Chants of the Vatican Graduale - MusicaSacra

266 Fifth Sunday after Pentecost
meo, and semper are to be treated in this manner. Strange to say, the
clivis is marked with "c" (celeriter—rapidly,), where a slower rendition
might be expected. Mihi again descends to low c, thus giving the third
phrase the same range as the first. It is characteristic of the authentic
modes that the tonic of the mode, which was used twice in the beginning
of the piece and avoided after that, here makes its reappearance. The
melisma over commovear gains in perspective when we compare the
group g f g ff d of the first member with the group g f g f f e in the second,
the former being a preparation for the latter. A crescendo is to
mark g f a g f. The following group, with its sober seconds, then leads
over to the conclusion.
Some singers may find it necessary to pause for breath after conspectu
meo, as well as after dextris est.
COMMUNION (Ps. 26: 4)
1. Unam petii a Domino, hanc 1. One thing I have asked of the
requiram: 2. ut inhabitem in domo Lord, this will I seek after; 2. that
Domini omnibus diebus vitae meae. I may dwell in the house of the
Lord all the days of my life.
If we wish to sing this text according to its sense, we shall emphasize
the very first word Unam, and still more hanc. Later, when we
come to speak of the goal whither all our longing tends, special stress
should be laid upon inhabitem and domo Domini. The melody develops
exactly according to these ideas. It seems only natural that the piece
should begin on the dominant. At hanc the suppliant soul with all its
ardor cries out: "O Lord, grant me but this one thing!" Then peace envelopes
it, reflected by seconds progressing in the style of a sequence
according to the common formula. The next phrase, beginning a fourth
higher, introduces a new arsis based on the dominant. The thesis takes
its inception with omnibus; vitae meae forms a grateful response to requiram.
The melody over Domino is repeated note for note in the Introit
for the third Sunday in Lent over the word Dominum. Similarly,
the adjacent half-phrase in both songs has the same movement; in our
present selection, however, the highest note receives particular emphasis.
Even if we are obliged to leave the church after the Sacrifice today,
we nevertheless remain in union with our Lord and with the Church.
For the Master of the house has united Himself to us in Holy Communion.
And just this one desire is His, that He may dwell in our hearts
by His grace and remain there all the days of our lives, until He may offer