Chants of the Vatican Graduale - MusicaSacra

Purification of the Blessed Virgin or Candlemas
RESPONSUM (Luke 2: 26, 27, 28, 29)
1. Responsum accepit Simeon a
Spiritu Sancto, non visurum se
mortem, nisi videret Christum Domini:
2. et cum inducerent puerum
in templum, accepit eum in ulnas
suas, 3. et benedixit Deum, et dixit:
4. Nunc dimittis servum tuum,
Domine, in pace.
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Simeon received an answer from
the Holy Ghost, that he should not
see death before he had seen the
Christ of the Lord; 2. and when they
brought the Child into the temple,
he took him into his arms, 3. and
blessed God, and said: 4. Now dost
thous dismiss thy servant, 0 Lord, in
peace.
In comparison with the foregoing, the present chant is much more
quiet and reserved. It reflects the reverent, serene happiness of the aged
Simeon. The motive over the word Simeon with its pressus, swelled as
it were with ardent desire, recurs over Sancto and templum. A second
motive appears over Domini and dixit, which is somewhat more developed
over Domine and artistically so over pace. In the same manner
the aged Simeon feels himself rich with the fullness of divine peace. A
third motive introduces the second and third phrases, and partly also
the fourth phrase.
On re-entering the church, the following Responsory is sung.
A. Obtulerunt pro eo Domino par
turturum, aut duos pullos columbarum:
* Sicut scriptum est in lege
Domini.
B. I. Postquam impleti sunt dies
purgationis Mariae, secundum legem
Moysi,
II. tulerunt Jesum in Jerusalem,
ut sisterent eum Domino.
A. * Sicut scriptum est,. .Gloria
Patri....
OBTULERUNT
A. They offered for Him to the
Lord a pair of turtledoves, or two
young pigeons: * As it is written in
the law of the Lord.
B. I. After the days of the purification
of Mary, according to the
law of Moses, were fulfilled,
II. they carried Jesus to Jerusalem,
to present Him to the Lord.
A. * As it is written.. .Glory be
to the Father
5 4 3 2 1 5 4 3 2 1
The division of syllables eum Domino and (Spi)-ritui Sancto is
readily recognized. The construction is identical with that of the Re-