Was Hymn Music "Holy" When Written?

[Philip]

That seems to have been the case but Bourgeois continued to want to bring it into the worship service against the dictates of Calvin and the council.

Ah. Well it seems that most of Calvin's heirs deemed polyphony to be a circumstance. In any case, some musicologist needs to trace the genealogy because I have a suspicion that The Sacred Harp (which was similarly not intended for worship services) is a direct descendent of the polyphonic edition of the Genevan Psalter.

 

[Jeri Tanner]

I've read, but can't remember the source, that the Genevan melodies were designed to mimic plainsong, with their limited steps up and down, and that unison was desirable in order to prevent that pesky showmanship which always, always, always wants to rise up in the human heart. (That last phrase on the reason for unison singing with its emphasis on "always" may come from my own deductions [emoji4]). I would love to see an effort toward the reviving of plainsong Psalm singing. It seems that it was still known and still being encouraged for private worship, at least, into the 19th century by Reformed writers.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk