Senex puerum portabat

General Information

Antiphon to the Magnificat at First Vespers for the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The first two lines also form the Alleluia verse to the Gradual for Mass of the same feast.

Notes on selected settings

William Byrd a 4 ATTB & SATB a 5 SSATB & SATTB

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina SSATB (with secunda pars Hodie beata virgo) Christopher Upton SSATB Alleluia Verse text only

Settings by composers (automatically updated)

• William Byrd — Senex puerum portabat (a 5)  Latin SSATB
• William Byrd — Senex puerum portabat a 4  Latin ATTB, SATB
• Eliseo Ghibel — Senex puerum portabat  Latin STTBB
• Giovanni Giorgi — Senex puerum portabat  Latin SATB
• Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina — Senex puerum portabat  Latin AATBB,SSATB
• Christopher Upton — Senex puerum portabat  Latin SSATB
• Curtio Valcampi — Senex puerum portabat a 6  Latin SAATTB
• Tomás Luis de Victoria — Senex puerum portabat  Latin SATB

Text and translations

Latin text Senex puerum portabat: puer autem senem regebat: quem virgo peperit, et post partum virgo permansit: ipsum quem genuit, adoravit.

English translation An ancient held up an Infant, but the Infant upheld the ancient. A Child he was that a Virgin bore, and kept her as Virgin evermore. The one whom she brought forth, she did adore. Translation by David Fraser An old man carried the child, yet the child ruled the old man. Him whom the virgin had borne - after which she remained for ever a virgin - she herself worshipped. Translation by Mick Swithinbank The old man carried the child, but the child ruled the old man; him whom the Virgin brought forth, and after childbirth remained a virgin him whom she bore, she adored. Translation by William Mahrt

Spanish translation (En la fiesta de la Purificación de la Virgen María) El anciano llevaba al Niño, pero el Niño guiaba al anciano: al que una Virgen dio a luz sin perder la virginidad después del parto, al mismo que engendró, lo adoró. Translation by Alejandro Borrego Pérez