Chants of the Vatican Graduale - MusicaSacra

Purification of the Blessed Virgin or Candlemas 363
LUMEN (Luke 2: 32)
Lumen ad revelationem gentium, A light to the revelation of the
et gloriam plebis tuae Israel. gentiles, and the glory of thy people
Israel.
Both parts of this vigorous antiphon are well balanced. In the second
half / a serves merely as an introduction for the accent on gloriam=
Lumen. The first half closes with a g a g f, the second half with a a b a g.
A kind of rondo form results from the repetition of this antiphon
after each of the verses of the Nunc dimittis (Luke 2: 29-31), which has
ever been heard in the Church since the day the aged Simeon sang it in
the joy of the Holy Ghost.
1. Nunc dimittis servum tuum, 1. Now thou dost dismiss thy
Domine * secundum verbum tuum servant, O Lord * according to thy
in pace. word in peace.
2. Quia viderunt oculi mei * sa- 2. Because my eyes have seen *
lutare tuum; thy salvation.
3. Quod parasti * ante faciem 3. Which thou hast prepared *
omnium populorum: before the face of all peoples:
4. Gloria Patri.... 4. Glory be to the Father....
(The customary intonation must be omitted at the beginning of
the third verse on account of the brevity of the text.)
It is somewhat surprising that the final cadence G, that is, c b c a g
is employed, since in the Antiphonale the cadence c a c d c is used for
this antiphon (the fourth in Lauds for February 2) and as often as the
antiphon begins on c.
The present feast is a connecting link between Epiphany and Easter.
Today Christ, the Light, enters the Temple, where at some future time
He will solemnly proclaim: I am the Light of the world. Mankind, however,
prefers darkness to the light and is bent upon extinguishing it in
its heart. Christ became a sign unto many, but was contradicted; at the
crucifixion the Light of the world was overshadowed by darkness. On
Holy Saturday, however, the triumphant cry Lumen Christi, followed
by a grateful Deo gralias, is heard.
EXSURGE DOMINE (Ps. 43: 26)
Exsurge, Domine, adjuva nos: et Arise, 0 Lord, help us, and delibera
nos propter nomen tuum. Ps. liver us, for thy name's sake. Ps.
Deus, auribus nostris audivimus: * We have heard, 0 God, with our
patres nostri annuntiaverunt nobis. ears:* our fathers have declared to us.