# Genevan Psalter



## Ben Chomp (Jul 18, 2019)

To me it's simply the best. The music is the most beautiful and the words are the most poetic. But I can't find a copy of it in book form (with words and music). Could anyone point me in the right direction?

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## Tom Hart (Jul 18, 2019)

Here's one, published in 2015. I'm not sure the words are the same as the one you're used to, though. These are newer translations.
https://www.amazon.com/New-Genevan-Psalter/dp/0887561055

If you're looking for the older versions, pick up a _Book of Praise_ published before the psalter linked above.


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## Logan (Jul 18, 2019)

Could you add a few more details? I'm aware of several psalters referred to as the "Genevan Psalter".

The original Genevan psalter would have been in French and incomplete. It may have been completed later. In recent years there was a "New Genevan Psalter" published, which may have used Geneva tunes but would be an English translation. I found copies on Amazon. It may be related to The Genevan Psalter Resource Center.

I thought there was a Dutch psalter referred to as the Geneva Psalter too, (which may or may not be the Anglo-Genevan Psalter as I've not managed to get a copy). 

Can you post what you are referring to?


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## Susan777 (Jul 18, 2019)

Ben Chomp said:


> To me it's simply the best. The music is the most beautiful and the words are the most poetic. But I can't find a copy of it in book form (with words and music). Could anyone point me in the right direction?


When and if you find out please post it here. I recently discovered the Genevan Psalter and music (Goudimel). I am eager to find more.


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## Ben Chomp (Jul 18, 2019)

Susan777 said:


> When and if you find out please post it here. I recently discovered the Genevan Psalter and music (Goudimel). I am eager to find more.



I just corresponded with the webmaster from www.genevanpsalter.com. He is working right now to send a new edition to print which should be ready in August. He will sell printed copies for a reasonable price. I'm getting one!

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## Ben Chomp (Jul 18, 2019)

Logan said:


> Could you add a few more details? I'm aware of several psalters referred to as the "Genevan Psalter".
> 
> The original Genevan psalter would have been in French and incomplete. It may have been completed later. In recent years there was a "New Genevan Psalter" published, which may have used Geneva tunes but would be an English translation. I found copies on Amazon. It may be related to The Genevan Psalter Resource Center.
> 
> ...



I suspect that the Anglo-Genevan or the Book of Praise might capture what I understand to be the Genevan Psalter. I'm talking about what's published in PDF form over at www.genevanpsalter.com. I'm interested in the original Goudimel settings with English translations informed by Calvin's renderings.


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## Tom Hart (Jul 18, 2019)

Ben Chomp said:


> I suspect that the Anglo-Genevan or the Book of Praise might capture what I understand to be the Genevan Psalter. I'm talking about what's published in PDF form over at www.genevanpsalter.com. I'm interested in the original Goudimel settings with English translations informed by Calvin's renderings.


The lyrics on that website, as stated by tbe webmaster, are reproduced with permission from the _Book of Praise: Anglo-Genevan Psalter_. (The tunes are in the public domain.) The more recent publication that I mentioned above, the _New Genevan Psalter_, uses different, newer translations that are intended to be more accurate to the biblical text; however, I find the newer versions quite a bit clunkier in terms of poetry.


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## Ben Chomp (Jul 18, 2019)

Tom Hart said:


> The lyrics on that website, as stated by tbe webmaster, are reproduced with permission from the _Book of Praise: Anglo-Genevan Psalter_. (The tunes are in the public domain.) The more recent publication that I mentioned above, the _New Genevan Psalter_, uses different, newer translations that are intended to be more accurate to the biblical text; however, I find the newer versions quite a bit clunkier in terms of poetry.



I'm afraid that the newer versions may also have corrupted Goudimel's settings. Adding time signatures and such.


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## Susan777 (Jul 18, 2019)

Ben Chomp said:


> I just corresponded with the webmaster from www.genevanpsalter.com. He is working right now to send a new edition to print which should be ready in August. He will sell printed copies for a reasonable price. I'm getting one!


Thank you. That is very good news.


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## TylerRay (Jul 18, 2019)

Ben Chomp said:


> To me it's simply the best. The music is the most beautiful and the words are the most poetic. But I can't find a copy of it in book form (with words and music). Could anyone point me in the right direction?


You can buy one new at a reasonable price here: http://bookofpraise.ca

The Book of Praise: Anglo-Genevan Psalter is the official song book of the Canadian Reformed Churches. It has the Three Forms of Unity in the back, too!


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## Guido's Brother (Jul 18, 2019)

Yes, the Canadian Reformed Churches (as well as the Free Reformed Churches of Australia where I currently serve) use the Genevan tunes for the psalms. Our Book of Praise contains 150 psalms set to the original Genevan melodies. Claude Goudimel's four-part settings came later and, so far as I know, weren't intended for congregational singing, but performance. I don't know of any church that has ever used Goudimel's settings in public worship. 

And yes, the renditions of the Psalms in our Book of Praise are more geared to faithfulness to the Hebrew text than to reproducing the French of the original Genevan Psalter in English. That's as it should be for congregational singing.

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## Tom Hart (Jul 18, 2019)

There's a chap on YouTube, Ernst Stolz, who's made it his project to complete instrumental recordings of the Genevan Psalter, on period instruments. These are top-notch recordings. Some of the videos, unfortunately, have violations of the Second Commandment. The video linked below, however, is free of them.

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## TylerRay (Jul 18, 2019)

Guido's Brother said:


> I don't know of any church that has ever used Goudimel's settings in public worship.


There are CREC churches that do.


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## Guido's Brother (Jul 18, 2019)

TylerRay said:


> There are CREC churches that do.



They must have talented singers. Are there any videos online of them doing it?


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## Tom Hart (Jul 18, 2019)

For those with interest in the Genevan Psalter, there is a CD available called "Psaumes de la Réforme". The recordings are by the Claude Goudimel Ensemble. The psalm and Scripture song selections are sung_ a capella_ in early modern French.

You can sample the tracks here:
https://www.amazon.com/Psaumes-Reforme-Christine-Morel/dp/B000QQPDE6

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## TylerRay (Jul 18, 2019)

Guido's Brother said:


> They must have talented singers. Are there any videos online of them doing it?


Here's an audio recording of Psalm 2 from Wilson's church in Moscow, ID. It's in their hymnal, along with some other Genevan Psalms.

https://www.christkirk.com/music/heathen-nations-vainly-rage-psalm-2/


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## Susan777 (Jul 18, 2019)

Tom Hart said:


> For those with interest in the Genevan Psalter, there is a CD available called "Psaumes de la Réforme". The recordings are by the Claude Goudimel Ensemble. The psalm and Scripture song selections are sung_ a capella_ in early modern French.
> 
> You can sample the tracks here:
> https://www.amazon.com/Psaumes-Reforme-Christine-Morel/dp/B000QQPDE6
> View attachment 6185


I had that CD but I lost it in a move


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## De Jager (Jul 18, 2019)

My fiancee was a member of a Canadian Reformed Church and taught at one of their schools. She is very familiar with the genevan psalter. I am too. I have a book of praise at home and love using it. Sometimes I find a good Dutch "orgel" accompaniment to sing along to on youtube. My favourite tunes is for Psalm 43.


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## Susan777 (Jul 21, 2019)

The Genevanpsalter.com is a great website. It is amazing that all of the parts of each psalm are sung by one man. It must have taken him a very long time but the end result is a treasure. My goal is to learn one psalm each Lord’s Day.

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## Jeri Tanner (Jul 21, 2019)

Perhaps someone on the PB knows the answer: why, when new psalters were translated in Scotland and England and Ireland, were the Genevan tunes not retained? (Of course a few were at least for the 1650).


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## Regi Addictissimus (Jul 21, 2019)

Susan777 said:


> The Genevanpsalter.com is a great website. It is amazing that all of the parts of each psalm are sung by one man. It must have taken him a very long time but the end result is a treasure. My goal is to learn one psalm each Lord’s Day.



Thank you for sharing. My wife and I are listening now.

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## Ben Chomp (Jul 21, 2019)

Jeri Tanner said:


> Perhaps someone on the PB knows the answer: why, when new psalters were translated in Scotland and England and Ireland, were the Genevan tunes not retained? (Of course a few were at least for the 1650).



Renaissance music lacks a time signature and is believed to be unsingable by modern people.

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