Ecce, ego mitto Angelum meum ante fáciem tuam, qui præparábit viam tuam ante te...

Today is the 2nd Sunday of Lent of Advent (I've corrected this on Tuesday) and the 3rd day infra Octavam Conceptionis; tomorrow is the feast of Pope Saint Damasus but I may say the Office of the Octave on Tuesday instead of the Advent ferial one. Holy Mass today is Populus Sion ecce Dominus. The page of the Schola Sainte-Cécile at its website is here; the libellum for Holy Mass is here and for 2nd Vespers is here.

Lectio 1
De Isaía Prophéta
Isa 11:1-4
1 Et egrediétur virga de radíce Jesse, et flos de radíce ejus ascéndet.
2 Et requiéscet super eum Spíritus Dómini: spíritus sapiéntiæ et intelléctus, spíritus consílii et fortitúdinis, spíritus sciéntiæ et pietátis;
3 Et replébit eum spíritus timóris Dómini: non secúndum visiónem oculórum judicábit, neque secúndum audítum áurium árguet:
4 Sed judicábit in justítia páuperes, et árguet in æquitáte pro mansuétis terræ:

R. Jerúsalem, cito véniet salus tua: Quare mœróre consúmeris? numquid consiliárius non est tibi, quia innovávit te dolor?
* Salvábo te, et liberábo te, noli timére.
V. Ego enim sum Dóminus, Deus tuus, Sanctus Israël, Redémptor tuus.
R. Salvábo te, et liberábo te, noli timére.

Lectio 2
Isa 11:4-7
4 Et percútiet terram virga oris sui, et spíritu labiórum suórum interfíciet ímpium.
5 Et erit justítia cíngulum lumbórum ejus: et fides cinctórium renis ejus.
6 Habitábit lupus cum agno, et pardus cum hædo accubábit, vitúlus et leo et ovis simul morabúntur, et puer párvulus minábit eos.
7 Vítulus et ursus pascéntur, simul requiéscent cátuli eórum, et leo quasi bos cómedet páleas.

R. Ecce Dóminus véniet, et omnes Sancti ejus cum eo, et erit in die illa lux magna: et exíbunt de Jerúsalem sicut aqua munda: et regnábit Dóminus in ætérnum
* Super omnes gentes.
V. Ecce Dóminus cum virtúte véniet: et regnum in manu ejus, et potéstas, et impérium.
R. Super omnes gentes.

Lectio 3
Isa 11:8-10
8 Et delectábitur infans ab úbere super forámine áspidis, et in cavérna réguli, qui ablactátus fúerit, manum suam mittet.
9 Non nocébunt, et non occídent in univérso monte sancto meo: quia repléta est terra sciéntia Dómini, sicut aquæ maris operiéntes.
10 In die illa radix Jesse, qui stat in signum populórum, ipsum gentes deprecabúntur, et erit sepúlcrum ejus gloriósum.

R. Cívitas Jerúsalem, noli flere: quóniam dóluit Dóminus super te:
* Et áuferet a te omnem tribulatiónem.
V. Ecce Dóminus in fortitúdine véniet: et brácchium ejus dominábitur.
R. Et áuferet a te omnem tribulatiónem.
V. Glória Patri, et Fílio, * et Spirítui Sancto.
R. Et áuferet a te omnem tribulatiónem.

Lectio 4
De Expositióne sancti Hierónymi Presbýteri in Isaíam Prophétam
Liber 4. in cap. 11 Isaíæ.
Et egrediétur virga de radíce Jesse. Usque ad principium visiónis, vel pónderis Babylónis, quod vidit Isaías, fílius Amos, omnis hæc prophetía de Christo est: quam per partes vólumus explanare, ne simul propósita atque disserta lectóris confundat memóriam. Virgam et flórem de radíce Jesse ipsum Dóminum Judæi interpretántur: quod scilicet in virga regnántis poténtia, in flore pulchritúdo monstrétur.

R. Ecce véniet Dóminus, protéctor noster, Sanctus Israël,
* Corónam regni habens in cápite suo.
V. Et dominábitur a mari usque ad mare, et a flúmine usque ad términos orbis terrárum.
R. Corónam regni habens in cápite suo.

Lectio 5
Nos autem virgam de radíce Jesse sanctam Mariam Vírginem intélligamus, quæ nullum hábuit sibi frúticem cohæréntem, de qua et supra légimus: Ecce virgo concípiet et pariet fílium. Et flórem, Dóminum Salvatórem, qui dicit in Cántico canticórum: Ego flos campi, et lílium convallium.

R. Sicut mater consolátur fílios suos, ita consolábor vos, dicit Dóminus: et de Jerúsalem civitáte quam elégi, véniet vobis auxílium:
* Et vidébitis et gaudébit cor vestrum.
V. Dabo in Sion salútem, et in Jerúsalem glóriam meam.
R. Et vidébitis et gaudébit cor vestrum.

Lectio 6
Super hunc ígitur flórem, qui de trunco et radíce Jesse per Mariam Vírginem repénte consúrget, requiéscet Spíritus Dómini: quia in ipso complácuit omnem plenitúdinem divinitátis habitáre corporáliter: nequaquam per partes, ut in ceteris Sanctis: sed juxta Evangélium eórum, quod Hebræo sermóne conscríptum legunt Nazaræi: Descéndet super eum omnis fons Spíritus Sancti. Dóminus autem Spíritus est: et ubi Spíritus Dómini, ibi libertas.

R. Jerúsalem, plantábis víneam in móntibus tuis: exsultábis, quóniam dies Dómini véniet: surge, Sion, convértere ad Dóminum Deum tuum: gaude et lætáre, Jacob:
* Quia de médio géntium Salvátor tuus véniet.
V. Exsúlta satis, fília Sion: júbila, fília Jerúsalem.
R. Quia de médio géntium Salvátor tuus véniet.
V. Glória Patri, et Fílio, * et Spirítui Sancto.
R. Quia de médio géntium Salvátor tuus véniet.

Lectio 7
Léctio sancti Evangélii secúndum Matthǽum
Matt 11:2-10
In illo témpore: Cum audísset Joánnes in vínculis ópera Christi, mittens duos de discípulis suis, ait illi: Tu es qui ventúrus es, an álium exspectámus? Et réliqua.

Homilía sancti Gregórii Papæ
Homilia 6 in Evangelia, post initium
Visis tot signis tantísque virtútibus, non scandalizári quisque pótuit, sed admirári. Sed infidélium mens grave in illo scándalum pértulit, cum eum post tot mirácula moriéntem vidit. Unde et Paulus dicit: Nos autem prædicámus Christum crucifíxum, Judǽis quidem scándalum, géntibus autem stultítiam. Stultum quippe homínibus visum est, ut pro homínibus Auctor vitæ morerétur: et inde contra eum homo scándalum sumpsit, unde ei ámplius débitor fíeri débuit. Nam tanto Deus ab homínibus dígnius honorándus est, quanto pro homínibus et indígna suscépit.

R. Egrediétur Dóminus de Samaría ad portam, quæ réspicit ad Oriéntem: et véniet in Béthlehem ámbulans super aquas redemptiónis Judæ:
* Tunc salvus erit omnis homo: quia ecce véniet.
V. Et præparábitur in misericórdia sólium ejus, et sedébit super illud in veritáte.
R. Tunc salvus erit omnis homo: quia ecce véniet.

Lectio 8
Quid est ergo dicere: Beátus qui non fúerit scandalizátus in me; nisi apérta voce abjectiónem mortis suæ humilitátemque signare? Ac si patenter dicat: Mira quidem facio, sed abjecta pérpeti non dedignor. Quia ergo moriéndo te súbsequor, cavéndum valde est homínibus, ne in me mortem despíciant, qui signa venerántur.

R. Festína, ne tardáveris, Dómine:
* Et líbera pópulum tuum.
V. Veni, Dómine, et noli tardáre: reláxa facínora plebi tuæ.
R. Et líbera pópulum tuum.

Lectio 9
Sed dimissis Joánnis discípulis, quid de eodem Joánne turbis dicat, audiámus: Quid exístis in desértum vidére? Arúndinem vento agitatam? Quod videlicet non asseréndo , sed negando intulit. Arúndinem quippe mox ut aura contígerit, in partem álteram inflectit. Et quid per arúndinem, nisi carnalis animus designátur? Qui mox ut favore vel detractióne tangitur, statim in partem quámlibet inclinátur?

R. Ecce Dóminus véniet cum splendóre descéndens, et virtus ejus cum eo,
* Visitáre pópulum suum in pace, et constitúere super eum vitam sempitérnam.
V. Ecce Dóminus noster cum virtúte véniet.
R. Visitáre pópulum suum in pace, et constitúere super eum vitam sempitérnam.
V. Glória Patri, et Fílio, * et Spirítui Sancto.
R. Visitáre pópulum suum in pace, et constitúere super eum vitam sempitérnam.

At Barroux, the (quite beautiful) antiphon at Terce, Urbs fortitúdinis nostræ Sion, Salvátor ponétur in ea murus et antemurále: aperíte portas, quia nobíscum Deus, allelúia.

The procession after the Asperges at Barroux began with the responsorium Missus est Gabriel-- at this season of the year the previously unheard texts tend to be more recognisable ones, perhaps. What the monks are singing as they return, before beginning the Introit, I did not catch, however. 

Introitus. Is. 30, 30. Pópulus Sion, ecce, Dóminus véniet ad salvándas gentes: et audítam fáciet Dóminus glóriam vocis suæ in lætítia cordis vestri. Ps. 79, 2. Qui regis Israël, inténde: qui dedúcis, velut ovem, Joseph. ℣. Glória Patri.

Kyrie.

Oratio. Excita, Dómine, corda nostra ad præparándas Unigéniti tui vias: ut, per ejus advéntum, purificátis tibi méntibus servíre mereámur: Qui tecum.

This is the point at which I pause the Barroux video recording in order to proceed here to Prime and Terce and then to go out to Mass, eh, lux in umbris, tsk.

Lectio Epístolæ beáti Pauli Apostoli ad Romános.
Rom. 15, 4-13.
Fratres: Quæcúmque scripta sunt, ad nostram doctrínam scripta sunt: ut per patiéntiam et consolatiónem Scripturárum spem habeámus. Deus autem patiéntiæ et solácii det vobis idípsum sápere in altérutrum secúndum Jesum Christum: ut unánimes, uno ore honorificétis Deum et Patrem Dómini nostri Jesu Christi. Propter quod suscípite ínvicem, sicut et Christus suscépit vos in honórem Dei. Dico enim Christum Jesum minístrum fuísse circumcisiónis propter veritátem Dei, ad confirmándas promissiónes patrum: gentes autem super misericórdia honoráre Deum, sicut scriptum est: Proptérea confitébor tibi in géntibus, Dómine, et nómini tuo cantábo. Et íterum dicit: Lætámini, gentes, cum plebe ejus. Et iterum: Laudáte, omnes gentes, Dóminum: et magnificáte eum, omnes populi. Et rursus Isaías ait: Erit radix Jesse, et qui exsúrget régere gentes, in eum gentes sperábunt. Deus autem spei répleat vos omni gáudio et pace in credéndo: ut abundétis in spe et virtúte Spíritus Sancti.

Graduale. Ps. 49, 2-3 e.t 5. Ex Sion species decóris ejus: Deus  maniféste véniet, ℣. Congregáta illi sanctos ejus, qui ordinavérunt testaméntum ejus super sacrifícia.

Allelúja, allelúja, ℣. Ps. 121, 1. Lætátus sum in his, quæ dicta sunt mihi: in domum Dómini íbimus. Allelúja.

✠ Sequéntia sancti Evangélii secúndum Matthǽum.
Matth, 11, 2–10.
In illo tempore: Cum audísset Joánnes in vínculis ópera Christi, mittens duos de discípulis suis, ait illi: Tu es, qui ventúrus es, an alium exspectámus? Et respóndens Jesus, ait illis: Eúntes renuntiáte Joánni, quæ audístis et vidístis. Cæci vident, claudi ámbulant, leprósi mundántur, surdi áudiunt, mórtui resúrgunt, páuperes evangelizántur: et beátus est, qui non fúerit scandalizátus in me. Illis autem abeúntibus, cœpit Jesus dícere ad turbas de Joánne: Quid exístis in desértum vidére? arúndinem vento agitátam? Sed quid exístis videre? hóminem móllibus vestitum? Ecce, qui móllibus vestiúntur, in dómibus regum sunt. Sed quid exístis vidére? Prophétam? Etiam dico vobis, et plus quam Prophétam. Hic est enim, de quo scriptum est: Ecce, ego mitto Angelum meum ante fáciem tuam, qui præparábit viam tuam ante te.

The 'homily' of our anonymous Dominican friend at Voice of the Family for today is here (and don't miss reading Dr Fimister's article here), that of Father Zuhlsdorf is here, and of Dr Olson here. 

At Saint-Eugène, the Sol sub nube latuit is to be sung after the homily today; while I welcome its inclusion of course I don't see it  'fitting' time-wise: perhaps part before and part after? We shall see. Indeed, before and after.  

Credo.

At the incensing of the altar, the 18th century French hymn drawn from the Great Antiphons of the Magnificat at Vespers in the last days of Advent, Veni, veni Emmanuel, in the setting of Zoltan Kodaly (1882-1967).

The more correct form of the Offertory antiphon's text is 'Deus tu convertens vivificabis nos', I guess; the 5th edition of Weber-Gryson continues to give conversus in Psalm 84 and the LXX reads ὁ θεός σὺ ἐπιστρέψας ζωώσεις ἡμᾶς-- but if I ever knew how to correctly construe ἐπιστρέψας I certainly don't now. 

Offertorium. Ps. 84, 7-8. Deus, tu convérsus [convertens] vivificábis nos, et plebs tua lætábitur in te: osténde nobis, Dómine, misericórdiam tuam, et salutáre tuum da nobis.

Secreta. Placáre, quǽsumus, Dómine, humilitátis nostræ précibus et hóstiis: et, ubi nulla suppétunt suffrágia meritórum, tuis nobis succúrre præsídiis. Per Dóminum.

Sanctus, Benedictus, Agnus Dei.

At the Communion, the Schola sang the prose for the 2nd Sunday of Advent in the traditional Paris rite, a composition of Notker the Stammerer (840-912), and then the French Oratory's Rorate caeli desuper (1615).  

Regnántem sempitérna
Per sæcla susceptúra
Cóncio, devóte cóncrepa:
Fáctóri reddéndo débita:
Quem júbilant ágmina cœlica, éjus vúltu
exhilaráta:
Quem exspéctant ómnia térrea, éjus nútu
examinánda
Distríctum ad judícia:
Cleméntem in poténtia.
Túa nos sálva, Chríste, cleméntia, propter
quos pássus es díra.
Ad póli ástra súbleva nítida,qui sórde térgis
sæcula.
Influe sálus véra, effuga perícula.
Omnia ut sint munda tríbue pacífica:
Ut hic túa sálvi misericórdia,
Læti régna post adeámus súpera:
Quo régnas sæcula per infiníta. Amen.

Communio. Bar. 5, 5; 4, 36. Jerúsalem, surge et sta in excélso, ei vide jucunditátem, quæ véniet tibi a Deo tuo.

Postcommunio. Repléti cibo spirituális alimóniæ, súpplices te, Dómine, deprecámur: ut, hujus participatióne mystérii, dóceas nos terréna despícere et amáre cœléstia. Per Dóminum.

Will include the video recording of 1st Vespers and then of 2nd Vespers from today when the video is available.

 

And the video recording of 2nd Vespers.

Neumz sent this text in their Sunday email; this is most of it, anyway. I must admit to not recalling what protus is (although I've seen it in one of the chant books), nor how having the "fundamental in Sol and the dominant in Do" 'indicates' "the B flat". There is certainly no B flat present in the Populus Sion in the pdf of the 1908 Graduale Vaticanum I've got (which suggests to me that I'm misunderstanding what is being discussed), nor in any of the Solesmes books, not the Graduale triplex nor the Liber usualis nor the Missel grégorien. The first conclusion here is that I am more clueless than I tend to want to acknowledge. The second is that perhaps I've simply entirely misconceived the point the Neumz author is making-- I don't know. Perhaps Dominique Crochu's article would clarify matters? perhaps; but perhaps I'm too ignorant to profit from it, ha. 

... As for the melody, it is composed in mode VII. The modal choice is known to expose a problem in the first phrase. In the manuscript tradition, there are doubts among Gregorian chant transcribers as to whether to write the melody of this first phrase with the dominant in Re, in an atmosphere of VII mode or if to adopt a transposed protus with the fundamental in Sol and the dominant in Do, indicating the B-flat. Dominique Crochu, a member of our Neumz team, and a great connoisseur (expert) of the matter of the B-flat and these hexachordal problems, has carried out a study with more than 30 manuscript testimonies, specifically on this passage of the Introit Populus Sion. From his study, it becomes apparent that the Vatican edition is architecturally correct, that always the flat is indicated when the B appears in this first phrase. Dominique Crochu concludes that it is very likely that these flats, which create an atmosphere of protus in the scale of mode VII, are the cause of the doubts, on behalf of the transcribers, in the choice of the hexachordal scales. For all these reasons, we have decided to follow the version of the Vaticana with the B-flat and to discard the proposed hexachordal restitution of this first phrase from the Graduale Novum. We will be happy to show the study of our colleague’s manuscript testimonies, to all those who wish to see it. Thus, this double-modal color corresponds perfectly to what the text chants. In the first phrase, an announcement full of peace and serenity of the coming of the Lord to Zion; it seems that the prophet, and after him, the Church, are less preoccupied with arousing the enthusiasm of the people with the good news that they announce. Instead, they express the intimate happiness that the vision that the coming of Christ produces in them. And in the second phrase, it becomes a jubilant hymn to that glorious voice, which God makes resound. Christ does not come only to spend a few years among us but to live in each one of us, forever in a friendship that will fill our hearts with joy.

In the intonation, our Introit has the impetus that corresponds to the direct tone of a public announcement, it is a solemn affirmation, very enthusiastic, worthy of the majesty of mode I. From the Sol, the melody rises to the Do and goes to delight in the heights where Zion is situated, the city of summits. But after the first incise, the melodic movement is immediately tempered. In Ecce Dominus veniet, behold, the Lord is coming, a feeling of happy contentment, of calm fulfillment, dominates the incise. The presentative ecce unites the two incises, it is the presentation of someone who is seen, that is coming. The beautiful neumatic cut in the Do is emphasized, it adds to the majesty of the porrectus Re-Do-Re of the accent. From the Re, it returns to the Sol on the post-tonic syllable, a very reverent and devout leap of a fifth. And in Dominus, the Lord, the curtain finally opens for the Lord to advance victoriously, slowly, from the Sol to the Re, in a triumphant ascent, amplified by the quilismatic movement, rising to all. The accent of veniet and the accent of Sion in the first incise are given the same pes quadratus, majestic, Do-Re. The cadence of veniet is also similar to that of Sion, the veniet being an amplification of the first one. The textual and musical link between these two words further accentuates the force of the announcement: He is coming to Sion. In the third incise, the object of this coming is made explicit: ad salvandas gentes, to save the nations. It is a salvation that goes throughout the world and reaches everyone. It is enough to be open and welcoming in the depths of our being [!]. And this is how the melodic movement behaves, making this incise shine sublimely. From the heights, from the Re, accentuated by an initial neumatic cut, the prayerful one sings that gradual, serene, confident descent of the Lord’s salvation over the nations, so evocative of a long-awaited joy that we see coming at last. The melody closes this first phrase in gentes resting peacefully in the Sol.

In the second phrase, Et auditam faciet Dominus, and the Lord will make one hear, we find the same start as in the incipit of the piece, Sol-Do-Do-Re, but from the salicus of the accent of auditam, Do-Do-Re, the prayerful one looks and cries out to heaven, in the unbridled and angelic enthusiasm of the heights of mode VII, the high Mi and Fa resound for the first time in the accent of faciet, like a burst of joy. In Dominus, we find a similar twist to that of Sion and veniet of the first phrase, the announcement (the Lord comes to Sion) continues to be repeated and amplified: a pes quadratus and porrectus appear but this time clearly established on the Re, the dominant of mode VII. This incise closes with a beautifully melodic descent on the last syllable of Dominus, full of reverent fervor, the Re is underlined with a neumatic cut and a devout pes sub-bipunctis that sets the melody momentarily on the La. The jubilant enthusiasm that colors this second phrase, resounds again, to burst forth in the following incise: gloriam vocis suae, the glory of His voice. Everything is majestic, everything is joyous, and everything is luminous in the radiant melody of this incise. Beginning with the vibrant impulse of the salicus of the accent of gloriam which in the Graduale Novum version returns the melody agilely by thirds, La-Do-Mi, to the high range: like the triumphant blast of a trumpet, that continues to resound strongly in the post-tonic syllables. This is followed by the quilismatic movement of the accent of vocis, the second quilisma of the piece, which continues to amplify that glorious voice in the heights of the mode beyond the dominant—and ending with the cadential torculus in suae, which closes the incise in the high Re, contrasting with the cadential torculus of gentes or that of vestri, in the final cadence, which they do so in the Sol.

With a masterful leap of a fifth, Re-Sol, in the last incise, the melody returns to the serenity that the intonation of the piece had: in laetitia cordis vestri, in the joy of your heart, the overflowing joy of the Church appears, which always leads to a deep and intimate feeling of gratitude, love, and tenderness. From the Sol, the melody rises with an impetus to the Do with a salicus in the accent of laetitia, joy. From the Do, the melodic movement bursts with jubilation towards the Mi on the post-tonic syllable of laetitia. A jubilant, joyful chant that penetrates the hearts, cordis, of the heart: the enthusiasm, the ardor of the melody permeates the heart of the prayerful one. The melodic twist Si-Do-Re-Mi-Re-Do in the accent of cordis, is a palpitation that shows that the prayerful heart of the singer already lives this joy and happiness. In the post-tonic syllable of cordis, the double clivis with the episema and again the quilisma, the third of the piece, solemnize, amplify this state of grace, this joy that happily takes refuge in the intimacy of the heart of the faithful who can only adore. Another leap of a fourth, Do-Sol, immerses us in the possessive vestris. This is definitively in the interior of the heart of the worshipper in whose depths the happiness of the awaited presence continues, and in which that unutterable state of grace, the fruit of the contemplation of the Coming of the Saviour continues to shine and resound in each one of us.

LDVM