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Bicinia for the Genevan Psalter (Christoph Dalitz, 2009)

The Genevan Psalter is a collection of metrical psalm translations with melodies. It was edited by Johannes Calvin in the years 1539 to 1562, originally in the French language. It was soon translated into other languages and has been an important part of congregational singing until today. Moreover, the melodies have often been underlayed with different texts and are still in wide use today throughout the world in all churches.

The bicinia from this selection of twelve melodies (which result in 15 psalms because some melodies are used for several psalms in the Genvan Psalter) can be used in many different ways. For instance, they can be sung alternating with the congregation hymn, thereby combining the protestant psalm singing tradition with the monastic tradition of distributing the odd and even psalm verses between two groups. Another option is to sing the entire psalm with the choir, utilising the bicinia only for the even verses and to use Goudimel's or de L'Estocart's four part settings for the odd verses. With embellishments added, these bicinia also make nice instrumental pieces. As examples, I have also made arrangements for Renaissance lute or two recorders.

To allow for the most versatile use of these bicinia, I also make the abc source files available. These can be edited with the free music typesetting program flabc to underlay a possibly different text used in your parish hymn book. See the references at the bottom of this site for resources for translations of the Genevan psalter into different languages and for the meaning of the hymn book acronyms in the concordances given for each psalm.

Psalm 5 (Verba mea auribus percipe)

Incipit Psalm 5

Bicinium (AT) with cantus firmus in the lower voice:

Concordances: Psalm 64, RG 5

Psalm 9 (Confitebor tibi Domine)

Incipit Psalm 9

Bicinium (AT) with cantus firmus in the lower voice:

Concordances: GL 265

Psalm 36 (Dixit injustus ut delinquat)

Incipit Psalm 36

Bicinium (AT) with cantus firmus in the lower voice:

Concordances: Psalm 68, EG 76, EG 127, EG 281, RG 27, RG 44, RG 438, RG 503, GL 166, GL 289

Psalm 64 (Exaudi Deus orationem meam)

Incipit Psalm 5

Bicinium (AT) with cantus firmus in the lower voice:

Concordances: Psalm 5 (see there for an abc source file and further concordances)

Psalm 65 (Te decet hymnus Deus in Sion)

Incipit Psalm 65

Bicinium (AT) with cantus firmus in the lower voice:

Concordances: Psalm 72, RG 40

Psalm 72 (Deus judicium tuum regi da)

Incipit Psalm 72

Bicinium (AT) with cantus firmus in the lower voice:

Concordances: Psalm 65 (see there for an abc source file and further concordances)

Psalm 91 (Qui habitat in adjutorio Altissimi)

Incipit Psalm 91

Bicinium (AT) with cantus firmus in the lower voice:

Hints to concordances are welcome.

Psalm 96 (Cantate Domino canticum novum)

Incipit Psalm 96

Bicinium (AT) with cantus firmus in the lower voice:

Hints to concordances are welcome.

Psalm 98 (Cantate Domino canticum novum)

Incipit Psalm 98

Bicinium (AT) with cantus firmus in the lower voice:

Concordances: Psalm 66, Psalm 118, EG 245, EG 250, EG 279, EG 286, EG 294, RG 22, RG 41, RG 55, RG 75, GL 262, GL 269

Psalm 118 (Confitemini Domino quoniam bonus)

Incipit Psalm 118

Bicinium (AT) with cantus firmus in the lower voice:

Concordances: Psalm 98 (see there for an abc source file and further concordances)

Psalm 128 (Beati omnes qui timent Dominum)

Incipit Psalm 128

Bicinium (AT) with cantus firmus in the lower voice:

Concordances: RG 37, GL 302

Psalm 130 (De profundis clamavi)

Incipit Psalm 130

Bicinium (AT) with cantus firmus in the lower voice:

Concordances: EG 379, RG 696, GL 290, GL 489, GL 640

Psalm 132 (Memento Domine David)

Incipit Psalm 132

Bicinium (AT) with cantus firmus in the lower voice:

Hints to concordances are welcome.

Psalm 134 (Ecce nunc benedicite Dominum)

Incipit Psalm 134

Bicinium (AT) with cantus firmus in the lower voice:

Concordances: EG 140, EG 300, EG 413, EG 464, RG 89, RG 244, RG 517, RG 629, RG 638, GL 605

Psalm 138 (Confitebor tibi Domine)

Incipit Psalm 138

Bicinium (AT) with cantus firmus in the lower voice:

Concordances: RG 92, GL 264

References

The acronyms in the concordances stand for the following hymn books:

Additional background information and a description of the compositoric techniques are given in the following paper (in German):

Here are some resources for alternative metrical psalm translations that can be used with the music of these bicinia:

Settings of the Genevan psalm tunes for several parts can be found on the following sites: