Chants of the Vatican Graduale - MusicaSacra

All Souls Day 475
At first the Kyrie with its quiet seconds preserves intact the spirit
of the Introit. Then, however, it has as a new motive the descent below
the tonic to e which the Introit always avoided, and as its highest point
b, which must not be accented. It should be sung thus: f g db a a. The
final Kyrie, with its inception on a descending and ascending fifth and
its rise to high d, sounds like the persistent knocking at the gate of
heaven to ask mercy for the poor souls. The quietly descending seconds
intimate that the prayer has been heard.
GRADUAL
The corpus has the same text as the Introit-antiphon.
f. (Ps. Ill, 7) 1. In memoria f. (Ps. Ill, 7) 1. In everlasting
aeterna 2. exit Justus: 3. ab audi- remembrance 2. shall be the just
Hone mala 4. non timebit. man: 3. of the evil hearing 4. he
shall not fear.
The melody was explained on the first Sunday of Lent, and is practically
the same as that sung on Easter Sunday. For Christ's resurrection
is the pledge of the resurrection of our beloved dead and of our own
resurrection. In the Latin countries, the poor souls are frequently referred
to as "holy souls," and with good reason, for they are possessed
of sanctifying grace, which renders them "just" and assures them
heaven, even though they have still to make atonement for some of
their offenses. In God's courts they were given a favorable verdict. Although
the world may be harsh and unjust in its judgments, they are
now far removed and it can affect them no longer. And though they
must suffer the effects of God's justice, yet they are fully conscious that
God will be their final end. How pleasing and sublime is the effect of
this verse in the liturgy of the dead!
TRACT
1. Absolve, Domine, animas om- 1. Absolve, OLord, the souls of all
nium fidelium defunctorum f ab the faithful departed f from every
omni vinculo delictorum. 2. Et gra- bond of sins. 2. And by the help of
tia tua illis succurente, f merean- thy grace f may they be enabled to
tur evadere judicium ultionis. 3. Et escape the judgment of punishment,
lucis aeternae f beatitudine perfrui. 3. And enjoy the happiness of
eternal light.
Ordinarily the Tract is taken from one of the psalms. Here, however,
we have an example of an oration from the best period of the
liturgy. Verses one and three pray for the departed. The second verse