GREGORIAN CHANT 4 Office of Second Vespers, Nativity of Our Lord Although considerably more ornate than most, the Second Vespers of the feast of the Nativity of Our Lord (December 25) is typical of the Office cel- ebrated at sunset. The service begins with introductory prayers, including the Pater noster (the Lord’s Prayer) and the Ave Maria (Hail Mary). (The recordings accompanying this anthology contain a sample Antiphon, Tecum principium, Psalm 109, Dixit Dominus, and the Short Responsory and Verse, Notum fecit. The remaining antiphons and psalms are omitted from the record set for reasons of economy.) a) Verse: Deus in adjutorium ), ee E-us in adjuté-ri- um mé- um inténde. R. Démine ad adju- ees eS a ee ee vandum me festi-na. Glé-ri-a Patri, et Fi-i-o, et Spi- ri-tu-i San- be F x = cto. Sic-ut érat in principi-o, et nunc, et semper, et in saécula baa See saecu-lé-rum. Amen. Alle-li-ia. V. Deus, in adjutorium meum intende. V. O God, come to my assistance. R. Domine, ad adiuvandum me festina R. O Lord, make haste to help me. Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto. Sicut Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in the Holy Ghost. As it was in the begin- saecula saeculorum. Amen. Alleluia. ning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Alleluia. GOn The first verse of Psalm 69, Deus in adjutorium, is sung to a special formula somewhat more elaborate than the usual psalm tone. English translations from The Saint Andrew Daily Missal, ed. Dom Gaspar Lefebvre, O.S.B. (New York: Benziger Press, 1956), Reprinted by permission. The Chapter, Kyrie, Paternoster and Prayer (Onto) have been omitted. Antiphons, Short Responsory and Verse Notum fet from Antiphonale monastcum, pp. 245-49. Deus in adjutorium: Liber usualis (LU), p. 112; Psalm 109: LU, p. 128,Tone 1g; Psalm 110: LU, .139,Tone 7a; Psalm 111: LU, p. 146,Tone 74; Psalm 129: LU, p.178,Tone 4A; Magnificat: LU, p. 213, ‘Tone 1g?20 4 GREGORIAN CHANT Office of Second Vespers, Nativity of our Lord b) Antiphon: Tecum principium ECUM prin-ci- pi um * in di- evi cm 13] <> Mors ferum gé-nu-i te. ‘Tecum principium in die virtutis tuae in splendoribus sanctorum, ex utero ante luciferum genui te. Euouae, Thine shall be the dominion in the day of Thy strength in the brightness of the Saints, from the womb before the day star Tbegot Thee. c) Psalm 109: Dixit Dominus IOs ‘Mediant of 2. accents, & ee] Déminus Démino mé- 1, Di-xit 1. Dixit Déminus Démino méo: * Séde a déxtris mis, 2 Donec pénam inimfcos ttios, * scabéllum pédum tubrum. 3 Virgam virtétis tae emittet Déminus ex Sion: * dominire in médio inimicérum tuérum. 4 Técum principium in die virtitis tiae in splendéribus sanct6rum: * ex titero ante luciferum. ghnud te. 0; *Séde a déxtris mé- is, The Lord said unto my Lord: Sit Thou at My right hand. Until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool. The Lord shall send the rod of Thy strength ‘out of Sion: rule Thou in the midst of Thine enemies. Thine shall be the dominion in the day of Thy strength amid the brightness of the Saints: from the womb, before the day star have I begotten Thee.4 GREGORIAN CHANT Office of Second Vespers, Nativity of our Lord 21 5 Jurivit Dominus, et non paenitébit 6um: * ‘The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent: “Tues sacérdos in aetérnum sectindum érdinem ‘Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech. Melchisedech. 6 Déminus a déxtris tis, * ‘The Lord at Thy right hand shall strike confrégit in die irae stiae réges. through kings in the day of His wrath. 7 Judicdbie in natiénibus, He shall judge among the heathen, ‘implébit rufnas: * He shall fill the places with dead bodies: conquassibit cépita in térra mult6rum. He shall wound the heads over many countries. 8 De torrénte in via bfbet: * He shall drink of the brook in the way proptérea exaltdbit e&put. therefore shall He lift up His head. 9 Gloria Pétri, et Filio, * Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, et Spiritui Séncto. and to the Holy Ghost. 10 Sicut érat in principio, et néine, As it was in the beginning, is now, et sémper, * et in saécula saeculénum. and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Amen. GO The first full psalm sung in this Office is Psalm 109, Dixit Dominus. It is pre- ceded by the Antiphon Tecum principium. Since this antiphon is in the first mode, the psalm tone for this mode is chosen, but provided with an ending on G rather than the final D, so that it may lead back easily into the first notes, E-G, of the antiphon. This alternate ending is called a differentia (dif- ference). The conclusion of the antiphon brings the melody around to the final D. After the last verse of the psalm, the Lesser Doxology (from the Greek doxologia, a praising), beginning with the words Gloria Patri and end- ing with saeculorum. Amen, is sung to the same formula, This Doxology for- mula is often abbreviated “Euouae,” standing for the sound of the vowels in sAEcUIOrUm. AmEn. d) Antiphon: Redemptionem misit Dominus 2 Ant. via = = = ate = = = R Edempti- énem * mi-sit Dominus pépu-lo su- o:man- ar davit in atér-num — testamén-tum su- um. Euouae. Redemptionem misit Dominus populo suo, The Lord hath sent redemption to His people, mandavit in aeternum testamentum suum. He hath commanded his convenant for ever.