Geneva Psalter
A series of early Reformed hymn books with rhyming psalm texts in French are called the Geneva Psalter or Huguenot Psalter . The collection is supplemented by the Ten Commandments and the hymn of praise of Simeon ( Nunc dimittis ). Earlier versions also contain the Creed ( Credo ).
The reformer Jean Calvin , who got to know the genre of the psalm song in Strasbourg, published a collection of psalm songs by Clément Marot as well as his own psalm poems there in 1539 . Expanded editions appeared in 1542, 1543 and 1551, respectively. Calvin later withdrew his own seals. He left the lyric implementation to the poet Marot and - after his death in 1544 - Théodore de Bèze .
It was Calvin's decision to use the Psalms as a basis for the text - the word of God was the only one suitable for worship. However, since the Latin medieval psalmody was part of "Roman superstition", Calvin organized the translation of the entire psalter into French and in the form of the verse song. In this case, the text (in contrast to Martin Luther's practice ) was only allowed to be written in poetry, but not expanded or even shortened.
Guillaume Franc , Loys Bourgeois and Pierre Davantès have been identified by Pierre Pidoux as the composers of the melodies. In 1562 the actual and final Geneva Psalter was published, which for the first time comprised a complete collection of all biblical psalms in French and in poetry, whereby Davantès was probably solely responsible for the musical design.
On the one hand Calvin wanted to make use of the flaming power of music, but on the other hand he attributed the danger to music of arousing human passions. With this in mind, he called for gravity and majesty (“poids et majesté”) in music. This is reflected in some of the typical characteristics of the melodies: They are kept very simple and simple, both in terms of their rhythm (usually only two different note values) and in terms of the melody (usually just steps or small tone jumps). Ligatures were avoided as far as possible, the three-way rhythm (dance rhythm!) Was forbidden, as was puncturing. The melodies come from different sources. Some have their origins in Gregorian chant , others in folk music, and some - regardless of theological tensions - are borrowed from Lutheran songs.
Through simple four-part choral movements by Claude Goudimel , in which the tenor took over the cantus firmus part, the Geneva Psalter achieved widespread use in the Reformed churches. Also of Claude Le Jeune come Chorsätze the Psalter. However, these arrangements did not correspond to Calvin's original idea, as he had even forbidden polyphonic singing in church.
Before the end of the century, the Psalter had been translated into numerous languages such as German, Dutch and English. Ambrosius Lobwasser published a German translation of the Geneva Psalter in 1573. It became the authoritative hymn book of the German-speaking Reformed congregations until it was superseded by the psalm poems by Matthias Jorissen (1798) at the time of rationalism .
The Geneva Psalter is still in use in Germany today by the EKD. Some of the texts have been modernized, and so today there are texts in the EGref by z. B. Alfred Rauhaus or Gerhard Fooken .
Popular music appraisal
The Evangelical Reformed Church in Germany had Huguenot psalms set to music and rearranged for the Reformation anniversary in 2017 , as it did on the 500th birthday of the reformer Johannes Calvin in 2009. The Berlin church musician Michael Schütz arranged 17 psalms for seven songbooks (versions for choirs, wind ensembles, organ, guitar and drums as well as bands) under the title “His praise will inflame you” .
In a concert on October 12, 2014, the regional church, under the presidency of Martin Heimbucher and the musical direction of the regional trombonist Helga Hoogland, presented the newly arranged psalms and their possible uses in Emden (East Frisia). On June 28, 2015, the musicians involved in the recording presented an audio CD during a public concert in the Old Church on the market (Nordhorn) .
From June 3rd to 5th, 2016, the EPiD organized the second Evangelical German Trumpet Day (DEPT 2016) in Dresden. In determining the “Top Ten Trombone Choir Hits of the Last 1000 Years”, Michael Schütz's arrangement for Psalm 71 - Lord, you are my help on earth - came fourth among 63 finalists and was chosen by 1,913 trombone choirs .
The 17 compositions by Michael Schütz can be played with 30 psalms as well as 20 songs from the EC main part .
Main psalm and title | same melody | Melody jump | Re-calculation | Popular version |
---|---|---|---|---|
Psalm 8 - Lord our God, blessed be your name | EG (parent part): 160, 271, 309, 392, 462 | Strasbourg / Geneva (1542)
Geneva (1551) |
Alfred Rauhaus
(1991) |
2013 |
Psalm 23b - God is my shepherd, I am not lacking in good | Psalm: 74, 116 | Geneva (1562) | Petrus Georg Bartels
(1832–1907) |
2008 |
Psalm 25 - My soul rises on earth | EG (Annex West): 615 | Geneva (1551) | Matthias Jorissen
(1793) |
2008 |
Psalm 33 - Shout out, everyone, God be exalted high | EG (Annex West): 616
Psalm: 67 |
Geneva (1551) | Matthias Jorissen
(1793) |
2013 |
Psalm 42 - Like the deer in muggy weather | EG (parent part): 524, 298
Psalm: 126 |
Geneva (1551) | Matthias Jorissen
(1793) |
2008 |
Psalm 62 - In God my soul is still | EG (Annex West): 614
Psalm: 24, 95, 111 |
Strasbourg / Geneva (1542)
Lyon (1548) |
Matthias Jorissen
(1793) |
2013 |
Psalm 68 - Arise, our God | EG (parent part): 76 , 90, 127, 281
Psalm: 36 |
Geneva (1551) | Matthias Jorissen
(1793) |
2008 |
Psalm 71 - Lord, you are my help on earth | EG (main part): 255, 490
EG (Annex West): 532, 683 Psalm: 140 |
Lyon (1548) | Schaffhauser Psalms Book
(1663) |
2008 |
Psalm 84 - How lovely, Mr. Zebaoth | EG (main part): 282 | Geneva (1562) | Matthias Jorissen
(1793) |
2008 |
Psalm 98 - Sing, sing new songs to the Lord | EG (parent part): 245, 250, 279, 286, 294
Psalm: 66, 118 |
Geneva (1551) | Matthias Jorissen
(1793) |
2008 |
Psalm 105 - Thanks, thanks to the Lord | Ground floor (main part): 290 | Geneva (1562) | Matthias Jorissen
(1793) |
2013 |
Psalm 107 - Give thanks, thank the Lord | EG (Annex West): 627 | Geneva (1551) | Matthias Jorissen
(1793) |
2013 |
Psalm 119 - O blessed are they in righteousness | - | Geneva (1551) | Matthias Jorissen
(1793) |
2008 |
Psalm 124 - Sing, God's people | - | Geneva (1551) | Matthias Jorissen
(1793) |
2013 |
Psalm 138 - All my heart exalt you | EG (Annex West): 634 | Geneva (1551) | Matthias Jorissen
(1793) |
2013 |
Psalm 142 - I cry to the Lord in a loud voice | Psalm: 100, 131 | Geneva (1551) | Matthias Jorissen
(1793) |
2013 |
Psalm 150 - Hallelujah God the Lord | - | Geneva (1562) | Matthias Jorissen
(1793) |
2014 |
literature
- Peter Ernst Bernoulli, Frieder Furler (ed.): The Geneva Psalter. A journey of discovery . 2nd revised edition. TVZ, Zurich 2005, ISBN 3-290-17226-0 ( limited preview in the Google book search).
- Eckhard Grunewald, Henning P. Jürgens, Jan R. Luth (eds.): The Geneva Psalter and its reception in Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands: 16. – 18. Century . Niemeyer, Tübingen 2004, ISBN 3-484-36598-6 ( limited preview in the Google book search).
- Judith I. Haug: The Geneva Psalter in the Netherlands, Germany, England and the Ottoman Empire (16th - 18th centuries). Schneider, Tutzing 2010, ISBN 978-3-7952-1300-8 (Zugl .: Tübingen, Univ., Diss., 2008).
- Henning P. Jürgens: The Geneva Psalter - Europe-wide cultural transfer, denominational culture and European literatures , in: European History Online , ed. from the Institute for European History (Mainz) , 2010, urn : nbn: de: 0159-20100921251 .
- Heinz Dietrich Metzger: Psalms and psalm songs . In: Siegfried Bauer (Hrsg.): Trying and Studying - textbook for basic training in Protestant church music . 2nd corrected edition. Strube, Munich 1998, ISBN 3-921946-29-8 .
- Pierre Pidoux: Le Psautier Huguenot , Vol I / II, Basel 1962, OCLC 17708979 .
- His praise will inflame you: psalm melodies of the Reformation arranged in a popular way. ISMN 979-0-9000062-0-2 (search in DNB portal) : complete score; Wind score in C; Four-part choral setting with piano part; Organ part; Band score; Parts book guitars / drums; Additional parts book in Bb and Eb
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Andrew Wilson-Dickson: Sacred Music - Your Great Traditions - From Psalms to Gospel . Brunnen, Giessen 1994, ISBN 3-7655-6339-0 , p. 66.
- ^ Reformiert-info.de - psalm melodies arranged in a modern way. Retrieved April 4, 2020 .
- ↑ Psalms CD presented in the old church. Retrieved April 4, 2020 .
- ↑ News about DEPT 2016 - Hit parade “Best Sheet Metal” - DEPT. Retrieved April 4, 2020 .