# Favorite Common-Meter Psalm Tune?



## TexanRose (Mar 26, 2010)

What are your favorite common meter Psalm tunes?

I really enjoy the plaintive or minor psalm tunes. Examples would be St. Kilda or St. Neot, etc. 

Others I like are Ayrshire, Belmont, Contemplation, and Torwood. Ayrshire and Torwood sound particularly "Scottish" to me for some reason, perhaps because I've heard them sung to greatest effect when we had Scottish visitors. 

I'd be happy to hear your favorites and why.


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## au5t1n (Mar 26, 2010)

Too many to list!

---------- Post added at 04:46 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:32 PM ----------

Okay, I'll contribute Dunlapscreek and Ostend.


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## TexanRose (Mar 26, 2010)

Hey Austin, I don't see either of those in my psalter. What psalter do you use? I use the Scottish Psalmody (1650) published by the Free Church of Scotland.


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## au5t1n (Mar 26, 2010)

I am relatively new to psalms. I have a CD of Psalms from the Scottish Psalter (1650), and those tunes are on the CD. They sing Psalm 137:1-6 to the tune of Dunlapscreek and Psalm 103:1-7 to the tune of Ostend. It could be that they are not original tunes. I do have some of the ones you mentioned on the CD, though, such as St. Kilda.


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## Idelette (Mar 26, 2010)

Great topic, Sharon! I'm still learning the tunes, but from the ones we've sang at church my absolutely favorite is Orlington! I also really like Belmont, Glasgow, Effingham, French, and Eastgate. There are many more that I like but I can't remember the names!


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## au5t1n (Mar 26, 2010)

I also know some psalms from the RPCNA's Book of Psalms for Singing. My favorite is Psalm 102A (I don't know the tune name). It's gorgeous, but it's not in common meter.


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## ADKing (Mar 26, 2010)

I really love "Free Church" Free Church of Scotland


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## Idelette (Mar 26, 2010)

ADKing said:


> I really love "Free Church" Free Church of Scotland


 
That is lovely, I forgot about that one, thanks for sharing!


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## ADKing (Mar 26, 2010)

I also really like Lochbroom Audio mp3 Recording Psalm 107 v23-31 sung to Lochbroom 

And Martyrs http://www.psalter.com/psalmtunes/1-56_Psalm_22b_(22_1-10)_Martyrs_C_M.mp3


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## 21st Century Calvinist (Mar 26, 2010)

Dunlapscreek is very similar to Babel's Streams in the Scottish Psalter (FCS 1977), which is a recommended tune for Ps 137.
My favorites are Stracathro and New Lydia. 
I listen frequently to that rendition of Ps 107 to Lochbroom- it's a beautiful tune to amazing words.


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## Augusta (Mar 26, 2010)

Currently I like Gainsborough and Salzburg. These don't quite do them justice but you can get the melody. GAINSBOROUGH.mp3 Salzburg.mid


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## TexanRose (Mar 26, 2010)

austinww said:


> I also know some psalms from the RPCNA's Book of Psalms for Singing. My favorite is Psalm 102A (I don't know the tune name). It's gorgeous, but it's not in common meter.


 
I used to go to the RPCNA so I have the Psalter...I had to look that one up, but yeah, I like it too!

And thanks, Donnie, for connecting Dunlapscreek with Babel's Streams; I thought the name sounded familiar, and sure enough I've heard the two compared before. Good tune.

And I found Ostend in my RPCNA Psalter (to 116A): it's a common meter doubled. I like that one too.


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## Glenn Ferrell (Mar 27, 2010)

Stroudwater is one of my favorites.

I also like Bethesda, a fairly recent tune by Calum Martin found on a Free Church Psalm CD Orain Saorsa and used with Psalm 31.


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## VictorBravo (Mar 27, 2010)

Evan, at least for tonight.


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## RTaron (Mar 27, 2010)

I recorded myself singing all four parts to the tune St. Paul sining the words to Ps. 122
It is hard to pick a favorite. I really like Torwood and Dunfermline.

Or the plaintive tune of Bangor to Psalm 22.

Does anyone know Garelochisde? 
Here it is to Psalm 67


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## Backwoods Presbyterian (Mar 27, 2010)

Finlandia


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## TexanRose (Mar 27, 2010)

RTaron said:


> I recorded myself singing all four parts to the tune St. Paul sining the words to Ps. 122
> It is hard to pick a favorite. I really like Torwood and Dunfermline.
> 
> Or the plaintive tune of Bangor to Psalm 22.
> ...


 
Nice recordings, thanks for the links!

I also like Dumferline and Bangor. Lots of good ones being mentioned here; I'm having fun looking them up.


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## LawrenceU (Mar 27, 2010)

I reckon I'm simple. My favourites are Martyrdom and Crimond.


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## JennyG (Mar 27, 2010)

The most spinetinglingly Scottish one I know is Martyrs. It's so grimly earnest sung to "O send thy light forth and thy truth" you can imagine Backwoods Presbyterian's avatar singing it, marching into battle for a righteous cause, with a Bible in one hand and a sword in the other. London New is like the same tune, but with a dreamy smile on it. I think what makes them Scottish-sounding is those uncompromising leaps up and down. 
You did say Common Metre..? That disqualifies Finlandia then, Benjamin! Though I'm interested to think of it as a psalm tune. I've never heard it sung to anything but the hymn "Be still, my soul"

---------- Post added at 05:13 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:09 PM ----------

Kedron is very beautiful, too


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## 21st Century Calvinist (Mar 27, 2010)

Jenny,
Sing Psalms from the Free Church of Scotland has some 10 10 10 10 10 10 meter tunes (80b, 46b). Finlandia is a good fit of words and tune for both of these. However, Finlandia is not in the music edition of Sing Psalms. Not sure why. The tune is also used for the hymn, We Rest on Thee.

Several years ago now I remember one Sunday evening in Buccleuch Free Church in Edinburgh we sang Psalm 51 to the tune St Mary. It was so beautiful and reverent that for a couple of the verses I stood with my eyes closed and listened. Even just the memory of it is wonderful.


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## Willem van Oranje (Mar 27, 2010)

The tune to "Gilligan's Island". Note: it's a great match for Psalm 114.


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## JennyG (Mar 27, 2010)

21st Century Calvinist said:


> Jenny,
> Sing Psalms from the Free Church of Scotland has some 10 10 10 10 10 10 meter tunes (80b, 46b). Finlandia is a good fit of words and tune for both of these. However, Finlandia is not in the music edition of Sing Psalms. Not sure why. The tune is also used for the hymn, We Rest on Thee.
> 
> Several years ago now I remember one Sunday evening in Buccleuch Free Church in Edinburgh we sang Psalm 51 to the tune St Mary. It was so beautiful and reverent that for a couple of the verses I stood with my eyes closed and listened. Even just the memory of it is wonderful.


I expect I'm defining "Common Metre" differently from you, then, Donnie. What I meant by it was purely what you've got a beautiful example of at the bottom of your post..."You filled my heart with greater joy...", which would fit "Crimond" but not (the tune I think of as) Finlandia.
But I'd better shut up - I don't think I can keep my end up discussing Scottish tunes with anyone called Donnie MacLeod!!
What are you doing so far from Skye or Lewis?

---------- Post added at 08:30 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:28 PM ----------

I agree about Stracathro


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## TexanRose (Mar 27, 2010)

JennyG said:


> The most spinetinglingly Scottish one I know is Martyrs. It's so grimly earnest sung to "O send thy light forth and thy truth" you can imagine Backwoods Presbyterian's avatar singing it, marching into battle for a righteous cause, with a Bible in one hand and a sword in the other. London New is like the same tune, but with a dreamy smile on it. I think what makes them Scottish-sounding is those uncompromising leaps up and down.


 
An excellent description of those two tunes! My youngest (three) loves London New. The other day he told me to listen, the clock was ticking London New! Except that he doesn't know the name, so he hummed it for me.


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## Glenn Ferrell (Mar 28, 2010)

Tune to Yellow Rose of Texas works as common meter double.


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## 21st Century Calvinist (Mar 28, 2010)

JennyG said:


> 21st Century Calvinist said:
> 
> 
> > Jenny,
> ...


 
Oh no Jenny, we are on the same page re common meter tunes. I was just wanting to say that Finlandia can and is used for psalms, albeit not the Scottish Psalter. Anyway, you're the musician. Aren't you an organist or piano tutor?
Yes, indeed I have Skye connections and my family live near there. Long story for another time.
I agree Martyrs is very Scottish. We tended to sing Ps 43 to Invocation in the Free Church. London New is a nice tune. That's a beautiful description- dreamy, so accurate.
Oh my, all this talk of Psalms. I'll be dreaming of mountains, hills, glens and the Free Church tonight. That will be pleasant.
Sometimes at work I hum these Psalm tunes. I am sure my co-workers and patients think me quite insane. If ya'll don't hear from me it is because they locked me up in the padded Psychiatric room. I hope someone from the PB will come rescue me!


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## LawrenceU (Mar 28, 2010)

I'll be right there with you, Donnie.

Funny, last night (which was the first night in which I have had a full night's sleep in almost two weeks) I had a dream of Scotland, psalm singing, and my grandparents. I spent most of the evening last night teaching a new tune (new to my wife and daughter) during family worship. We had bangers and mash for supper, and we spent a fair amount of time yesterday 'google earthing' Skye. (My roots go there as well.)


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## JennyG (Mar 28, 2010)

Invocation, yes, - I would actually be very hard put to choose between it and Martyrs for psalm 43! I am an organist, so psalm (and hymn) tunes are a bit of a consuming interest.
Hope you meet each other, Lawrence and Donnie, in that Covenanting glen you're both going to be visiting.
_Still the blood is strong, the heart is Highland
And we in dreams behold the Hebrides_


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## Scott1 (Mar 28, 2010)

Listening to this right now. I'm not very familiar with the metrical aspects, but I like especially Psalm 100 (second audio clip)

Psalms of Scotland: Scottish Philharmonic Singers - Music - Worldview & Culture, Music | Ligonier Ministries Store


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