Chants of the Vatican Graduale - MusicaSacra

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary 425
collaudent filium Dei. Ps. Eructavit joice and give praise to the Son of
cor meum verbum bonum: * dico God. Ps. My heart hath uttered a
ego opera mea regi. good word: * I speak my works to
the king.
"A bright, clear and inspiring melody, distinguished not so much
by its deep and mystical appeal or its tender fervor as by its joyous,
festal character. It displays a brilliant development, a uniformly simple
—we might say naive—construction, and a clear and calm assurance of
victory in its every phrase. Like the beautiful morning sun which rises
without effort above the mountain peaks and floods the earth with its
golden rays, this hymn of joy springs from the depths of loving souls to
sing the triumphs of the Blessed Mother." 1
Originally the melody was composed for a Greek text on the feast
of St. Agatha. It soon attained popular favor and was sung on a number
of feasts.
Text and melody have two phrases. The first phrase summons the
entire Church militant to rejoice in the Lord, for "it is a festival day in
honor of the blessed Virgin Mary." The second phrase depicts the joy
of the Church triumphant in the victory of Mary over death, "for whose
Assumption the Angels give praise to the Son of God." Each phrase has
two members, each of which in turn has two sub-members. Both major
members of the first phrase close on a high pitch: Domino, Virginis. The
second phrase repeats over Assumptione and collaudent the ascending
musical line of the first part. The melody here develops according to the
declamatory accents that intelligent rendition would demand. The development
and division of the piece might be pictured graphically as
follows:
Gaudedmus omnes in Domino,
Diem f. c. s. honbre Mariae Virginis:
d. c. Assumptione gaudent Angeli,
et collaudant Filium Dei.
We might take note at once of the two motives that run through
the entire Introit. The first occurs over sub honbre, Assumptione, and
with a variation, over collaudant and in Domino. It begins with the interval
f-g and ascends by means of a lively torculus (once by means of a
pes subbipunctis) to c, thus recalling Gaudedmus. The second motive with
its quiet seconds occurs over Dei, again a full tone higher over (An)geli,
and finally a fourth higher over (Db)-mino.
1 C. 0., 50, 147.