Vocem iucunditatis annuntiate, et audiatur, alleluia: nuntiate usque ad extremum terrae: liberavit Dominus populum suum, alleluia, alleluia.
“Make the voice of joy known, and it will be heard, hallelujah; make it known to the end of the earth: The Lord has liberated his people, hallelujah, hallelujah.” (Is 48:20)
Click here to listen to an audio of the chant.
Sung by Liborius Lumma, Innsbruck (Austria).
Surprise: The liturgical order presents us this chant twice within twelve days: We already had it on May 14, the Feast of St. Matthias. And since my personal approach has not changed since then, here are my thoughts again:
The “joy” of this chant lies in its 3rd mode, which is often used for exuberant messages – not always easy to sing, to say the least in the name of cantors suffering the 3rd mode. The highest pitches can be found in usque ad extremum terrae (“to the end of the earth”), and all those high notes make the joy spreading over the world heard. And the final alleluia is remarkably long, as if the joy should never end.
By the way: It is not fear that Christians are supposed to bring to the world, but joy.
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