Chants of the Vatican Graduale - MusicaSacra

Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost 305
the second phrase of the Gradual for the second Sunday in Lent (q.v.).
Its second phrase echoes the second phrase on the fourth Sunday after
Pentecost. The melodic development is not influenced by the meaning
of the individual words; it is purely harmonic, or, better perhaps, it
portrays but one sentiment: that of joyous confidence in God.
ALLELUIA VERSE (Ps. 94: 1)
1. Venite, exsultemus Domino: 1. Come, let us praise the Lord
2. jubilemus Deo salutari nostro. with joy: 2. let us joyfully sing to
God our Saviour.
Alleluia has the form a b c; in the same manner the verse opens
with a and closes on c. Melodically, two sentences can be distinguished,
each with an intonation (Venite, salutari), middle cadence (Domino,
nostro), and final cadence (Deo, and the closing neums over nostro). The
melody has therefore different divisions than the text. Over exsultemus
we meet the accented / for the first time, preceded and followed by a
minor third, which is again sung over Deo and several times over nostro.
On the tenth Sunday after Pentecost the second half of this extremely
ornate melisma also occurs at the close of the Alleluia-verse. There,
however, the crowning notes are only f g f d, while here they are g a f d.
Formerly this Alleluia had yet another verse (Wagner, III, 402 f.).
In the early Christian centuries this song was sung during the procession
which led the newly baptized to the baptismal font each day
during Easter Week. For was it not the fountain of supernatural life and
bliss? Was it not there that the Lord had shown Himself as the Saviour?
This salvation and happiness flowed from Christ's death and resurrection.
The verse is indeed an appropriate song for Sunday. In connection
with the Mass formulary of today, it reveals the choice made between
God and the world: "Venite, exsultemus DominoV (Cf. Kirche und
Kanzel, 1927, 289 f.)
OFFERTORY (Ps. 33: 8, 9)
1. Immittet Angelus Domini in 1. The angel of the Lord shall encircuitu
timentium eum, 2. et camp round about them that fear
eripiet eos: 3. gustate et videte, quo- him, 2. and shall deliver them: 3. 0
niam suavis est Dominus. taste and see that the Lord is sweet.
The three phrases composing this song have a very modest range:
the first and third confine themselves to a sixth; the second to a fifth.
There is here no dramatic scene, no vehement cry for help; it is rather
a song of consolation and confidence. Even though the world surges