Pater peccavi

Pater peccavi is a responsory for the 2nd Saturday in Lent, but seems to have been set as a motet far more often than its liturgical use would require. In the modern 3-year lectionary, the Gospel of the Prodigal Son is read on Proper 19 of the third cycle (also known as Ordinary Time 24C). There is a Missa Pater peccavi by A. Gabrielli. English settings of the same text may be found at I will arise and go. See also The Prodigal Son (Elisha J. King)

External websites:

• L'Enfant prodigue at IMSLP:
  • Auber
  • Debussy
  • M. A. Charpentier (H399)
• The Prodigal Son - Sullivan

Notes on selected settings

Arnolt von Bruck a 4 Castro a 3 (Clemens non Papa a 4 — see Manchicourt 2nd setting below) Duarte Lobo SSATB or AATBarB (v. 1 only, Miserere mei in cantus fermus) Pierre de Manchicourt (two settings): 4vv, SATB — attributed to Clemens in some sources 5vv, SATTB

Bartolomeo Montalbano S solo & bc Padilla (a 5?) Porta a 4 Cipriano de Rore "Quanti mercenarii" ATTBarB (vv. 4-5-6, 1-2-3) Ruffo Senfl a 4, a 5

Settings by composers (automatically updated)

• Anonymous — Quanti mercenarii  Latin ATB
• Ippolito Baccusi — Quanti mercenarii  Latin SSATTB,AATTBB
• Jean de Castro — Pater peccavi  Latin SSATB
• Pierre Colin — Pater peccavi  Latin SSAB
• Jean Conseil — Pater peccavi  Latin ATTB
• Thomas Crecquillon — Pater peccavi / Quanti mercenarii  Latin SSAATTBB
• Andrea Gabrieli — Pater peccavi a 5  Latin SSATB
• Bartholomeus Gesius — Pater peccavi  Latin SSATTB
• Christian Hollander — Pater peccavi  Latin SATB
• Orlando di Lasso — Pater peccavi  Latin SSATB
• Duarte Lobo — Pater peccavi  Latin SSATB
• Pierre de Manchicourt — Pater peccavi (4vv)  Latin SATB,AATB
• Pierre de Manchicourt — Pater peccavi (5vv)  Latin STTTB,SATTB
• Tiburtio Massaino — Quanti mercenarii  Latin SATB
• Bartolomeo Montalbano — Pater peccavi  Latin Solo Soprano
• Cristóbal de Morales — Quanti mercenarii  Latin SAATTB
• Dominique Phinot — Pater peccavi  Latin STTTB, ATTTB, SAATB
• Francesco Portinaro — Quanti mercenarii  Latin SATTBB
• Michael Praetorius — Pater peccavi - Quanti mercenarii  Latin SSATB
• Cipriano de Rore — Quanti mercenarii  Latin ATTBB
• Ivo de Vento — Pater peccavi  Latin SSATB
• Adrian Willaert — Pater peccavi a 4  Latin SATB
• Adrian Willaert — Pater peccavi in coelum et coram te  Latin SAATTB
• Gregorio Zucchini — Pater Peccavi  Latin SATB

Text and translations

Latin text Pater peccavi in coelum et coram te. Iam non sum dignus vocari filius tuus, fac me sicut unum ex mercenariis tuis. Quanti mercenarii in domo Patris mei abundant panibus, ego autem hic fame pereo, Surgam, et ibo ad Patrem meum et dicam ei: fac me sicut unum ex mercenariis tuis.

English translation Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son: make me like one of your hired men. How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will arise and go to my father and say to him: 'Make me like one of your hired men.' (After Luke 15:17-19)