Chants of the Vatican Graduale - MusicaSacra

50 Christmas Day—Third Mass
Introit and the Communion is clearly indicated in the annotated manuscripts.
In the Introit practically all the neums have the simple and light
form; almost everything is tender, fragrant, naive: the divine Child is
speaking. In contrast to this, almost all the neums of the Communion
are given the broad form. Here we hear the Father, serious and solemn;
He is, so to say, conferring upon His Son the dignity of King and Priest.
One cannot but admire the delicate artistic sense here displayed in the
annotated manuscripts.
Christ accepts our sacrificial gifts, just as He assumed our human
nature in order to endow it with His own divine life (cf. the Secret).
Thus we are also made to participate in His generation from the Father.
To each one of us the Father therefore says: "In the brightness of the
saints I begot thee." Instead of "in the brightness of the saints" some
translate "in the splendor of holy followers." "We form the brilliant
host of His followers, celebrating together with Christ His ultimate day
of victory and triumph" (Betende Kirche, p. 290 f.).
Revue greg., 9, 227 ff.; N. Sch., Musica Sacra, 50, 120.
THE THIRD MASS
INTROIT: Isa. 9:6)
1. Puer natus est nobis, et films 1. A Child is born to us and a
datus est nobis: 2. cujus imperium Son is given to us: 2. whose governsuper
humerum ejus: 3. et vocabi- ment is upon his shoulder: 3. and
tur nomen ejus, magni consilii his name shall be called the Angel
Angelus. Ps. Cantate Domino can- of great counsel. Ps. Sing ye to the
ticum novum: * quia mirabilia Lord a new canticle: * for he hath
fecit. done wonderful things.
Solemn and sublime were the chants of the Midnight Mass. Now,
in the Introit of the third Mass, a new tone is heard. This Introit has
not exactly the spirit of the popular In dulci jubilo, but approaches it
more closely than any of the songs of the Midnight Mass. Indeed, one
might almost say that this Introit supplied the inspiration for the song
In dulci jubilo. After Puer with its dulcet fifth comes d e d; the second
half of the phrase begins in the same manner. There can hardly be any
doubt that the parallelism of the text (Puer—filius) influenced the formation
of the melody. The difference in the effect of this parallelism
compared with that of the first Mass of Christmas with its minor thirds,
reminding us of the semidarkness of that night, is well marked. It is
well to note, however, that childlike joy, the kind heard in this first