Chants of the Vatican Graduale - MusicaSacra

436 The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
OFFERTORY
1. Protege, Domine, plebem tuam, 1. Protect thy people, O Lord, by
per signum sanctae Cruds, ab om- the sign of the holy Cross, from the
nibus insidiis inimicorum omnium: wiles of all their enemies: 2. that
2. ut tibi gratam exhibeamus servi- we may render a service pleasing
tutem, 3. et acceptabile fiat sacri- unto thee, 3. and that our sacrifice
ficium nostrum, alleluia. may be acceptable in thy sight,
alleluia.
The sentiment of the Offertory is similar to that of the Communion,
but places greater stress upon the protection from the enemies of
the soul. These enemies must not hinder us from the service of God,
must not disturb our interior peace, must not rob us of the joy in God's
service, must not delude us with the enticements and seeming joys of
the world, must not induce us to desert our recognized duty and become
unfaithful. Against all these dangers may the holy cross protect
us and strengthen us in perseverance and fidelity in the service of God.
If in this manner our service becomes pleasing to the Lord, then our
worship and the union of our sacrifice with the Eucharistic Sacrifice will
also become pleasing to Him.
Something akin to melancholy pervades the melody. It has a very
modest development. Despite its length, its greatest interval is a third.
The first and second phrases begin with the same descending motive.
Abstracting from this, the first half of the first phrase confines itself to
the range of a fourth, the second half to a fifth, as does also the third
phrase. The second phrase alone has a range of a sixth. Over exhibeamus
servitutem the melody of per signum sanctae Crucis is extended and developed,
while that of sacrificium is simplified. Only the first syllable of
this word receives any special accent. Omnibus insidiis resembles acceptabile
fiat. An enlivening effect is produced by the pressus, particularly
over signum Crucis and the corresponding passages.
The whole should be rendered as a fervent prayer, without strong
accents. It should breathe the conviction of a soul conscious of its own
weakness in the face of the evil one, but firmly reliant on the power of
Christ's cross. In sentiment it is closely allied to the Offertory Domine
Jesu Christe of the Mass for the Dead, which likewise belongs to the
second mode.
Revue, 16, 114.