Virgo prudentissima

General information

Virgo prudentissima is the Magnificat antiphon at First Vespers of the Feast of the Assumption (Aug. 15). The setting by Isaac adds a long trope in honor of Maximilian I.

Settings by composers

Francesco Bianciardi SSATTB Jhan Billon STTTB Arnold von Bruck STT Floriano Canale SAATTB Clemens non Papa a 6 Pedro de Cristo AATB Dominicus TBarBarB or ATTB (with concluding Alleluya) Elzear Genet (Carpentras) ATTB Francisco Guerrero a 4 (high clefs) SATB Johann Michael Haydn MH 635 SATB, 2 trumpets, timpani, 2 violins, bc Heinrich Isaac SATTTB

Jacquet de Mantua a 5 Josquin des Prez a 4 Pierre Manchicourt a 4 Exaltata est Sancta Dei genitrix by Cristóbal de Morales includes the antiphon in one voice (of 6). Thomas Morley a 5 Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina a 7 with 2nda pars Maria virgo Nicolas Payen ATTB Hilaire Penet SAATB Peter Philips (1. pars Gaude Maria virgo) SSATB Andrea Rota SAATTB Ludwig Senfl SATB

Other settings possibly not included in the manual list above

• Jacobus Clemens non Papa — Virgo prudentissima

Text and translations

Latin text Virgo prudentissima, quo progrederis, quasi aurora valde rutilans? Filia Sion, tota formosa et suavis es: pulchra ut luna, electa ut sol.

English translation Virgin most wise, where are you going, shining out as brightly as the dawn? Daughter of Sion, you are most comely and merciful, beautiful as the moon, excellent as the sun.