Bicinia for the Genevan Psalter (Christoph Dalitz, 2009)
- Disposition: two parts (AT) a capella
- Composer: Melody: Genevan Psalter, two part setting: Christoph Dalitz
- First Publication: 2009
- License: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike
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)
Bicinium (AT) with cantus firmus in the lower voice:
- German version with the text by Lobwasser (1579)
- French version with the original text from the 1542 Genevan psalter
- abc source file for making custom text adaptions or transpositions
- Audio sample of an embellished version, played on the lute
Concordances: Psalm 64, RG 5
Psalm 9 (Confitebor tibi Domine)
Bicinium (AT) with cantus firmus in the lower voice:
- German version with the text by Lobwasser (1579)
- French version with the original text from the 1542 Genevan psalter
- English version with the text from the Psalter of the United Presbyterian Church (1878)
- abc source file for making custom text adaptions or transpositions
Concordances: GL 265
Psalm 36 (Dixit injustus ut delinquat)
Bicinium (AT) with cantus firmus in the lower voice:
- German version with the text by Lobwasser (1579)
- French version with the original text from the 1551 Genevan psalter
- abc source file for making custom text adaptions or transpositions
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)
Bicinium (AT) with cantus firmus in the lower voice:
- German version with the text by Lobwasser (1579)
Concordances: Psalm 5 (see there for an abc source file and further concordances)
Psalm 65 (Te decet hymnus Deus in Sion)
Bicinium (AT) with cantus firmus in the lower voice:
- German version with the text by Lobwasser (1579)
- abc source file for making custom text adaptions or transpositions
Concordances: Psalm 72, RG 40
Psalm 72 (Deus judicium tuum regi da)
Bicinium (AT) with cantus firmus in the lower voice:
- German version with the text by Lobwasser (1579)
- French version with the original text from the 1551 Genevan psalter
Concordances: Psalm 65 (see there for an abc source file and further concordances)
Psalm 91 (Qui habitat in adjutorio Altissimi)
Bicinium (AT) with cantus firmus in the lower voice:
- German version with the text by Lobwasser (1579)
- French version with the original text from the 1551 Genevan psalter
- abc source file for making custom text adaptions or transpositions
Hints to concordances are welcome.
Psalm 96 (Cantate Domino canticum novum)
Bicinium (AT) with cantus firmus in the lower voice:
- German version with the text by Lobwasser (1579)
- abc source file for making custom text adaptions or transpositions
Hints to concordances are welcome.
Psalm 98 (Cantate Domino canticum novum)
Bicinium (AT) with cantus firmus in the lower voice:
- German version with the text by Lobwasser (1579)
- English version with the text from the Psalter of the United Presbyterian Church (1878)
- abc source file for making custom text adaptions or transpositions
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)
Bicinium (AT) with cantus firmus in the lower voice:
- German version with the text by Lobwasser (1579)
- French version with the original text from the 1551 Genevan psalter
- English version with the text from "The Scottish Psalter" (1635)
Concordances: Psalm 98 (see there for an abc source file and further concordances)
Psalm 128 (Beati omnes qui timent Dominum)
Bicinium (AT) with cantus firmus in the lower voice:
- German version with the text by Lobwasser (1579)
- French version with the original text from the 1551 Genevan psalter
- abc source file for making custom text adaptions or transpositions
Concordances: RG 37, GL 302
Psalm 130 (De profundis clamavi)
Bicinium (AT) with cantus firmus in the lower voice:
- German version with the text by Lobwasser (1579)
- French version with the original text from the 1551 Genevan psalter
- English version with the text by Ravenscroft (1621)
- abc source file for making custom text adaptions or transpositions
Concordances: EG 379, RG 696, GL 290, GL 489, GL 640
Psalm 132 (Memento Domine David)
Bicinium (AT) with cantus firmus in the lower voice:
- German version with the text by Lobwasser (1579)
- French version with the original text from the 1551 Genevan psalter
- abc source file for making custom text adaptions or transpositions
Hints to concordances are welcome.
Psalm 134 (Ecce nunc benedicite Dominum)
Bicinium (AT) with cantus firmus in the lower voice:
- German version with the text by Lobwasser (1579)
- French version with the original text from the 1551 Genevan psalter
- English version with the text of "The Old Hundredth" from Sternhold & Hopkins' Psalter (1562)
- abc source file for making custom text adaptions or transpositions
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)
Bicinium (AT) with cantus firmus in the lower voice:
- German version with the text by Lobwasser (1579)
- French version with the original text from the 1551 Genevan psalter
- abc source file for making custom text adaptions or transpositions
Concordances: RG 92, GL 264
References
The acronyms in the concordances stand for the following hymn books:
- EG = Evangelisches Gesangbuch (1993)
- RG = Reformiertes Gesangbuch (1998)
- GL = Gotteslob, katholisches Gebet- und Gesangbuch (1975)
Additional background information and a description of the compositoric techniques are given in the following paper (in German):
- C. Dalitz: Ricercare zum Genfer Psalter. Lauten-Info 1/2011, pp. 14-18, Deutsche Lautengesellschaft e.V. (2011)
Here are some resources for alternative metrical psalm translations that can be used with the music of these bicinia:
- The primary source for my edition was the German translation of the Genevan psalter by Ambrosius Lobwasser from 1579. Many thanks to the Herzog August Bibliothek Wolfenbüttel for making this print availabe as an online facsimile.
- A French edition of the Genevan psalter from 1562 has been made available by the French national library as an online facsimile.
- An online Urtext edition of Philips van Marnix' Dutch translation from 1580 is available from the Digitale Bibliotheek voor de Nederlandse Letteren.
- A great collection of English metrical psalters that are in the public domain is accessible on Jim Ross' site Music for the Church of God. Even though these psalters are not direct translations of the Genevan psalters and use different meters for the individual psalms, there are nevertheless a few psalms with fitting meters.
- Modern English psalters that fit the Genevan tunes have been published by the Canadian Reformed Churches ("Book of Praise") and by David T. Koyzis. These texts are copyrighted. Make sure to read their licensing terms before using them, or ask their publishers if in doubt.
Settings of the Genevan psalm tunes for several parts can be found on the following sites:
- In Goudimel's settings, the melody is sung by the tenor part. An arrangement of all settings in such a way that the melody is moved to the soprano part can be found in Michael Owen's Genevan Psalter Resource Center in the section "Music & Lyrics". There is also an edition of selected psalms in Goudimels different setting by Christof Biebricher.
- The English psalter by Thomas Ravenscroft is available from Greg Lindahl's website. It contains four part settings, some of which use the Genevan psalm tunes ("French Tunes") in the tenor part.