Chants of the Vatican Graduale - MusicaSacra

Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary 407
This ascending close at the end of a selection is rarely found. It occurs
with the Alleluia Tollite jugum of the new Sacred Heart feast, Opportebat
of the third Sunday after Easter, Post partum of the votive Mass of
the Blessed Virgin, and occasionally with the Amen of the third and
fourth mode. The interrogatory form may have influenced the melodic
construction. Otherwise the general rule for the conclusion of readings
and lessons obtains, that is, when no Tu autem, Domine follows, the usual
closing form of a declarative sentence is used, and not that of a question.
COMMUNION (Heb. 9: 28)
1. Christus semel oblatus est ad 1. Christ was offered once to exmultorum
exhaurienda peccata; 2. haust the sins of many; 2. the secsecundo
sine peccato apparebit ex- ond time he shall appear without
pectantibus se, in salutem. sin to them that expect him unto
salvation.
The first phrase is similar to the Hoc corpus of Passion Sunday (q.v.).
As a kind of leitmotif, the intimate connection between the sacrifice of
the cross and the Eucharistic Sacrifice is stressed melodically. Over
oblatus est the melody of the original might have been assumed without
change; the major third was most likely introduced to give prominence
to the word-accent. Seemingly motives from the Communions Justorurn
dnimae (June 21) and Primum quaerite (fourteenth Sunday after
Pentecost) were adapted to the second phrase.
In Holy Communion Christ enters our souls. His love for sinners
prompted Him to veil His majesty under the ordinary form of bread
and wine. When He shall come again, however, when He "shall appear
a second time," it will radiate splendor and power. And this splendor
and power He will share with those who expect Him, and who have
become one with Him in Holy Communion; He will be to them a source
of eternal happiness and salvation. The gradation, apparent in the text,
is easily recognizable and actualized in the melody. In place of the
suppressed dominant 6 of the first phrase, the second phrase has the
brighter c.
* * * *
THE VISITATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN
MARY
(July 2)
The Franciscan Order celebrated this feast already in 1263. The
Council of Basle made it obligatory for the universal Church.