Anglican Chant XXXIV: Psalm 43, Give Sentence with me (Turle)

A nice Anglican Chant tune from Turle:




Here's the Psalm text from the Coverdale Psalter:

1  Give sentence with me, O God, and defend my cause against the ungodly people *
 O deliver me from the deceitful and wicked man.
2  For thou art the God of my strength, why hast thou put me from thee *
 and why go I so heavily, while the enemy oppresseth me?
3  O send out thy light and thy truth, that they may lead me *
 and bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy dwelling.
4  And that I may go unto the altar of God, even unto the God of my joy and gladness *
 and upon the harp will I give thanks unto thee, O God, my God.
5  Why art thou so heavy, O my soul *
 and why art thou so disquieted within me?
6  O put thy trust in God *
 for I will yet give him thanks, which is the help of my countenance, and my God.

"Give sentence with me" is translated as "Vindicate me" in the ESL translation; the Latin incipit is "Judica me, Deus."  I am not certain about  the derivation of the "give sentence with me" idiom; it's cetainly unusual in our context.  Will try to find out more about it.

James Turle "was Organist and Master of the Choristers at Westminster Abbey from 1831-1882."  The Abbey has a full biography of Turle, here.

While writing this post, I found an interesting Dutch Anglican Chant site as well!   There are pages for each composer, listing their compositions by key and other classifications.   Here is Turle's individual page.

Anglican Chant XXXIII: Psalm 102 (Domine, exaudi)

A great chant (or two, or three), sung here beautifully by the Choir of Ely Cathedral:




Here's what the YouTuber had to say at the page; the citation includes the words to the Psalm from the Coverdale Psalter:

The Choir of Ely Cathedral, under the direction of David Price & Paul Trepte, sing the hundredth and second Psalm to an Anglican chant for choir and organ. A sorrowful complaint of great afflictions. (1-11) Encouragement by expecting the performances of God's promises to his church. (12-22) The unchangeableness of God. (23-28)

Text:

Psalm 102. Domine, exaudi

HEAR my prayer, O Lord : and let my crying come unto thee.
2. Hide not thy face from me in the time of my trouble : incline thine ear unto me when I call; O hear me, and that right soon.
3. For my days are consumed away like smoke : and my bones are burnt up as it were a firebrand.
4. My heart is smitten down, and withered liked grass : so that I forget to eat my bread.
5. For the voice of my groaning : my bones will scarce cleave to my flesh.
6. I am become like a pelican in the wilderness : and like an owl that is in the desert.
7. I have watched, and am even as it were a sparrow : that sitteth alone upon the house-top.
8. Mine enemies revile me all the day long : and they that are mad upon me are sworn together against me.
9. For I have eaten ashes as it were bread : and mingled my drink with weeping;
10. And that because of thine indignation and wrath : for thou hast taken me up, and cast me down.
11. My days are gone like a shadow : and I am withered like grass.
12. But thou, O Lord, shalt endure for ever : and thy remembrance throughout all generations.
13. Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Sion : for it is time that thou have mercy upon her, yea, the time is come.
14. And why? thy servants think upon her stones : and it pitieth them to see her in the dust.
15. The heathen shall fear thy Name, O Lord : and all the kings of the earth thy majesty;
16. When the Lord shall build up Sion : and when his glory shall appear;
17. When he turneth him unto the prayer of the poor destitute : and despiseth not their desire.
18. This shall be written for those that come after : and the people which shall be born shall praise the Lord.
19. For he hath looked down from his sanctuary : out of the heaven did the Lord behold the earth;
20. That he might hear the mournings of such as are in captivity : and deliver the children appointed unto death;
21. That they may declare the Name of the Lord in Sion : and his worship at Jerusalem;
22. When the people are gathered together : and the kingdoms also, to serve the Lord.
23. He brought down my strength in my journey : and shortened my days.
24. But I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of mine age : as for thy years, they endure throughout all generations.
25. Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth : and the heavens are the work of thy hands.
26. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure : they all shall wax old as doth a garment;
27. And as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed : but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.
28. The children of thy servants shall continue : and their seed shall stand fast in thy sight.

Recording available on the disk 'Psalms of David: Vol. 8' (Priory Records UK).
www.prioryrecords.co.uk

At the Priory Records page, the composer listing reads "Ross, Ivor Atkins"; not sure who "Ross" is - perhaps it's R.R.Ross? -  but here's a bit about Ivor Atkins.  Interestingly, the image comes from the Library of Congress:

Sir Ivor Algernon Atkins (29 November 1869 – 26 November 1953) was the choirmaster and organist at Worcester Cathedral for over 50 years (1897-1950). He is well known for editing Allegri's Miserere with the famous top-C part for the treble. He is also well known for The Three Kings, an arrangement of a song by Peter Cornelius as a choral work for Epiphany.

Born into a Welsh musical family at Llandaff, Atkins graduated with a bachelor of music degree from The Queen's College, Oxford in 1892, and subsequently obtained a Doctorate in Music (Oxford). He was assistant organist of Hereford Cathedral (1890-1893) and organist of St Laurence Church, Ludlow from 1893 to 1897.
He composed songs, church music, service settings and anthems. With Edward Elgar he prepared an edition of Bach's St. Matthew Passion. Knighted in 1921 for services to music, Atkins was President of the Royal College of Organists from 1935 to 1936. He died in Worcester.

He was a friend of Edward Elgar, who in 1904 dedicated the third of his Pomp and Circumstance Marches to Atkins.

Anglican Chant XXXII: Psalm 93, The Lord is King (Garrett)

This is one of my favorite Psalms!  And this is a quite nice chant; here's the Coverdale Psalter version: 

1  The Lord is King, and hath put on glorious apparel *
 the Lord hath put on his apparel, and girded himself with strength.
2  He hath made the round world so sure *
 that it cannot be moved.
3  Ever since the world began hath thy seat been prepared *
 thou art from everlasting.
4  The floods are risen, O Lord, the floods have lift up their voice *
 the floods lift up their waves.
5  The waves of the sea are mighty, and rage horribly *
 but yet the Lord, who dwelleth on high, is mightier.
6  Thy testimonies, O Lord, are very sure *
 holiness becometh thine house for ever.

Here's Wikipedia on Psalm 93:

Psalm 93 (Greek numbering: Psalm 92) is the 93rd psalm in the biblical Book of Psalms. One of the Royal Psalms, Psalm 93-99, praising God as the King of His people.

Uses - Judaism

• Is the psalm of the day for the Shir Shel Yom on Friday.^[1]
  
• Is recited during Kabbalat Shabbat.^[2]
• Is recited during Pesukei Dezimra on Shabbat, Yom Tov, and Hoshana Rabbah.^[3]
  
• Verse 1 is part of Mishnah Tamid 7:4.^[4] It is found in the Mussaf Amidah on Rosh Hashanah.^[5]
  

And here's something about Garrett:

George Mursell Garrett (8 June 1834 – 8 April 1897^[1]) was an English organist and composer.

Garrett was born in Winchester where his father was master of the choristers at Winchester Cathedral. He later served as assistant to Samuel Sebastian Wesley at Winchester. Garrett was appointed the Director of Music at St. John's College, Cambridge in 1857 and held the position for forty years.^[2]

Garrett wrote music for the Anglican Church in the form of service settings and anthems. He is perhaps best represented today by his Anglican chant setting of Psalm 126.

He is buried in the Mill Road cemetery, Cambridge.

Anglican Chant XXXI: Psalm 130, Out of the Deep (Walford Davies)

Here are the Coverdale Psalter words:

1  Out of the deep have I called unto thee, O Lord *
 Lord, hear my voice.
2  O let thine ears consider well *
 the voice of my complaint.
3  If thou, Lord, wilt be extreme to mark what is done amiss *
 O Lord, who may abide it?
4  For there is mercy with thee *
 therefore shalt thou be feared.
5  I look for the Lord; my soul doth wait for him *
 in his word is my trust.
6  My soul fleeth unto the Lord *
 before the morning watch, I say, before the morning watch.
7  O Israel, trust in the Lord, for with the Lord there is mercy *
 and with him is plenteous redemption.
8  And he shall redeem Israel *
 from all his sins.

Here's a bit about this Psalm:

This lament, a Penitential Psalm, is the De profundis used in liturgical prayers for the faithful departed in Western liturgical tradition. In deep sorrow the psalmist cries to God (1-2), asking for mercy (3-4). The psalmist's trust (5-6) becomes a model for the people (7-8).

v1. the depths: Here is a metaphor of total misery. Deep anguish makes the psalmist feel "like those who go down to the pit" (Psalm 143:7). Robert Alter points out that '..."the depths" are an epithet for the depths of the sea, which in turn is an image of the realm of death'.^[1] Other Bible passages (Creation, the dwelling of Leviathan, Jesus stilling the storm) also resonate with imagery of fear and chaos engendered by the depths of the sea.

v3. 'If you, Lord, were to mark iniquities, who, O Lord, shall stand?. A temporary shift from the personal to the communal; this plurality (the nation, Israel) again appears in the final two verses.

v4. that you may be revered. The experience of God's mercy leads one to a greater sense of God.

In Judaism

• Psalm 130 is recited as part of the liturgy for the High Holidays, sung responsively before the open Torah ark during the morning service from Rosh Hashanah until Yom Kippur. The custom of reciting this psalm during these times had long lain dormant until it was revived in the Birnbaum and Artscroll siddurim in the 20th century.^[3]
• Is recited following Mincha between Sukkot and Shabbat Hagadol.^[4]
• Is recited during Tashlikh.^[5]
• It is also among those psalms traditionally recited as a prayer for the sick.
• In some synagogues, it is said on every weekday. In Hebrew, it is often called "(Shir HaMa'alot) MiMa'amakim" after its initial words.
• Verses 3-4 are part of the opening paragraph of the long Tachanun recited on Mondays and Thursdays.^[6]

Shir hamaalot mima'amakim keraticha adonai Adonai schimah vekoli tiyena oznecha kashuvot Lekol tachanunai Im avonot tishmor ya adonai mi yaamod Ki imcha haslicha Lemaan tivare kiviti adonai Kivta nafshi velidvaro hochalti Nafshi ladonai Mishomrim laboker Yachel yisrael el adonai Ki im adonai hachesed Veharbeh imo fedut Vehu yifdeh et yisrael mikol avonotav.

In literature

The title "De Profundis" was used as the title of a poem by Spanish author Federico García Lorca in his Poema del cante jondo.

A long letter by Oscar Wilde written to his former lover Lord Alfred Douglas near the end of Wilde's life while he was in prison also bears the title "De Profundis" (though it was given the title after Wilde's death), as do poems by Alfred Tennyson, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Charles Baudelaire, Christina Rossetti, C. S. Lewis, Georg Trakl and Dorothy Parker.

In the novel Fires on the Plain, by Shōhei Ōoka, the character Tamura makes reference to Psalm 130's first line "De profundis clamavi" in a dream sequence.^[2]

Here's Wikipedia's entry on Davies:

Sir Henry Walford Davies KCVO OBE (6 September 1869 – 11 March 1941) was a British composer, who held the title Master of the King's Musick from 1934 until 1941.

Early life and education

Henry Walford Davies was born in Oswestry on the Wales-England border, seventh of nine children of John Whitridge Davies and Susan, née Gregory, and the youngest of four surviving sons. His middle name Walford was his maternal grandmother's maiden name; he later dropped his first name Henry, becoming generally known as Walford Davies. John Whitridge Davies was a leading figure in the local musical scene, playing the flute and the cello, and leading the choir at the Congregational church, Christ Church, where his brother was organist. He brought up his children to make music together. Performances of oratorios by Handel and others by Henry Leslie's Oswestry choral society were reviewed warmly in the London Musical Times.

Walford's brothers Charlie and Harold were, successively, organists at Christ Church succeeding their uncle, Charlie from the age of eleven. Charlie died young after emigrating to Australia. Harold also emigrated to Australia, where he took the first musical doctorate from an Australian university and ultimately achieved considerable fame as Professor of Music at Adelaide University and Principal of the Elder Conservatorium. Tom, the eldest, followed a family tradition by entering the ministry.

Walford Davies grew up, like his siblings, playing any instrument he could lay his hands on, often in an informal band with his brothers, cousins and friends, but it was as a singer that he was first noticed and entered, against misgivings from his Nonconformist family, for a choristership at St. George's Chapel, Windsor. In this he was successful, and from the age of twelve he was singing fourteen services a week as well as attending school. Here he came under the influence of Walter Parratt, a leader in the late Victorian organ renaissance, and Randall Davidson, as Dean of Windsor.

Davies studied under, and was assistant to, Parratt for five years before entering the Royal College of Music in 1890 where he studied under Hubert Parry and Charles Villiers Stanford.

Career

Davies remained at the College as a teacher of counterpoint from 1895, one of his pupils being Rutland Boughton and another Leopold Stokowski. During this time he held a number of organist posts in London including St Anne's Church, Soho (1890-1891), Christ Church, Hampstead (1891-1898), culminating in his appointment in 1898 as organist of the Temple Church, where Stokowski was also his assistant. Davies continued there until 1917. In 1918 he was appointed the first director of music to the newly created Royal Air Force, which led to him writing the march, "RAF March Past", still played by many marching bands today.

In 1919, Walford Davies was made professor of music at Aberystwyth. He subsequently did much to promote Welsh music, becoming chairman of the Welsh National Council of Music. From 1927 he was organist at St. George's Chapel, Windsor. One of his assistant organists was Malcolm Boyle.

In 1924, Davies became Professor of Music at Gresham College, London: a part-time position giving public lectures.

From the 1920s, he also made a series of records of lectures, which led to his being employed by the BBC. He made radio broadcasts on classical music under the title Music and the Ordinary Listener. These lasted from 1926 until the outbreak of World War II in 1939, and Davies became a well-known and popular radio personality. His book The Pursuit of Music (1935) has a similar non-specialist tone.

Walford Davies was knighted in 1922. Following the death of Sir Edward Elgar in 1934, he was appointed Master of the King's Music. He died in 1941, aged seventy-one, at Wrington, Somerset and his ashes are buried in the grounds of Bristol Cathedral.

Anglican Chant XXX: Psalm 115, Not unto us O Lord (G Knight)

Here are the words from the Coverdale Psalter:

1  Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy Name give the praise *
 for thy loving mercy, and for thy truth’s sake.
2  Wherefore shall the heathen say *
 Where is now their God?
3  As for our God, he is in heaven *
 he hath done whatsoever pleased him.
4  Their idols are silver and gold *
 even the work of men’s hands.
5  They have mouths, and speak not *
 eyes have they, and see not.
6  They have ears, and hear not *
 noses have they, and smell not.
7  They have hands, and handle not; feet have they, and walk not *
 neither speak they through their throat.
8  They that make them are like unto them *
 and so are all such as put their trust in them.
9  But thou, house of Israel, trust thou in the Lord *
 he is their succour and defence.
10  Ye house of Aaron, put your trust in the Lord *
 he is their helper and defender.
11  Ye that fear the Lord, put your trust in the Lord *
 he is their helper and defender.
12  The Lord hath been mindful of us, and he shall bless us *
 even he shall bless the house of Israel, he shall bless the house of Aaron.
13  He shall bless them that fear the Lord *
 both small and great.
14  The Lord shall increase you more and more *
 you and your children.
15  Ye are the blessed of the Lord *
 who made heaven and earth.
16  All the whole heavens are the Lord’s *
 the earth hath he given to the children of men.
17  The dead praise not thee, O Lord *
 neither all they that go down into silence.
18  But we will praise the Lord *
 from this time forth for evermore. Praise the Lord.

The incipit of this Psalm in Latin is Non nobis, domine - which became a hymn in its own right at some point during the middle ages:

Non nobis is a short Latin hymn used as a prayer of thanksgiving and expression of humility. The Latin text derives from Psalm 113:9 (according to the Vulgate numbering), which corresponds to Psalm 115:1 in the King James Version. It reads,

Non nobis, non nobis, Domine
Sed nomini tuo da gloriam.
Not to us, not to us, O Lord,
But to thy name give glory.

....

As part of Psalm 115 (In exitu Israel) it was also recited liturgically as part of the Paschal vigil, the celebrants kneeling in a gesture of self-abasement when this verse was reached. According to legend Henry V ordered it to be recited along with the Te Deum in thanksgiving for the English victory at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415 (see below). Jean Mouton (c. 1459-1522) composed a motet to a text beginning with the Non nobis to celebrate the birth of a daughter to Louis XII and Anne of Brittany in 1510.

Here's the song as sung in the 1989 film, Henry V; no idea if this is the original melody or not, though:



About the composer of this Anglican Chant:

Gerald Hocken Knight CBE (1908–1979) was a cathedral organist, who served at Canterbury Cathedral.

Gerald Hocken Knight was born on 27 July 1908 in Par, Cornwall, and was educated at Truro Cathedral School and Peterhouse, Cambridge.[2] He was an articled organ pupil of Hubert Stanley Middleton at Truro Cathedral.

He was appointed a Fellow of the Royal School of Church Music in 1964.

Anglican Chant XXIX: King's College Cambridge, Psalm 65 (Atkins)

Here's the 1662 BCP (Coverdale) text:

1  Thou, O God, art praised in Sion *
 and unto thee shall the vow be performed in Jerusalem.
2  Thou that hearest the prayer *
 unto thee shall all flesh come.
3  My misdeeds prevail against me *
 O be thou merciful unto our sins.
4  Blessed is the man, whom thou choosest, and receivest unto thee *
 he shall dwell in thy court, and shall be satisfied with the pleasures of thy house, even of thy holy temple.
5  Thou shalt shew us wonderful things in thy righteousness, O God of our salvation *
 thou that art the hope of all the ends of the earth, and of them that remain in the broad sea.
6  Who in his strength setteth fast the mountains *
 and is girded about with power.
7  Who stilleth the raging of the sea *
 and the noise of his waves, and the madness of the people.
8  They also that dwell in the uttermost parts of the earth shall be afraid at thy tokens *
 thou that makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to praise thee.
9  Thou visitest the earth, and blessest it *
 thou makest it very plenteous.
10  The river of God is full of water *
 thou preparest their corn, for so thou providest for the earth.
11  Thou waterest her furrows, thou sendest rain into the little valleys thereof *
 thou makest it soft with the drops of rain, and blessest the increase of it.
12  Thou crownest the year with thy goodness *
 and thy clouds drop fatness.
13  They shall drop upon the dwellings of the wilderness *
 and the little hills shall rejoice on every side.
14  The folds shall be full of sheep *
 the valleys also shall stand so thick with corn, that they shall laugh and sing.

From the YouTube page:

Anglican Chant composed by Sir Ivor Algernon Atkins (29 November 1869 -- 26 November 1953) was the choirmaster and organist at Worcester Cathedral for over 50 years (1897-1950). He is well known for editing Allegri's Miserere with the famous top-C part for the treble. He is also well known for The Three Kings, an arrangement of a song by Peter Cornelius as a choral work for Epiphany. Born into a Welsh musical family at Llandaff, Atkins graduated with a bachelor of music degree from The Queen's College, Oxford in 1892, and subsequently obtained a Doctorate in Music (Oxford). He was assistant organist of Hereford Cathedral (1890-1893) and organist of St Laurence Church, Ludlow from 1893 to 1897. He composed songs, church music, service settings and anthems. With Edward Elgar he prepared an edition of Bach's St. Matthew Passion. Knighted in 1921 for services to music, Atkins was President of the Royal College of Organists from 1935 to 1936. He died in Worcester. He was a friend of Edward Elgar, who in 1904 dedicated the third of his Pomp and Circumstance Marches to Atkins. wikipedia

Anglican Chant XXVIII: Psalm 63 (Jones)

From the YouTube page:

The Schola Cantorum sings Psalm 63, "Deus, Deus meus," at Choral Evensong on 15 May 2011 at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, Highland Park, Pittsburgh, PA. Chant: Jones. Alastair Stout, organ; Peter J. Luley, choirmaster.

 Here's the 1662 BCP (Coverdale) Psalter text:

1  O God, thou art my God *
 early will I seek thee.
2  My soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh also longeth after thee *
 in a barren and dry land where no water is.
3  Thus have I looked for thee in holiness *
 that I might behold thy power and glory.
4  For thy loving-kindness is better than the life itself *
 my lips shall praise thee.
5  As long as I live will I magnify thee on this manner *
 and lift up my hands in thy Name.
6  My soul shall be satisfied, even as it were with marrow and fatness *
 when my mouth praiseth thee with joyful lips.
7  Have I not remembered thee in my bed *
 and thought upon thee when I was waking?
8  Because thou hast been my helper *
 therefore under the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.
9  My soul hangeth upon thee *
 thy right hand hath upholden me.
10  These also that seek the hurt of my soul *
 they shall go under the earth.
11  Let them fall upon the edge of the sword *
 that they may be a portion for foxes.
12  But the King shall rejoice in God; all they also that swear by him shall be commended *
 for the mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped.

Anglican Chant XXVII: King's College Cambridge Psalm 23 (Goss)

Here's the 1662 BCP (Coverdale) Psalter text:

1 The Lord is my shepherd *
therefore can I lack nothing.
2 He shall feed me in a green pasture *
and lead me forth beside the waters of comfort.
3 He shall convert my soul *
and bring me forth in the paths of righteousness, for his Name’s sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death , I will fear no evil *
for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff comfort me.

5 Thou shalt prepare a table before me against them that trouble me *
thou hast anointed my head with oil, and my cup shall be full.
6 But thy loving-kindness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life *
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

This is from the YouTube page:

Anglican Chant by Sir John Goss (27 December 1800 -- 10 May 1880) was an English organist, composer and teacher.

Born to a musical family, Goss was a boy chorister of the Chapel Royal, London, and later a pupil of Thomas Attwood, organist of St Paul's Cathedral. After a brief period as a chorus member in an opera company he was appointed organist of a chapel in south London, later moving to more prestigious organ posts at St Luke's, Chelsea and finally St Paul's Cathedral, where he struggled to improve musical standards.

As a composer, Goss wrote little for the orchestra, but was known for his vocal music, both religious and secular. Among his best-known compositions are his hymn tunes "Praise my Soul, the King of Heaven" and "See, Amid the Winter's Snow". The music critic of The Times described him as the last of the line of English composers who confined themselves almost entirely to ecclesiastical music.

From 1827 to 1874, Goss was a professor at the Royal Academy of Music, teaching harmony. He also taught at St Paul's. Among his pupils at the academy were Arthur Sullivan, Frederic Cowen and Frederick Bridge. His best-known pupil at St Paul's was John Stainer, who succeeded him as organist there.
wikipedia

There are 17 other Anglican Chant videos on this playlist, too.  Have fun!

Anglican Chant XXVI: Psalm 34, Benedicam Dominum

From St. Andrews, Highland Park PA, chants by P.C. Hull and S. Bevan.  "Psalm 34 at Choral Evensong on 18 September 2011. St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, Highland Park, Pittsburgh, PA. Alastair Stout, Organist; Peter J. Luley, Choirmaster":



The words are those of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, in its Coverdale Psalter:

Psalm 34. Benedicam Domino
I WILL alway give thanks unto the Lord : his praise shall ever be in my mouth.
2. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord : the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.
3. O praise the Lord with me : and let us magnify his Name together.
4. I sought the Lord, and he heard me : yea, he delivered me out of all my fear.
5. They had an eye unto him, and were lightened : and their faces were not ashamed.
6. Lo, the poor crieth, and the Lord heareth him : yea, and saveth him out of all his troubles.
7. The angel of the Lord tarrieth round about them that fear him : and delivereth them.
8. O taste, and see, how gracious the Lord is : blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
9. O fear the Lord, ye that are his saints : for they that fear him lack nothing.
10. The lions do lack, and suffer hunger : but they who seek the Lord shall want no manner of thing that is good.
11. Come, ye children, and hearken unto me : I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12. What man is he that lusteth to live : and would fain see good days?
13. Keep thy tongue from evil : and thy lips, that they speak no guile.
14. Eschew evil, and do good : seek peace, and ensue it.
15. The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous : and his ears are open unto their prayers.
16. The countenance of the Lord is against them that do evil : to root out the remembrance of them from the earth.
17. The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth them : and delivereth them out of all their troubles.
18. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a contrite heart : and will save such as be of an humble spirit.
19. Great are the troubles of the righteous : but the Lord delivereth him out of all.
20. He keepeth all his bones : so that not one of them is broken.
21. But misfortune shall slay the ungodly : and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.
22. The Lord delivereth the souls of his servants : and all they that put their trust in him shall not be destitute.

Anglican Chant XXV: Psalm 25

Spectacular!

David Jernigan conducts the Choirs of St. Thomas's Episcopal Church [New Haven, CT] singing Psalm 25 to tone 1 with his own fauxbourdon setting.

This time, from the 1979 Psalter:

Ad te, Domine, levavi

1 To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul;
my God, I put my trust in you; *
let me not be humiliated,
nor let my enemies triumph over me.

2 Let none who look to you be put to shame; *
let the treacherous be disappointed in their schemes.

3 Show me your ways, O LORD, *
and teach me your paths.

4 Lead me in your truth and teach me, *
for you are the God of my salvation;
in you have I trusted all the day long.

5 Remember, O LORD, your compassion and love, *
for they are from everlasting.

6 Remember not the sins of my youth and my transgressions; *
remember me according to your love
and for the sake of your goodness, O LORD.

7 Gracious and upright is the LORD; *
therefore he teaches sinners in his way.

8 He guides the humble in doing right *
and teaches his way to the lowly.

9 All the paths of the LORD are love and faithfulness *
to those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.

Many thanks for this link to Michael.  What a great choir - and what a perfect way to begin Lent....

Anglican Chant XXIV: Psalm 8, Walmisley

My favorite Anglican Chant of all!  (S7 in your 1982, if you're following along at home - and definitely do!  This is a fantastic chant for a congregation to sing; it's just joyous.)  This is one of my favorite Psalms as well; it's sung here by St. Andrew's Schola Cantorum at Choral Evensong, 20 March 2011. Alastair Stout, organ; Peter Luley, conductor.  I think they're in Pittsburgh.



Here's the (Coverdale) text:

Domine, Dominus noster

1. O LORD our Governor, how excellent is thy Name in all the world : thou that hast set thy glory above the heavens!  
2. Out of the mouth of very babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength, because of thine enemies : that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
3. For I will consider thy heavens, even the works of thy fingers : the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained.
4. What is man, that thou art mindful of him : and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
5. Thou madest him lower than the angels : to crown him with glory and worship.
6. Thou makest him to have dominion of the works of thy hands : and thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet;
7. All sheep and oxen : yea, and the beasts of the field;
8. The fowls of the air, and the fishes of the sea : and whatsoever walketh through the paths of the seas.
9. O Lord our Governor : how excellent is thy Name in all the world!

To hear this Psalm sung to a different chant setting,  see this page.  To hear this chant setting used for a different Psalm, go here instead.

Anglican Chant XXIII: Psalms 98-101

"The Schola Cantorum at St Andrew's Episcopal Church, Highland Park, Pittsburgh, PA, USA, sings Psalms 98-101 at Choral Evensong on 19 February 2012."  And very nicely done, too.



The words to these Psalms, from the Coverdale Psalter:

Psalm 98. Cantate DominoSING unto the Lord a new song : for he hath done marvellous things.
2. With his own right hand, and with his holy arm : hath he gotten himself the victory.
3. The Lord declared his salvation : his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen.
4. He hath remembered his mercy and truth toward the house of Israel : and all the ends of the world have seen the salvation of our God.
5. Shew yourselves joyful unto the Lord, all ye lands : sing, rejoice, and give thanks.
6. Praise the Lord upon the harp : sing to the harp with a psalm of thanksgiving.
7. With trumpets also and shawms : O shew yourselves joyful before the Lord the King.
8. Let the sea make a noise, and all that therein is : the round world, and they that dwell therein.
9. Let the floods clap their hands, and let the hills be joyful together before the Lord : for he is come to judge the earth.
10. With righteousness shall he judge the world : and the people with equity.


Psalm 99. Dominus regnavitHE Lord is King, be the people never so unpatient : he sitteth between the cherubims, be the earth never so unquiet.
2. The Lord is great in Sion : and high above all people.
3. They shall give thanks unto thy Name : which is great, wonderful, and holy.
4. The King's power loveth judgement; thou hast prepared equity: thou hast executed judgement and righteousness in Jacob.
5. O magnify the Lord our God : and fall down before his footstool, for he is holy.
6. Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among such as call upon his Name : these called upon the Lord, and he heard them.
7. He spake unto them out of the cloudy pillar : for they kept his testimonies, and the law that he gave them.
8. Thou heardest them, O Lord our God : thou forgavest them, O God, and punishedst their own inventions.
9. O magnify the Lord our God, and worship him upon his holy hill : for the Lord our God is holy.


Psalm 100. Jubilate DeoBE joyful in the Lord, all ye lands : serve the Lord with gladness, and come before his presence with a song.
2. Be ye sure that the Lord he is God : it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
3. O go your way into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise : be thankful unto him, and speak good of his Name.
4. For the Lord is gracious, his mercy is everlasting : and his truth endureth from generation to generation.


Psalm 101. Misericordiam et judiciumY SONG shall be of mercy and judgement : unto thee, O Lord, will I sing.
2. O let me have understanding : in the way of godliness.
3. When wilt thou come unto me : I will walk in my house with a perfect heart.
4. I will take no wicked thing in hand; I hate the sins of unfaithfulness : there shall no such cleave unto me.
5. A froward heart shall depart from me : I will not know a wicked person.
6. Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour : him will I destroy.
7. Whoso hath also a proud look and high stomach : I will not suffer him.
8. Mine eyes look upon such as are faithful in the land : that they may dwell with me.
9. Whoso leadeth a godly life : he shall be my servant.
10. There shall no deceitful person dwell in my house : he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight.
11. I shall soon destroy all the ungodly that are in the land : that I may root out all wicked doers from the city of the Lord.

Composers, anybody?

Anglican Chant XXII: Psalm 145 (Buck) - St. Andrew's Schola Cantorum

A lovely tune, sung well by this choir from Pittsburgh.



Here are the Coverdale words:

Psalm 145. Exaltabo te, Deus
WILL magnify thee, O God, my King : and I will praise thy Name for ever and ever.
2. Every day will I give thanks unto thee : and praise thy Name for ever and ever.
3. Great is the Lord, and marvellous worthy to be praised : there is no end of his greatness.
4. One generation shall praise thy works unto another : and declare thy power.
5. As for me, I will be talking of thy worship : thy glory, thy praise, and wondrous works;
6. So that men shall speak of the might of thy marvellous acts : and I will also tell of thy greatness.
7. The memorial of thine abundant kindness shall be shewed : and men shall sing of thy righteousness.
8. The Lord is gracious and merciful : long-suffering and of great goodness.
9. The Lord is loving unto every man : and his mercy is over all his works.
10. All thy works praise thee, O Lord : and thy saints give thanks unto thee.
11. They shew the glory of thy kingdom : and talk of thy power;
12. That thy power, thy glory, and mightiness of thy kingdom : might be known unto men.
13. Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom : and thy dominion endureth throughout all ages.
14. The Lord upholdeth all such as fall : and lifteth up all those that are down.
15. The eyes of all wait upon thee, O Lord : and thou givest them their meat in due season.
16. Thou openest thine hand : and fillest all things living with plenteousness.
17. The Lord is righteous in all his ways : and holy in all his works.
18. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him : yea, all such as call upon him faithfully.
19. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him : he also will hear their cry, and will help them.
20. The Lord preserveth all them that love him : but scattereth abroad all the ungodly.
21. My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord : and let all flesh give thanks unto his holy Name for ever and ever.

Anglican Chant XXI: Psalm 37: 1-20 - the Rivelin Singers at Wells Cathedral

Here's the Coverdale text:

Psalm 37. Noli aemulari

FRET not thyself because of the ungodly : neither be thou envious against the evil-doers.
2. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass : and be withered even as the green herb.
3. Put thou thy trust in the Lord, and be doing good : dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
4. Delight thou in the Lord : and he shall give thee thy heart's desire.
5. Commit thy way unto the Lord, and put thy trust in him : and he shall bring it to pass.
6. He shall make thy righteousness as clear as the light : and thy just dealing as the noon-day.
7. Hold thee still in the Lord, and abide patiently upon him : but grieve not thyself at him whose way doth prosper, against the man that doeth after evil counsels.
8. Leave off from wrath, and let go displeasure : fret not thyself, else shalt thou be moved to do evil.
9. Wicked doers shall be rooted out : and they that patiently abide the Lord, those shall inherit the land.
10. Yet a little while, and the ungodly shall be clean gone : thou shalt look after his place, and he shall be away.
11. But the meek-spirited shall possess the earth : and shall be refreshed in the multitude of peace.
12. The ungodly seeketh counsel against the just : and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.
13. The Lord shall laugh him to scorn : for he hath seen that his day is coming.
14. The ungodly have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow : to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as are of a right conversation.
15. Their sword shall go through their own heart : and their bow shall be broken.
16. A small thing that the righteous hath : is better than great riches of the ungodly.
17. For the arms of the ungodly shall be broken : and the Lord upholdeth the righteous.
18. The Lord knoweth the days of the godly : and their inheritance shall endure for ever.
19. They shall not be confounded in the perilous time : and in the days of dearth they shall have enough.
20. As for the ungodly, they shall perish; and the enemies of the Lord shall consume as the fat of lambs : yea, even as the smoke shall they consume away.

There's more about this on the YouTube page.  (And, yay!  Composers included!)  It says you can download a PDF of the setting at the link below, but sadly the link seems to be broken.

The first twenty verses of Psalm 37, sung to two beautiful Anglican chants by the Rivelin Singers during their residency in Wells Cathedral, UK, in August 2012. (This is a live recording!)

The chants are by Jonathan P Eyre (assistant director of music, Bradford Cathedral - also playing the organ in this recording) and Graham Barber (professor of performance studies, University of Leeds).

The psalms were pointed and set, and the choir is conducted, by Fraser Wilson.

Visit Soundcloud (http://soundcloud.com/wilsonsounds) for related noises...
Download this setting in PDF format from http://alturl.com/2g6ro

Anglican Chant XX: Psalm 62

The YouTube page says that this is "Psalm 62 sung by Westminster Abbey Choir at the 70th Anniversary Service of the Battle of Britain."  That would have been in 2010.

They are singing only verses 1-8 of that Psalm - but here's the whole thing, from the 1662 Book of Common Prayer (Coverdale) Psalter:

Psalm 62. Nonne Deo? MY SOUL truly waiteth still upon God : for of him cometh my salvation.
2. He verily is my strength and my salvation : he is my defence, so that I shall not greatly fall.
3. How long will ye imagine mischief against every man : ye shall be slain all the sort of you; yea, as a tottering wall shall ye be, and like a broken hedge.
4. Their device is only how to put him out whom God will exalt : their delight is in lies; they give good words with their mouth, but curse with their heart.
5. Nevertheless, my soul, wait thou still upon God : for my hope is in him.
6. He truly is my strength and my salvation : he is my defence, so that I shall not fall.
7. In God is my health, and my glory : the rock of my might, and in God is my trust.
8. O put your trust in him alway, ye people : pour out your hearts before him, for God is our hope.
9. As for the children of men, they are but vanity : the children of men are deceitful upon the weights, they are altogether lighter than vanity itself.
10. O trust not in wrong and robbery, give not yourselves unto vanity : if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.
11. God spake once, and twice I have also heard the same : that power belongeth unto God;
12. And that thou, Lord, art merciful : for thou rewardest every man according to his work.

 As always:  if anybody knows the composer, I'd be grateful....

[EDIT:  Scott comes through again - and with lots of informational tidbits!  "It's a double chant in E-flat by William Boyce (1711-1779), MusD (Cantab); Organist of the Chapel Royal, 1758-79; Master of the King's Music, 1755-79. Conductor of the Three Choirs Festival and the Festival of the Sons of the Clergy. Buried in the crypt of St Paul's Cathedral [London]. Credit: John Scott's New St Paul's Cathedral Psalter."  

Scott is, truly, a Jolly Good Fellow!]

Anglican Chant XIX: Psalm 57

From the YouTube page:

Anglican Chant Setting Sung during Choral Evensong at Trinity Cathedral (Episcopal) in Cleveland, Ohio May 19, 2010 Trinity Chamber Singers. Horst Buchholz, Choirmaster Nicole Keller, Organist.  May 19, 2010.

This choir is good - I like them more each time I hear them - and this is a really nice setting. I can't figure out why nobody ever includes the chant composer, though! It's bizarre. Can anybody help?  [EDIT:  Scott, as usual, can:  "They're chanting from the Anglican Chant Psalter published by Church Hymnal Corp., edited by Alec Wyton. The chant is No. 126 in that book, a single chant in D major by Frederick A. Gore Ouseley (1825-1889). They're starting with v. 6 of the psalm; the first five verses of the psalm are set to a D minor version of the same chant (same contours to the lines, but altered to make it minor). Something similar is done with the other setting for this psalm, two versions of a single chant by Purcell, a minor version and its parallel major." Thanks again, Scott!]



NOT the Coverdale Psalter this time, but beautiful anyway! They're singing verses 6-11 only fomr the Psalm; here's the whole thing, though:

Psalm 57 Miserere mei, Deus

1 Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful, for I have taken refuge in you; *
in the shadow of your wings will I take refuge until this time of trouble has gone by.

2 I will call upon the Most High God, *
the God who maintains my cause.

3 He will send from heaven and save me; he will confound those who trample upon me; *
God will send forth his love and his faithfulness.

4 I lie in the midst of lions that devour the people; *
their teeth are spears and arrows, their tongue a sharp sword.

5 They have laid a net for my feet, and I am bowed low; *
they have dug a pit before me, but have fallen into it themselves.

6 Exalt yourself above the heavens, O God, *
and your glory over all the earth.

7 My heart is firmly fixed, O God, my heart is fixed; *
I will sing and make melody.

8 Wake up, my spirit; awake, lute and harp; *
I myself will waken the dawn.

9 I will confess you among the peoples, O LORD; *
I will sing praise to you among the nations.

10 For your loving-kindness is greater than the heavens, *
and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

11 Exalt yourself above the heavens, O God, *
and your glory over all the earth.

Anglican Chant XVIII: Psalm 69 (Save Me, O God), Choir of Gloucester Cathedral

From the YouTube page:

The Choir of Gloucester Cathedral, under the direction of John Sanders, sing the sixty-ninth Psalm to an Anglican chant for choir and organ. In Psalm 69 ('Salvum Me Fac'), a gutting yet beautiful psalm of despair, the psalmist, having sunk deep into the mire of emotional and spiritual anguish, cries out to God for deliverance from his sorrow.

[ Text: ]

Save me, O God; for the waters are come in, even unto my soul.I stick fast in the deep mire, where no ground is; I am come into deep waters, so that the floods run over me. I am weary of crying; my throat is dry; my sight faileth me for waiting so long upon my God.

They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head; they that are mine enemies, and would destroy me guiltless, are mighty. I paid them the things that I never took.

God, thou knowest my simpleness, and my faults are not hid from thee. Let not them that trust in thee, O Lord GOD of hosts, be ashamed for my cause; let not those that seek thee be confounded through me, O Lord God of Israel.

And why? for thy sake have I suffered reproof; shame hath covered my face. I am become a stranger unto my brethren, even an alien unto my mother's children. For the zeal of thine house hath even eaten me; and the rebukes of them that rebuked thee are fallen upon me.

I wept, and chastened myself with fasting, and that was turned to my reproof.I put on sackcloth also, and they jested upon me. They that sit in the gate speak against me, and the drunkards make songs upon me.

But, LORD, I make my prayer unto thee in an acceptable time. Hear me, O God, in the multitude of thy mercy, even in the truth of thy salvation: take me out of the mire, that I sink not; O let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters. Let not the water-flood drown me, neither let the deep swallow me up; and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me. Hear me, O LORD, for thy loving-kindness is comfortable; turn thee unto me according to the multitude of thy mercies. And hide not thy face from thy servant; for I am in trouble: O haste thee, and hear me. Draw nigh unto my soul, and save it; O deliver me, because of mine enemies.

Thou hast known my reproach, my shame, and my dishonour: mine adversaries are all in thy sight. Reproach hath broken my heart; I am full of heaviness: I looked for some to have pity on me, but there was no man, neither found I any to comfort me. They gave me gall to eat; and when I was thirsty they gave me vinegar to drink.

Let their table be made a snare to take themselves withal; and let the things that should have been for their wealth be unto them an occasion of falling. Let their eyes be blinded, that they see not; and ever bow thou down their backs.Pour out thine indignation upon them, and let thy wrathful displeasure take hold of them. Let their habitation be void, and no man to dwell in their tents.

For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten; and they talk how they may vex them whom thou hast wounded. Let them fall from one wickedness to another, and not come into thy righteousness. Let them be wiped out of the book of the living, and not be written among the righteous.

As for me, when I am poor and in heaviness, thy help, O God, shall lift me up. I will praise the Name of God with a song, and magnify it with thanksgiving. This also shall please the LORD better than a bullock that hath horns and hoofs.

The humble shall consider this, and be glad: seek ye after God, and your soul shall live. For the LORD heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners. Let heaven and earth praise him: the sea, and all that moveth therein.

For God will save Sion, and build the cities of Judah, that men may dwell there, and have it in possession.The posterity also of his servants shall inherit it; and they that love his Name shall dwell therein.

Nothing at the page about the composer; will post if I get that information (help, Scott!).  [EDIT:  A commenter notes that the composer(s) are J. Barnby and Charles Hylton Stewart.  Many thanks to him or her!]

Anglican Chant XVII: Psalm 98, Hanforth

A lovely version of Psalm 98 sung to Hanforth's chant setting.

The Schola Cantorum sings Psalm 98, "Cantate Domino," at Choral Evensong on 15 May 2011 at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, Highland Park, Pittsburgh, PA. Chant: Jones. Alastair Stout, organ; Peter J. Luley, choirmaster.

From the Coverdale Psalter:

Psalm 98: Cantate Domino

1. O SING unto the Lord a new song : for he hath done marvellous things.
2. With his own right hand, and with his holy arm : hath he gotten himself the victory.
3. The Lord declared his salvation : his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen.
4. He hath remembered his mercy and truth toward the house of Israel : and all the ends of the world have seen the salvation of our God.
5. Shew yourselves joyful unto the Lord, all ye lands : sing, rejoice, and give thanks.
6. Praise the Lord upon the harp : sing to the harp with a psalm of thanksgiving.
7. With trumpets also and shawms : O shew yourselves joyful before the Lord the King.
8. Let the sea make a noise, and all that therein is : the round world, and they that dwell therein.
9. Let the floods clap their hands, and let the hills be joyful together before the Lord : for he is come to judge the earth.
10. With righteousness shall he judge the world : and the people with equity.

Choral Evensong with the Choir of Clare College, Cambridge

Choral Evensong with the Choir of Clare College, Cambridge - YouTube

Haven't listened to this all the way through, but I've heard the Clare College Choir before and can safely predict it will be musically gorgeous. Best of all: it's a full hour, and you don't have to click from vid to vid to get the whole thing.

I'll come back with some info on composers, etc., if I can. From the YouTube page:

The Anglican Episcopal House of Studies at Duke Divinity School with the Choir of Clare College, Cambridge present Choral Evensong, September 13, 2010, at Duke University Chapel. Choir under the direction of Timothy Brown, Director of Music, Clare College.

Anglican Chant XVI: Psalm 138 Westminster Abbey - YouTube

Psalm 138 Westminster Abbey - YouTube

"Psalm 138 sung by Westminster Abbey Choir at the visit of the Pope, September 2010." (Which composer? Wait for my sources to comment!)



From the Coverdale Psalter:

Psalm 138. Confitebor tibi
I WILL give thanks unto thee, O Lord, with my whole heart : even before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.
2. I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy Name, because of thy loving-kindness and truth : for thou hast magnified thy Name and thy word above all things.
3. When I called upon thee, thou heardest me : and enduedst my soul with much strength.
4. All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O Lord : for they have heard the words of thy mouth.
5. Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the Lord : that great is the glory of the Lord.
6. For though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly : as for the proud, he beholdeth them afar off.
7. Though I walk in the midst of trouble, yet shalt thou refresh me : thou shalt stretch forth thy hand upon the furiousness of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.
8. The lord shall make good his loving-kindness toward me : yea, thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever; despise not then the works of thine own hands.

Gorgeous! HT Sed Angli.