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Louis Bourgeois

1510 - 1561 Composer (attributed to) of "OLD 100TH" in The Cyber Hymnal 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 psalters, including one in Strasbourg in 1539 and another in Geneva in 1542, with melodies by unknown composers. In 1551 another French psalter appeared in Geneva, Eighty-three Psalms of David, with texts by Marot and de Beze, and with most of the melodies by Bourgeois, who supplied thirty four original tunes and thirty-six revisions of older tunes. This edition was republished repeatedly, and later Bourgeois's tunes were incorporated into the complete Genevan Psalter (1562). However, his revision of some older tunes was not uniformly appreciated by those who were familiar with the original versions; he was actually imprisoned overnight for some of his musical arrangements but freed after Calvin's intervention. In addition to his contribution to the 1551 Psalter, Bourgeois produced a four-part harmonization of fifty psalms, published in Lyons (1547, enlarged 1554), and wrote a textbook on singing and sight-reading, La Droit Chemin de Musique (1550). He left Geneva in 1552 and lived in Lyons and Paris for the remainder of his life. Bert Polman

William Kethe

? - 1594 Translator (English) of "Vous qui sur la terre habitez" in Cantate Domino William Kethe (b. Scotland [?], d. Dorset England, c. 1594). Although both the time and place of Kethe's birth and death are unknown, scholars think he was a Scotsman. A Protestant, he fled to the continent during Queen Mary's persecution in the late 1550s. He lived in Geneva for some time but traveled to Basel and Strasbourg to maintain contact with other English refugees. Kethe is thought to be one of the scholars who translated and published the English-language Geneva Bible (1560), a version favored over the King James Bible by the Pilgrim fathers. The twenty-five psalm versifications Kethe prepared for the Anglo-Genevan Psalter of 1561 were also adopted into the Scottish Psalter of 1565. His versification of Psalm 100 (All People that on Earth do Dwell) is the only one that found its way into modern psalmody. Bert Polman ======================== Kethe, William, is said by Thomas Warton in his History of English Poetry, and by John Strype in his Annals of the Reformation, to have been a Scotsman. Where he was born, or whether he held any preferment in England in the time of Edward VI., we have been unable to discover. In the Brieff discours off the troubles begonne at Franckford, 1575, he is mentioned as in exile at Frankfurt in 1555, at Geneva in 1557; as being sent on a mission to the exiles in Basel, Strassburg, &c, in 1558; and as returning with their answers to Geneva in 1559. Whether he was one of those left behind in 1559 to "finishe the bible, and the psalmes bothe in meeter and prose," does not appear. The Discours further mentions him as being with the Earl of Warwick and the Queen's forces at Newhaven [Havre] in 1563, and in the north in 1569. John Hutchins in his County history of Dorset, 1774, vol. ii. p. 316, says that he was instituted in 1561 as Rector of Childe Okeford, near Blandford. But as there were two Rectors and only one church, leave of absence might easily be extended. His connection with Okeford seems to have ceased by death or otherwise about 1593. The Rev. Sir Talbot H. B. Baker, Bart., of Ranston, Blandford, who very kindly made researches on the spot, has informed me that the Registers at Childe Okeford begin with 1652-53, that the copies kept in Blandford date only from 1732 (the earlier having probably perished in the great fire there in 1731), that no will can be found in the district Probate Court, and that no monument or tablet is now to be found at Childe Okeford. By a communication to me from the Diocesan Registrar of Bristol, it appears that in a book professing to contain a list of Presentations deposited in the Consistory Court, Kethe is said to have been presented in 1565 by Henry Capel, the Patron of Childe Okeford Inferior. In the 1813 edition of Hutchins, vol. iii. pp. 355-6, William Watkinson is said to have been presented to this moiety by Arthur Capel in 1593. Twenty-five Psalm versions by Kethe are included in the Anglo-Genevan Psalter of 1561, viz. Ps. 27, 36, 47, 54, 58, 62, 70, 85, 88, 90, 91, 94, 100, 101, 104, 107, 111, 112, 113, 122, 125, 126, 134, 138, 142,—the whole of which were adopted in the Scottish Psalter of 1564-65. Only nine, viz. Ps. 104, 107, 111, 112, 113, 122, 125, 126, 134, were included in the English Psalter of 1562; Ps. 100 being however added in 1565. Being mostly in peculiar metres, only one, Ps. 100, was transferred to the Scottish Psalter of 1650. The version of Ps. 104, "My soul, praise the Lord," is found, in a greatly altered form, in some modern hymnals. Warton calls him ”a Scotch divine, no unready rhymer," says he had seen a moralisation of some of Ovid by him, and also mentions verses by him prefixed to a pamphlet by Christopher Goodman, printed at Geneva in 1558; a version of Ps. 93 added to Knox's Appellation to the Scottish Bishops, also printed at Geneva in 1558; and an anti-papal ballad, "Tye the mare Tom-boy." A sermon he preached before the Sessions at Blandford on Jan. 17, 1571, was printed by John Daye in 1571 (preface dated Childe Okeford, Jan. 29,157?), and dedicated to Ambrose Earl of Warwick. [Rev James Mearns, M.A]. -- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907) ==================== Kethe, William, p. 624, i., line 30. The version which Warton describes as of Psalm 93 is really of Psalm 94, and is that noted under Scottish Hymnody, p. 1022, ii., as the version of Psalms 94 by W. Kethe. --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, Appendix, Part II (1907)

Claude Goudimel

1514 - 1572 Person Name: Cl. Goudimel Harmonizer of "[Vous qui sur la terre habitez]" in Cantate Domino The music of Claude Goudimel (b. Besançon, France, c. 1505; d. Lyons, France, 1572) was first published in Paris, and by 1551 he was composing harmonizations for some Genevan psalm tunes-initially for use by both Roman Catholics and Protestants. He became a Calvinist in 1557 while living in the Huguenot community in Metz. When the complete Genevan Psalter with its unison melodies was published in 1562, Goudimel began to compose various polyphonic settings of all the Genevan tunes. He actually composed three complete harmonizations of the Genevan Psalter, usually with the tune in the tenor part: simple hymn-style settings (1564), slightly more complicated harmonizations (1565), and quite elaborate, motet-like settings (1565-1566). The various Goudimel settings became popular throughout Calvinist Europe, both for domestic singing and later for use as organ harmonizations in church. Goudimel was one of the victims of the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre of Huguenots, which occurred throughout France. Bert Polman

David Denicke

1603 - 1680 Person Name: David Denicke, 1603-1680 Translator (German of "Vous qui sur la terre habitez" in Cantate Domino Denicke, David, son of B. D. Denicke, Town Judge of Zittau, Saxony, was born at Zittau, January 31, 1603. After studying philosophy and law at the Universities of Wittenberg and Jena, he was for a time tutor of law at Königsberg, and, 1624-1628, travelled in Holland, England and France. In 1629 he became tutor to the sons of Duke Georg of Brunswick-Lüneburg, and under father and sons held various important offices, such as, 1639, the direction of the foundation of Bursfeld, and in 1642 a member of the Consistory at Hannover. He died at Hannover, April 1, 1680 (Koch, iii. 237; Bode, p. 58). His hymns, which for that time were in good taste, and are simple, useful, warm, and flowing, appeared in the various Hannoverian hymnbooks, 1646-1659, which he edited along with J. Gesenius (q.v.). All appeared there without his name. Those translated are:—i. Wenn ich die heilgen zehn Gebot. Ten Commandments. Contributed to the Hannover Gesang Buch, 1652, No. 69, as a hymn on the Ten Commandments, in 22 stanza of 4 1., stanzas i.-x. being a confession of sins against them, and stanzas xi.-xxii. a medi¬tation and prayer for God's mercy. Included in Crüger's Praxis pietatis melica, 1661, in Freylinghausen's Gesang Buch, 1714, and recently in a few collections, as Sarnighausen's Gesang Buch, 1855, No. 164, and the Ohio Gesang Buch, 1865, No. 182. It is translated as Almighty Lord of earth and heaven. By C. H. L. Schnette, as No. 206 in the Ohio Lutheran Hymnal, 1880. Stanzas i.-iv. are literal; stanzas v.-vii. seem based on v., vii., xvi., xvii. Hymns not in English common use:— ii. Ach treuer Gott! ich ruf zu dir . [Christian Life .] 1st published in the Hannover Gesang Buch, 1652, No. 135, in 17 st. This is translated as:—(1) “My God! I call upon Thy name," by Miss Cox, 1841, p. 177. (2) "Most holy God! to thee I cry," by Lady E. Fortescue, 1843 (1847, p. 69). iii. Kommt, lasst euch den Herren lehren . [ The Beatitudes,] 1st published in the Hannover Gesang Buch , 1648, in 11 st., No. 133. It may have been suggested by J. Heermann's "Kommt ihr Christen, kommt und höret" (9 st. in his Sontags- und Fest-Evangelia, Leipzig, 1638; Mützell, 1858, No. 94), but has only 3 lines in common with it. In the Nürnberg Gesang Buch , 1676, No. 962, and many later hymnbooks, it begins : "kommt und lasst uns Jesum lehren." It is translated as "Come and hear our blessed Saviour," by J. C. Jacobi, 1722, p. 46. In his 2nd edition, 1732, p. 75, altered and beginning “Come, and hear the sacred story," and thence in the Moravian Hymnbook, 1754, pt. i., No. 469; stanzas x., xi. beginning, "Jesus, grant me to inherit," being repeated in later editions and as No. 423 in J. A. Latrobe's Collection, 1841. iv. Was kann ich doch fiir Dank. [Praise and Thanksgiving] 1st publised in the Hannover Gesang Buch, 1648, in 8 st., No. 154. Stanza vii. is altered from “Herr Jesu, führe mich," by J. Heermann (Devoti Musica Cordis); Breslau, 1630; Mützell, 1858, No. 57. Translated as "What, thanks can I repay?" by J. C. Jacobi, 1725, p. 46 (1732, p. 147). v. Wir Menschen sein zu dem, O Gott. [Holy Scripture."] 1st published in the Hannover Gesang Buch, 1659, No. 180, in 10 stanzas. Founded on the Gospel for Sexagesima Sunday—St. Luke viii. 4, &c. Translated as:—(1) "Give us Thy Spirit, Lord, that we," a translation of stanza iii. by J. Swertner, as No. 8 in the Moravian Hymnbook, 1789 (1886, No. 9). (2) "Let the splendour of Thy word," a translation of stanza ix. by J. Swertner, as No. 15, in the Moravian Hymnbook, 1789. (1886, No. 17). [Rev. James Mearns, M.A.] -- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology

Théodore de Bèze

1519 - 1605 Person Name: Théodore de Bèze, 1519-1605 Author of "Vous, Qui Sur La Terre Habitez" in The Cyber Hymnal Bèze, Théodore de, born at Vezelay, in Burgundy, 1519; died 1605. Bèze’s father was of noble birth. He occupied the post of bailiff at Vezelay. Bèza received a first-rate classical education under Melchior Wolmar. Before he was 20 he wrote some poetry in imitation of Catullus and Ovid, the licentiousness of which he mourned and condemned in alter years. A brilliant prospect of Church emoluments turned his attention from the distasteful study of law. The income of the Priory of Longjumeau made him rich, and he became a prominent member of the literary world at Paris. But his entrance into Orders was barred by a secret marriage with Claudine Denosse. Subsequently, when the offer of the abbey of Froidmont by his uncle made it necessary for him to decide between avowing his marriage and renouncing the prospect, or repudiating his wife, he decided, under the solemn conversion produced by a dangerous illness, to abandon the Roman Church, and break with his whole past life. He left for Geneva (1548), and there publicly married. His first scheme for a living was to join his old comrade Jean Crespin, then at Geneva, in printing; but his appointment to the Professorship of Greek at Lausanne (1549), left the printing office in the hands of Crespin. Before his departure fiom Geneva ho had been on intimate terms with Calvin; and the discovery of a metrical rendering of Ps. 16 on Beza's table at Geneva led Calvin to suggest to him the completion of Marot's Psalms. At Lausanne he became a friend of Viret. He stayed there ten years, during which he wrote a tragi-comedy, and 40 of his metrical Psalms (36 published in 1551, 6 more in 1554). He had whilst at Lausanne a narrow escape from death by the plague. In 1557 he went with Karel and Budams to ask for the intercession of the German Protestant Princes in behalf of the persecuted Hugue-nots, and had interviews with Melanchthon. In 1559 he was appointed pastor at Geneva, Assistant Professor of Theology to Calvin, and the first Rector of the newly founded College of Geneva. With Peter Martyr and others he represented the Huguenots in the conference with the Queen-Mother and Cardinal Lorraine, at Poissy (1561), and remained at Paris nearly two years afterwards. His French metrical Psalter, in continuation of Marot, was completed in 1562. Calvin's death, 1564, left Beza the foremost figure at Geneva. In 1571, at the summons of the King of Navarre, he presided at the Synod of the Reformed Churches at Rochelle; and again (1572) at Nismes. His wife died in 1588, and he married again soon afterwards. His public life, as a theologian, a preacher, and administrator, ceased about 1598, though he preached again for the last time in 1600. He was honoured till his death; only three years before which the Landgrave of Hesse visited him, when passing through Geneva. The works of Beza are very numerous. As a controversialist, a commentator, an investigator of the text of the New Testament, he occupied a high place in his time. Among his chief works are: Annotationes in N. T.., 1556; Novum Testamentum, 1556; Psalms, with paraphrase in Latin, 1579; Life of Calvin, 1563. [Rev. H. Leigh Bennett, M.A.] -- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Cornelius Becker

1561 - 1604 Person Name: Cornelius Becker 1561-1604 Translator (German) of "Vous qui sur la terre habitez" in Cantate Domino Becker, Cornelius, son of Adrian Becker, merchant of Leipzig, was born at Leipzig, Oct. 24, 1561. After studying at the University, where he graduated 1584, he kept a private school till his appointment, in the beginning of 1588, as one of the masters of the St. Thomas School, a post he vacated in Sept., 1588. on being appointed diaconus at Rochlitz. In 1592 he became diaconus, and in 1594, pastor of the church of St. Nicholas, Leipzig; and subsequently Professor of Theology in the University, from which, in 1599, he received the degree of D.D. On account of false accusations he was deprived of his charge on June 5, 1601, but was vindicated and restored on Nov. 29 following. He died suddenly at Leipzig, May 25, 1604 (Koch, ii. 219-223; Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie, ii. 221). He wrote a few hymns, but his principal work was his version of the Psalter, 1602. The only version translated into English is:— Der Herr ist mein getreuer Hirt, Dem ich mich ganz vertraue. [Ps. xxiii.] Appeared in S. Calvidus's Harmonia Cantionum Ecclesiasticarum, Leipzig, 1598, and then in Becker's Der Psalter Dauids Gesangweis, Leipzig, 1602. Thence in Wackernagel, v., p. 369, in 3 stanzas of 7 lines, entitled "The Good Shepherd." In Bunsen's Allgemeine Gesang-Buch, 1846, No. 2. It is translated as "My Shepherd is the Saviour dear," by Miss Dunn, 1857, p. 19. [Rev. James Mearns, M.A.] -- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)