Chants of the Vatican Graduale - MusicaSacra

404 The Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ
Paul over suum. In the second phrase, of the words tribu, lingua, populo,
natione, the first and third form the arsis while the second and fourth
form the thesis. In imitation of the passage caelestium, terrestrium et infernorum
of the Introit In nomine Domini of Wednesday in Holy Week,
we should have expected a gradation here. The close over natione nevertheless
is very effective and permits a greater modulation in the three
phrases, all of which have the same range. A lively and joyful melody
begins with et fecisti. Torculus and bistropha should be sung over (popu)lo.
The third phrase predominates over the other two, its melody attaining
melismatic richness. Some similarity exists between et fecisti nos
Deo of today's Introit andetfac nobiscum secundum of thelntroit of the
twentieth Sunday after Pentecost; also between nostro regnum, and the
close of the Introit of the fifth Sunday after Easter and the tenth Sunday
after Pentecost.
The tempo can be taken quite lively. In the psalm-verse the major
accents should be given prominence. Softer secondary accents on generationem
and annuntidbo will give the melody a nice, even flow.
GRADUAL (1 John 5: 6, 7, 8)
1. Hie est qui venit per aquam et 1. This is he that came by water
sanguinem, Jesus Christus: 2. non and blood, Jesus Christ: 2. not by
in aqua solum, sed in aqua et water only, but by water and blood,
sanguine. jlT. 1. Tres sunt qui tes- $[. 1. There are three who give testimonium
dant in caelo: 2. Pater, timony in heaven; 2. the Father, the
Verbum, et Spiritus Sanctus, 3. et Word, and the Holy Ghost; 3. and
hi tres unum sunt. 4. et tres sunt these three are one. 4. and there are
qui testimonium dant in terra: 5. three who give testimony on earth:
spiritus, aqua, et sanguis, 6. et hi 5. the Spirit, the water, and the
tres unum sunt. blood; 6. and these three are one.
The first two phrases of the above text are wanting in all of the old
Greek manuscripts and in the best manuscripts of the Vulgate. They
are a later explanatory addition (Comma Johanneum).
The melody is the same as that of the Gradual for the Sunday within
the octave of Christmas (q.v.). Corresponding passages of the two
Graduals are grouped in the following scheme:
1. Hie est qui venit (per aquam) et sanguinem
2. Speciosus for-ma prae filiis.
1. Jesus Christus: non in aqua solum, sed in
2. hominum: diffu-sa est gratia, in