Chants of the Vatican Graduale - MusicaSacra

Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost 313
and semitones it seems to proceed from the heart of Jesus Himself. If
major thirds and whole steps be substituted in their place, it will soon
become apparent what the composer's intention in this passage was.
We seem to hear the Saviour Himself singing: mitis sum—I Myself am
goodness and mildness. And this goodness, this mildness, this mercy is
infinitely boundless in width and depth; it is inexhaustible. To impress
this upon the hearts of the faithful so well that it will never be forgotten,
in any condition or state of life, not even when oppressed by sin, that is
the aim of today's Introit. Someone has said of this melody that the cry
for mercy continually grows more unrestrained. (Betende Kirche, p. 366).
The melody, however, does not place any special stress upon this point.
It wants to console, to encourage, to instill confidence. What a deep impression
copiosus must have made when, in former times, it was repeated
after every verse!
On the Friday after Passion Sunday, the melody for the Introit begins
like today's. At its very beginning, however, instead of an interval
of a fourth it has a third; but that chant, it must be noted, belongs ta
the fifth mode. The spirit of the Introit Miserere is predominantly joyful.
In the first half of the second phrase the presentation must obviously
be more tender and cordial. According to the annotated manuscripts,
(su)-dvis ac mitis is to be prolonged slightly. Copiosus must be sung with
all possible brilliancy. One readily notes some resemblance to benigna est
misericordia in the first antiphon for the blessing of the ashes on Ash
Wednesday, which is filled with the same spirit; also the similarity between
(Do)-mine and (misericor)-dia. The composer seemed almost too
careful in his plan of giving the second syllable of a dactyllic word more
than one note. The melody thus avoids all ungraceful angles.
Whoever sings and prays in the spirit of this melody can never feel
entirely poor or miserable. For in the holy Sacrifice of the Mass the
fountains of eternal mercy are unceasingly operative.
GRADUAL
The explanation of the Gradual will be found under the third Sunday
after Epiphany. In the Epistle St. Paul depicts the richness of the
glory of Christ, which He bestows upon us "abundantly," so that we
are filled "unto all the fullness of God." In return for such goodness we
can only reverently thank God and with the Apostle "bend the knee to
the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." In the new Sion, which is His
Church, we behold His glory and experience His gracious dealings with
us.
The Apostle speaks to us as a prisoner, as a symbol of the suffering
Church in her earthly exile. Around her the darkness grows ever deeper,