Chants of the Vatican Graduale - MusicaSacra

St. Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr 421
basilica speciosior by Pelagius II (578-590). During the past century
Pius IX effected many restorations on it and, after his death, was buried
according to his express desire next to the relics of the holy archdeacon.
Beautiful though the basilica may be, the soul of the saint is yet more
noble and more precious. His life, his charitable undertakings, and above
all his martyrdom, were a public avowal of his love for Christ, and will
ever continue to be a song of praise of wondrous beauty. His soul shone
forth in all the beauty of its purity, sanctity and sacrifice. Radiating the
splendor and sublime magnificence of divine grace, it became a source
of joy to God Himself. Hence all creation is invited to sing "to the Lord
a new canticle."
In the melody youthful freshness vies with dignified solemnity. With
the former there is an upward tendency over confessio e d g a c c, over
in conspec-(tu) e f g c c, over magnificen-(tia) f g a c c, and over (sanc-
Ufi)-cati6-(ne) e f a c c. It thus employs variations of one motive only,
meanwhile emphasizing high c, the dominant of the mode. On the other
hand, the quiet seconds over (magnificenti)-a and the reverential halfsteps
over sanctifi-(catione) bespeak solemnity. In conspectu eius, text
and melody, is also found in the Introit of the Saturday before the second
Sunday of Lent.
Care must be taken that high c is not made to predominate, but
that the preparatory and following notes form the melody proper.
GRADUAL (Ps. 16:3)
1. Probasti, Domine, cor meum, 1. Thou hast proved my heart, O
2. et visitasti node. f. 1. Igne me Lord, 2. and visited it by night, "p. 1.
examinasti, 2. et non est inventa in Thou hast tried me by fire. 2. and
me iniquitas. iniquity hath not been found in me.
The Benedictus antiphon of the morning Office is composed of a
part of St. Lawrence's prayer: "On the gridiron I have not denied Thee,
O Christ." The text of the Gradual continues this prayer. In truth, it
was not an insignificant test that he underwent when he was scourged
and tortured and subjected to a slow and extremely painful death on the
glowing gridiron. Many others subjected to the same test failed to prove
themselves, and after the dark night of pain there came for them the
darker night of apostasy. The heart of St. Lawrence, however, burned
with love for Christ; it rejoiced to suffer and give its all for Him. The
saint's night knew no darkness, but radiated instead a wondrous light.
Today the saint looks back upon his martyrdom and is moved to
sing this hymn to God. The corpus, with its lower pitch and range of
c-c l , according to some interpreters would first depict for us the saint's