Chants of the Vatican Graduale - MusicaSacra

392 Nativity of St- John the Baptist
In the Introit St. John tells of the wonderful things that God has
wrought in him. His is the voice of one crying in the wilderness—austere,
earnest, solemn. This is graphically depicted by the melody which
is devoid of drama, rather restrained, has no noticeable gradations, and
employs only few, albeit artistic, forms. The melody, moreover, must
be sung in a low pitch, since the verse with its high dominant precludes
any transposition upward. A feeling of gratitude is nevertheless apparent,
and the whole is pervaded by a joyous ring like an echo of the joyous
and bright Magnificat which the Mother of God sang in the house
of St. John's parents. Our rendition, especially of the numerous bistrophas
and tristrophas should not be slow and cumbersome. Rhythmical
manuscripts indicate no less than nine celeriter (rapidly), and seldom
employ sustained neums.
The motive over (nomi)-ne meo recurs over (prote)-xit me and
'(posu)-it me. Acutum and manus suae correspond imitatively to (posu)it
os meum. The second posuit is identical with protexit. The porrectus
over these two words are resolved into three single notes over tegumento.
The endings over meum, (a)-cutum and suae have rhythmic similarity.
The melody is assigned to the first mode. As a matter of fact, the
actual dominant is that of the second mode, /, not a of the first mode.
There is, moreover, the tone range from low a to high 6b, and the descent
to Iowa which is characteristic of the second mode. These considerations
indicate not the first mode but the plagal form, the second
mode. If in spite of this the melody is nevertheless assigned to and sung
in the first mode, this is evidently done in consideration of the fact that
the introduction of the Introit employs a form typical of the first mode.
(Cf. Pueri Hebraeorum, p. 151). But even then, a rule formerly observed
directed that the final cadence of the psalmody should adapt itself to
the beginning of the antiphon.
The earnestness and sobriety of the present melody become more
apparent if we consider the great joy radiated in the text and melody
of the Introit Ne timeas of yesterday's vigil. We should naturally expect
an intensification of this joy in the Mass of the feast. This seeming
paradox vanishes, however, if we advert to the fact that the Introit of
the vigil depicted an angel from heaven as speaking, while today it is
St. John, entering upon an austere and sacrificial life which will end in
martyrdom, who speaks. And St. John's one wish is to diminish, that
Christ may increase.
The text is taken from the prophet Isaias and refers primarily to
the coming Messias. When "the angel declared unto Mary"—therefore,
before the actual birth of Christ (De venire matris meae)—the name of
Jesus was given Him for the first time. God endowed Him with all that