Quam pulchri sunt

General information

Motet for the feast of the Immaculate Conception.
Source of text is Song of Solomon 7:1-2,4-6.

Settings by composers

• Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
  • I SSATB (vv.1-2, including italicized parts)
  • II SATB (vv.1,4-6, excluding italicised parts)
  • III SATB (vv.1,4-6, excluding italicised parts)
• Tomás Luis de Victoria SATB (vv.1,4-6, excluding italicised parts)

Texts and Translations

Latin text 1  …quam pulchri sunt gressus tui in calciamentis filia principis iunctura feminum tuorum sicut monilia quae fabricata sunt manu artificis 2  umbilicus tuus crater tornatilis numquam indigens poculis venter tuus sicut acervus tritici vallatus liliis 4  collum tuum sicut turris eburnea oculi tui [divini]… 5  …et comae capitis tui sicut purpura regis… 6  quam pulchra es et quam decora carissima… Alleluia.

English translation 1  …How beautiful are thy steps in sandals, O prince's daughter! The joints of thy thighs are like jewels, that are made by the hand of a skillful workman. 2  Thy navel is like a round bowl never wanting cups. Thy belly is like a heap of wheat, set about with lilies. 4  Thy neck as a tower of ivory. Thy eyes [divine]… 5  …and the hairs of thy head as the purple of the king… 6  How beautiful art thou, and how comely, my dearest… Alleluia.