Old Hundredth by Louis Bourgeois Brass Ensemble - Digital Sheet Music

SKU: A0.1944618

Louis Bourgeois was born and died in Paris France. He was a French composer and music theorist of the Renaissance. He is most famous as one of the main compilers of Calvinist hymn-tunes in the middle of the 16th century. In addition, the Protestant doxology known as the Old 100th, one of the most famous melodies in all of Christendom, is commonly attributed to him.

He served as a Cantor at the Church of St, Pierre. He specialized in writing and arranging hymn tunes for the church and in 1541 followed John Calvin to Geneva Switzerland where he edited the Genevan Psalter. There, he ran afoul of local musical authorities and was sent to prison on December 3, 1551 for changing the tunes for some well-known psalms "without a license." He was released on the personal intervention of John Calvin, but the controversy continued. Those who had already learned the tunes had no desire to learn new versions, and the town council ordered the burning of his instructions to the singers, claiming they were confusing. Shortly after this incident, Bourgeois left Geneva never to return. He settled in Lyon and his Geneva employment was terminated.

In the original versions by Bourgeois, the music is monophonic, in accordance with the dictates of John Calvin, who disapproved not only of counterpoint but of any multiple parts. Although he also provided four-part harmonization, they were reserved for singing and playing at home. Many of the four-part settings are syllabic with chords, a style which has survived in many Protestant church services to the present day. By far the most famous of Bourgeois' tunes is the work presented here.

This quintet arrangement provides a nice setting to his hymn tune composed for Psalm 100. Originally set for organ, this arrangement provides a lyrical version of the original hymn. It works especially well in a church setting.