This edition was prepared by Raymond Nagem — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
An ape, a lion, a fox and an ass, Z 241
Staff Notation • Secular, Canons
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An ape, a lion, a fox and an ass, Z 241 by Henry Purcell — Lyrics
An Ape, a Lion, a Fox, and an Ass,
Do shew forth Man's Life as it were in a Glass:
For Apish we are till Twenty and one,
And after that, Lions till Forty be gone;
Then witty as Foxes till Threescore and Ten,
but after that Asses, and so no more Men.
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About An ape, a lion, a fox and an ass, Z 241
Henry Purcell's canon An ape, a lion, a fox and an ass is a witty exploration of the stages of human life, sung by three equal voices in English. The text humorously compares men to an ape, lion, fox, and ass through different age brackets, and women to a dove, sparrow, parrot, and crow. The piece uses the round form to emphasize the cyclical and perhaps inevitable nature of these life stages. Its secular, madrigal-like character offers a light-hearted yet insightful commentary on human existence, making it a charming addition to a mixed-voice programme.
