Chants of the Vatican Graduale - MusicaSacra

The Epiphany of Our Lord Jesus Christ 79
THE EPIPHANY OF OUR LORD
JESUS CHRIST
(January 6)
The entire liturgy of today's Mass treats of the royal dignity of
Him who has appeared and revealed Himself. Indeed, the feast of Christmas
already stresses this dignity. But occasionally it also permits us a
glimpse of the divine Child in the manger (Puer natus est nobis), and
the magic of His charm entrances us. Today everything has the imprint
of Christ's kingship and summons the entire world to pay homage
to Him.
INTROIT (Mai. 3: 1)
1. Ecce advenit dominator Domi- 1. Behold the Lord the Ruler is
nus: 2. et regnum in manu ejus, 3. come: 2. and kingdom is in his
et potestas, et imperium. Ps. Deus, hand, 3. and power and dominion,
judicium tuum Regi da: *et justi- Ps. Give to the King thy judgment.
Ham tuam Filio Regis. O God:* and to the King's Son thy
justice.
Over this melody must be inscribed the words: majestic, sublime!
Like a king's mantle it spreads itself over the text. Beginning with the
grand notes of the Per omnia saecula, the introduction to the Preface,
it emphasizes the word advenit increasingly, over dominator leaps an
interval of a fourth, which supports itself on the dominant /, lets this
dominant resound—it is really the dominant here—and over Dominus
rises above it. One seems to see the ruler making his formal entrance,
letting his diamonds sparkle. The second phrase again shows an ascending
fourth and the clear dominant, which it accentuates still more by
means of the pressus over manu and ejus. The repetition of the same
motive over these words fits well to the majestic bearing of the whole,
and toward the end brings a modulation of exquisite construction on the
full tone below the tonic. The third phrase gives plastic form to the word
potestas (the descending fourth is to be well brought out); several times
it extends above the dominant and closes with a passage corresponding
to Dominus in the first phrase.
We may well adduce, as a parallel to the triple division of the Introit,
the Christmas hymn: "Lo, how a rose e'er blooming"—no doubt
one of the most beautiful. Here also the first and third phrases have