Early this morning, I attended a Rorate Mass at which the following motet by the Spanish composer Cristobal Morales (1500-53) was sung during Communion after the Gregorian Communio; the texts overlap, but the motet version is longer: “Ecce virgo concipiet et pariet filium, et vocabitur nomen ejus: Admirabilis, Deus Fortis. Super solium David, et super regnum ejus sedebit in aeternum. – Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called: Wonderful, Mighty God. Over the throne of David, and over his kingdom, he will reign in eternity.”
The Gregorian version, which has just the word “Emmanuel” after “nomen ejus.”The Introit of this Mass, the Saturday Votive of the Virgin Mary in Advent, is borrowed from the 4th Sunday of Advent, but with a different psalm verse: on the Sunday, the first verse of Psalm 18, at the Rorate Mass, of Psalm 84. Before the Tridentine reform, however, on both occasions, it was sung with the rest of the verse of Isaiah, 45, 8, that follows the text of the Introit, a custom which has been preserved by the Dominican Order.
Introitus Roráte, caeli, désuper, et nubes pluant justum: aperiátur terra, et gérminet Salvatórem. V. Et justitia oriátur simul; ego Dóminus creávi eum. Glória Patri... Sicut erat... Roráte, caeli ...
Introit Drop down dew, ye heavens from above, and let the clouds rain the Just one. V. And let justice arise together; I the Lord have created him. Glory be... As it was... Drop down dew...
