Chants of the Vatican Graduale - MusicaSacra

The Most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary 455
is "all hope of life and of virtue." Whoever imitates her, his soul will
blossom like the rose and bear fruit for eternal life.
Musica sacra, 45, 213 ff.
COMMUNION (Ecclus. 39: 19)
1. Florete flores quasi lilium, et 1. Send forth flowers, as the lily,
date odorem, et frondete in gratiam: and yield a smell, and bring forth
2. collaudate canticum, et bene- leaves in grace: 2. and praise with
dicite Dominum in operibus suis. canticles, and bless the Lord in his
works.
The melody is taken from the Communion Confunddntur superbi of
the Mass Loquebar (for a Virgin Martyr); its phrasing, however, is not
entirely happy. In the original, the first phrase treats of the godless ones
who should be confounded and closes with the melody which we here
have over odorem. Injuste (here lilium) expresses just anger over the
wrong that has been perpetrated on the saint by her persecutors. Out
of this dark and somber background rises the beautiful figure of a Virgin
and Martyr with the words Ego autem (here et frondete). In the ancient
manuscripts the melody is assigned to the feast of St. Cecilia. The
saint rises above all that is earthly, takes as it were her flight to heaven,
and pledges immutable fidelity to the Lord's commandments. This
magnificent line is interrupted on the feast of the Holy Rosary by a
large pause after gratiam. The motive in the original stands over in
manddtis but here begins a second phrase over collaudate. This, as the
Gregoriusblatt (44, 65) remarks, is obviously a mistake. Abstracting from
this, the Offertory with its new text can be made extremely effective.
The clivis and torculus over the closing syllables of lilium, gratiam, and
Dominum are as pleasing as flower-buds, while collaudate is expressive
of true joy.
By "flowers" (flores) we are, no doubt, to understand the mysteries
of the Lord and His blessed Mother. In quiet meditation they will
blossom forth, vivifying and invigorating our hearts. They will encourage
us to praise the Lord, to glorify His works, and all that "the onlybegotten
Son by His life, death, and resurrection hath purchased for
us" (cf. the Collect). They should glorify the deeds which the Lord has
wrought upon His Mother, the victories of Lepanto and Temesvar, the
marvels of grace in every individual soul, and not least, the work of redemption
which He has renewed today in the Sacrifice and in the Eucharistic
Banquet—for we are singing a Communion song.
Musica sacra, 45, 237 ff.