GENEVAN 100

Composer: Louis Bourgeois

Louis Bourgeois (b. Paris, France, c. 1510; d. Paris, 1561). In both his early and later years Bourgeois wrote French songs to entertain the rich, but in the history of church music he is known especially for his contribution to the Genevan Psalter. Apparently moving to Geneva in 1541, the same year John Calvin returned to Geneva from Strasbourg, Bourgeois served as cantor and master of the choristers at both St. Pierre and St. Gervais, which is to say he was music director there under the pastoral leadership of Calvin. Bourgeois used the choristers to teach the new psalm tunes to the congregation. The extent of Bourgeois's involvement in the Genevan Psalter is a matter of scholar­ly debate. Calvin had published several partial psalter… Go to person page >

Tune Information

Title: GENEVAN 100
Composer: Louis Bourgeois (1551)
Meter: 8.8.8.8
Incipit: 12732 17151 71332
Key: a minor
Copyright: Public Domain

Texts

All People That on Earth Do Dwell

When I Survey the Wondrous Cross

When I survey the wondrous cross
on which the Prince of glory died,
my richest gain I count but loss,
and pour contempt on all my pride.

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Let Every Voice on Earth Resound

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, 1988

Timeline

Media

A New Version of the Psalms of David: Fitted to the Tunes Used in Churches #T2b
Psalter Hymnal (Gray) #100
Text: All People That on Earth Do Dwell
  • Bulletin Score (melody only) (PDF)
  • Full Score (PDF, XML)

Instances

Instances (1 - 2 of 2)

Psalms for All Seasons #100C

Text InfoTune InfoTextScoreAudio

Psalter Hymnal (Gray) #100

Include 5 pre-1979 instances
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