GENEVAN 100

Composer: Louis Bourgeois

Loys "Louis" Bourgeois (c.1510–1560) was a French composer and music theorist of the Renaissance. He is most famous as one of the main compilers of Calvinist hymn tunes in the middle of the 16th century. One of the most famous melodies in all of Christendom, the Protestant doxology known as the Old 100th, is commonly attributed to him. Next to nothing is known about his early life. His first publication, some secular chansons, dates from 1539 in Lyon. By 1545 he had gone to Geneva (according to civic records) and become a music teacher there. In 1547 he was granted citizenship in Geneva, and in that same year he also published his first four-voice psalms. In 1549 and 1550 he worked on a collections of psalm-tunes, most of which were… Go to person page >

Harmonizer (alt. harm.): Claude Goudimel

Claude Goudimel (c. 1514 to 1520 – between 28 August and 31 August 1572) was a French composer, music editor and publisher, and music theorist of the Renaissance. Claude Goudimel was born in Besançon. Few details of his life are known until he is documented in Paris in 1549, where he was studying at the University of Paris; in that year he also published a book of chansons. In the early 1550s he worked with printer Nicolas Du Chemin, and may have still been studying at the University of Paris until 1555; by 1555 he was also Du Chemin's partner in the publishing business. Goudimel moved to Metz in 1557, converting to Protestantism, and is known to have been associated with the Huguenot cause there; however he left Metz due to the in… Go to person page >

Harmonizer: Dale Grotenhuis

Grotenhuis grew up in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC) and graduated from Calvin College with a music major. He obtained his Master's degree in music from Michigan State University and completed doctoral studies at Ohio State University. While in the Army, he was chief music arranger for the 2nd Army Band and conducted its Male Chorus. Before coming to Dordt, Grotenhuis taught music at Christian high schools in Washington and Michigan. Under his direction, the Dordt College concert choir participated in annual tours that took members throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. He loved the church and the music of the church. His favorite song was "All Glory Be to God on High". http://www.dordt.edu (last two sentences from… Go to person page >

Tune Information

Composer: Louis Bourgeois (1551)
Harmonizer (alt. harm.): Claude Goudimel (1564)
Harmonizer: Dale Grotenhuis (1985)
Meter: 8.8.8.8
Key: g minor
Copyright: Harmonization © 1987, CRC Publications

Notes

GENEVAN 100, by Louis Bourgeois (PHH 3), was first a setting for Psalm 131 in the 1551 edition of the Genevan Psalter; in the 1562 edition it was set to Psalms 100 and 142 as well. This is the second Genevan tune in the Phrygian mode (see also GENEVAN 51 at 51). Many people will associate Kethe's text with GENEVAN 134, the tune chosen in the Anglo-Genevan Psalter for Psalm 100 (hence GENEVAN 134 is usually named OLD HUNDREDTH). GENEVAN 100 is of more rhythmic interest and is worth the additional effort that may be required to learn and sing it well, though OLD HUNDREDTH is a useful alternative tune.

This tune needs a majestic performance and bright organ support. Two harmonizations are given: one from 1985 by Dale Grotenhuis (PHH 4) and, on the next page, a 1554 setting by Claude Goudimel (PHH 6) with the melody in the tenor. The latter is useful as a choral setting (perhaps on stanza 2) or as an alternative organ accompaniment. Another setting of Psalm 100 is at 176.

--Psalter Hymnal Handbook

Media

Psalter Hymnal (Gray) #100
Text: All People That on Earth Do Dwell

Instances

Instances (2)TextImageAudioScore
Psalms for All Seasons: a complete Psalter for worship #100CImage
Psalter Hymnal (Gray) #100TextImageAudioScore