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.

Settings by composers

Arnolt von Bruck a 4 Castro a 3 (Clemens non Papa a 4 — see Manchicourt 2nd setting below) Ippolito Baccusi "Quanti mercenarii" SSATTB or AATTBB Jean de Castro SSATB Pierre Colin SSAB Jean Conseil ATTB Thomas Crecquillon "Quanti mercenarii" SSAATTBB Andrea Gabrieli SSATB Bartholomeus Gesius SSATTB Christian Hollander SATB Orlando di Lasso SSATB Duarte Lobo SSATB or AATBarB (v. 1 only, Miserere mei in cantus fermus) All editions withdrawn Pierre de Manchicourt (two settings): 4vv, SATB — attributed to Clemens in some sources 5vv, SATTB

Tiburtio Massaino "Quanti mercenarii" SATB Bartolomeo Montalbano S solo & bc Cristóbal de Morales "Quanti mercenarii" SAATTB Padilla (a 5?) Dominique Phinot STTTB Porta a 4 Francesco Portinaro SATTBB Michael Praetorius SSATB Cipriano de Rore "Quanti mercenarii" ATTBarB (vv. 4-5-6, 1-2-3) Ruffo Senfl a 4, a 5 Ivo de Vento SSATB Adrian Willaert a 4 SATB a 6 SAATTB

See also

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

Other settings possibly not included in the manual list above

• Anonymous — Quanti mercenarii

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)