Chants of the Vatican Graduale - MusicaSacra

258 Fourth Sunday after Pentecost
Saturday in Whitsunweek. They belong to the fifth mode. The structure
of the text is brought out plastically by the melody. A quieter, simpler
style distinguishes the corpus of the Gradual from the more extended and
ornate melismas of the verse. Compare the close of the first phrase of
the verse (nosier) in the Gradual for the fourth Sunday. The verses of
all three Graduals have the same closing melisma; in fact, from cca ba
they are identical and only minor variations occur before that. This
melisma forms the final phrase in about thirty Graduals. Abstracting
from this, however, one must admire the richness of form, the variety,
and the harmony of these verses. As we know, the ornate melismas after
the first words of the verse are a part of its peculiar style. Here a wonderful
opportunity is offered the singer to put forth the best that is in him.
Perhaps here as in many other places, it should be made clear that the
praise of God occupies the first place, and that the petitions fin the present
selection exdudi and libera) ought to be subordinated to this primary
purpose. Rendered in this spirit they will, humanly speaking, produce
the greatest impression on the heart of God. Melodically, the thoughts
salutdris noster (God is our Saviour), Deus virtutum (God of hosts), and
Domine refugium (the Lord is our refuge) stand forth in the most brilliant
light.
All three Graduals have the first word accented on the second syllable.
It is clearly shown here that the accent tends to raise the tone.
The first syllable is a minor third lower in every case. And the bistropha
or the pes quassus over the accented syllable would seem to indicate
that the accent, besides prolonging the tone, also strengthens it.
This Gradual (Propitius esto) is also sung on the Thursday after
the second Sunday in Lent. Its theme is as follows: Because of our sins
we deserved punishment and castigation. But should this misfortune
fall upon us who are Thy people, O Lord, then the Gentiles would say
that our God is too weak and powerless to shield us. Thus, O Lord, it
is in reality a question of Thy honor. In order to preserve and increase
this, do Thou save us, O Lord!
Domine forms the answer to esto. We meet a textual turn in the
Offertory for the fourth Sunday after Pentecost similar to that here
employed with ne quando dicant gentes. Naturally, we should expect a
tenser conclusion here. The question ubi est Deus eorum? seems to have
been worked into the rising movements of ubi and eorum. It is almost
impossible to decide whether the composer intended this as such, or
whether an established formula was employed. Then one might still ask
why such a suitable formula was selected. Adjuva nos harks back to the
beginning of the verse in the Gradual for St. Stephen. Toward the end
of that verse one finds the same recitation on the tonic, which is here