church and that all their enemies, though they now appeared as mighty
hosts strongly encamped (castra), would finally collapse utterly.
The manner in which the interrogative pronouns quern and a quo
are melodically treated has given rise to special theoretical explanations
on the handling of interrogatives in chant compositions (Gregoriusblatt
1920, 33 ff.; N. Sch. 248,). It remains to be seen if this procedure is justified.
Let it be noted, however, that the entire passage et salus mea,
quern timebo with its descending close agrees with qui bona tribuit mihi
in the Communion for the second Sunday after Pentecost, in which
there is not the slightest idea of interrogation. Similar instances, for example
the Offertory Invent David servum meum, could be quoted. On
the other hand, the interrogation in trepiddbo produces a very marked
effect. It sounds like a challenge. And though foes may summon (tribulant)
all their forces, naught shall come of it. How telling is the comparison
between the stormy tribulant and the simple infirmdti sunt with its
delicate irony! All the mighty fortresses which are built to hinder the
advance of the Church tumble down like houses of cards. One is reminded
of the verse, "The arrows of children are their wounds" (Ps. 63:
8). Ceciderunt closely resembles the closing word timebo of the first phrase.
Over illumindtio and infirmdti the principal as well as the preceding
secondary accent is short, whereas the following syllable always has
more than one note. In the first nocturne of this Sunday's Office the
story of David and Goliath is related. There stood the giant, a terror to
the entire Jewish host (si consistant adversum me castra). David alone
showed no fear. The Lord was his light and his salvation! And how miserably
did that colossus come to grief (infirmdti sunt)l A stone from David's
sling sufficed to lay him low.
GRADUAL (Ps. 78: 9, 10)
1. Propitius esto, Domine, pecca- 1. Forgive us our sins, O Lord, 2.
tis nostris: 2. nequando dicant lest the gentiles should at any time
gentes: 3. Ubi est Deus eoruml say: 3. Where is their Godi jl 1.
S r 1. Adjuva nos, Deus salutaris Help us, 0 God our Saviour: 2.
noster 2. et propter honor em nom- and for the honor of thy name, 0
inis tui, Domine, libera nos. Lord, deliver us.
The fourth, fifth, and sixth Sundays after Pentecost have the three
Graduals in the same succession as they occur in the liturgy of the
Ember Saturdays of Lent and of September. At St. Gall's and other
places these seem to have been sung also at a second Mass on the Ember