Fantasias on Genevan Psalm Tunes
Solo Organ Consortium
)Wherefore, when we have looked thoroughly everywhere and searched high and low, we shall find no better songs nor more appropriate for the purpose than the Psalms of David, which the Holy Spirit made and spoke through him. And furthermore, when we sing them, we are certain that God puts the words in our mouths, as if he himself were singing in us to exalt his glory.
--John Calvin, Preface to Genevan Psalter (1542)
--John Calvin, Preface to Genevan Psalter (1542)
Project Description
The Genevan Psalter, created under the supervision of John Calvin between 1539-1562 is one of the great musical songbooks of the Reformation. For generations, these tunes have inspired theologians, congregations, and composers alike. But other than Goudimel’s polyphonic settings and Sweelinck’s organ fantasias in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, these melodies have scarcely been quoted by later generations of composers when compared to the Lutheran chorales made famous by Bach or other musical traditions such as Gregorian chant. There has been renewed interest among Dutch organists in the Genevan psalter and this project seeks to add to that tradition by creating a series of contemporary fantasias for solo organ. The new settings will be suitable for both concert performance or liturgical services with some being more virtuosic and others more contemplative depending on the nature of the original psalm. As in fantasias for solo organ, the tune will generally be played slowly in the pedals or a solo voice and surrounded by imitative counterpoint or more florid textures. Some may be more chromatic or harmonically adventurous, others more traditional, but all will owe their character to the original material.
Around 2010, as a student at Dordt University, I composed a setting of Genevan 65 after becoming fascinated with the psalm tunes when visiting musicians led a festival celebrating their anniversary. The idea was planted and since then I have referenced the psalm tunes in some of my other compositions (e.g. my choral setting of Psalm 42 “As the Deer” and in “City of Churches,” one of my Paul Klee : Painted Songs compositions). Recently, this early work of mine was premiered after many years, which has rekindled my interest in the Genevan psalms.
The project will be arranged in seven volumes of seven psalm tunes each (for a total of 49 from the 124 unique tunes in the complete edition from 1562). The first round will focus on Volume I and will contain the existing “Fantasia on Genevan Sixty-Five” along with some other sketches that I’ve started developing.
Vol. I – Genevan 6, 19, 42, 51, 65, 84, 124
Vol. II – Genevan 3, 25, 43, 68, 77, 89, 103
Vol. III – Genevan 12, 27, 81, 97, 105, 128, 136
Vol. IV – Genevan 33, 47, 87, 98, 107, 130, 138
Vol. V – Genevan 8, 37, 63, 100, 116, 133, 143
Vol. VI – Genevan 101, 119 and others TBD
Vol. VII – Genevan 134, 150 and others TBD
There are many online resources and editions of these famous tunes, but one that I find the simplest to use with English lyrics is available at https://genevanpsalter.com/music-and-lyrics/
Consortium Timeline and Details
January 1, 2024 – Consortium opens
April 1, 2024 – Deadline for deposits
July 1, 2024 – Final scores available for performance in Fall 2024 and beyond.
As a consortium member, your support of this project goes towards my commission fee to compose these new works, which would be under exclusivity to members until July 2025 when they will be self-published on my website. It is expected, though not required, that each consortium member perform the work, or excerpts of it, within one year of July 1, 2024.
All members at or above the $100 buy-in level will receive the following benefits:
If you, your church or institution have access to special funding for commissioning new works, please reach out to me directly. My hope is to keep the consortium fee low so that more organists can participate, but any further support of this project would be very meaningful as I am investing considerable time in researching the Genevan psalter and composing these new works over the next several years.
The Genevan Psalter, created under the supervision of John Calvin between 1539-1562 is one of the great musical songbooks of the Reformation. For generations, these tunes have inspired theologians, congregations, and composers alike. But other than Goudimel’s polyphonic settings and Sweelinck’s organ fantasias in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, these melodies have scarcely been quoted by later generations of composers when compared to the Lutheran chorales made famous by Bach or other musical traditions such as Gregorian chant. There has been renewed interest among Dutch organists in the Genevan psalter and this project seeks to add to that tradition by creating a series of contemporary fantasias for solo organ. The new settings will be suitable for both concert performance or liturgical services with some being more virtuosic and others more contemplative depending on the nature of the original psalm. As in fantasias for solo organ, the tune will generally be played slowly in the pedals or a solo voice and surrounded by imitative counterpoint or more florid textures. Some may be more chromatic or harmonically adventurous, others more traditional, but all will owe their character to the original material.
Around 2010, as a student at Dordt University, I composed a setting of Genevan 65 after becoming fascinated with the psalm tunes when visiting musicians led a festival celebrating their anniversary. The idea was planted and since then I have referenced the psalm tunes in some of my other compositions (e.g. my choral setting of Psalm 42 “As the Deer” and in “City of Churches,” one of my Paul Klee : Painted Songs compositions). Recently, this early work of mine was premiered after many years, which has rekindled my interest in the Genevan psalms.
The project will be arranged in seven volumes of seven psalm tunes each (for a total of 49 from the 124 unique tunes in the complete edition from 1562). The first round will focus on Volume I and will contain the existing “Fantasia on Genevan Sixty-Five” along with some other sketches that I’ve started developing.
Vol. I – Genevan 6, 19, 42, 51, 65, 84, 124
Vol. II – Genevan 3, 25, 43, 68, 77, 89, 103
Vol. III – Genevan 12, 27, 81, 97, 105, 128, 136
Vol. IV – Genevan 33, 47, 87, 98, 107, 130, 138
Vol. V – Genevan 8, 37, 63, 100, 116, 133, 143
Vol. VI – Genevan 101, 119 and others TBD
Vol. VII – Genevan 134, 150 and others TBD
There are many online resources and editions of these famous tunes, but one that I find the simplest to use with English lyrics is available at https://genevanpsalter.com/music-and-lyrics/
Consortium Timeline and Details
January 1, 2024 – Consortium opens
April 1, 2024 – Deadline for deposits
July 1, 2024 – Final scores available for performance in Fall 2024 and beyond.
As a consortium member, your support of this project goes towards my commission fee to compose these new works, which would be under exclusivity to members until July 2025 when they will be self-published on my website. It is expected, though not required, that each consortium member perform the work, or excerpts of it, within one year of July 1, 2024.
All members at or above the $100 buy-in level will receive the following benefits:
- Your name, and/or the name of your church or institution in the score of Volume I
- Print-at-home PDFs of the score (hard copies available for an additional $25)
- A virtual group meeting with all consortium members in Spring 2024
- Early draft PDFs of the score in before July 1, 2024 for review or to workshop in advance
- Additional access to the creative process as the work is developed
- A single virtual one-on-one workshop in Summer 2024 (or in-person if in Minnesota)
- Automatic participation and early access to Volume II of the series.
- Multiple virtual, or possible in-personal workshops or meetings in future seasons.
- Automatic participation and early access to all future volumes of the series.
If you, your church or institution have access to special funding for commissioning new works, please reach out to me directly. My hope is to keep the consortium fee low so that more organists can participate, but any further support of this project would be very meaningful as I am investing considerable time in researching the Genevan psalter and composing these new works over the next several years.
To join the consortium, send your contact details to Jonathan Posthuma using the contact form and pay the consortium fee below.
Consortium Fee
Consortium Fee - Fantasias on Genevan Psalm Tunes
Completed Works from the Collection
Sketches from the Collection
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Genevan 3
Genevan 12
Genevan 103
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Genevan 6
Genevan 68
Genevan 124
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Other Works Including Genevan Psalm Tunes
Other Works Using Hymn Tunes
Arrangements and settings of hymns originally for solo piano and suitable for liturgical use edited after years of accompanying church services, including some improvisations. Each version is also available for solo voice or chorus and piano. This collection is a work in progress. For more information, use the contact form to ask if a setting is available.
Eventually, I hope to record these pieces professionally and release some of the titles below as Vol. I of an ongoing series of hymn settings, but if you are interested in using them in worship or public performance, please let me know!
"Title" (TUNE NAME) [Year Completed] availability
"O Love, How Deep, How Broad, How High" (DEO GRACIAS) [2012]
"My Shepherd Will Supply My Need" (RESIGNATION) [2012]
"Jesus Lives, and So Do We" (JESUS, MEINE ZUVERSICHT) [2013, rev. 2015]
"O Jesus, I Have Promised" (NYLAND) [2013, rev. 2016]
"It Is Well With My Soul 'O grosse Lieb' " (VILLE DU HAVRE / HERZLIEBSTER JESU) [2015, rev. 2020]
"He Leadeth Me" (AUGHTON) [2013]
"My Faith Looks Up to Thee" (OLIVET) [2013]
"Ah, Holy Jesus, How Have You Offended?" (HERZLIEBSTER JESU) [2013] not available
"Humble Praises, Holy Jesus" (VESPER HYMN) [2012] not available
"I Lift Up My Eyes to the Mountains" (LUZON) [2013] not available
"My Lord I Did Not Choose You" (CRUCIFIX Greek) [2014] not available
"Toccata on 'The Spacious Heavens Tell' " (GENEVAN 19) [2015] available by request
"Beams of Heaven" (SOME DAY) [2016]
"Were You There" (WERE YOUR THERE) [2018, rev. 2020] available by request
"Savior of the Nations, Come" (NUN KOMM, DER HEIDEN HEILAND) [2017]
Eventually, I hope to record these pieces professionally and release some of the titles below as Vol. I of an ongoing series of hymn settings, but if you are interested in using them in worship or public performance, please let me know!
"Title" (TUNE NAME) [Year Completed] availability
"O Love, How Deep, How Broad, How High" (DEO GRACIAS) [2012]
"My Shepherd Will Supply My Need" (RESIGNATION) [2012]
"Jesus Lives, and So Do We" (JESUS, MEINE ZUVERSICHT) [2013, rev. 2015]
"O Jesus, I Have Promised" (NYLAND) [2013, rev. 2016]
"It Is Well With My Soul 'O grosse Lieb' " (VILLE DU HAVRE / HERZLIEBSTER JESU) [2015, rev. 2020]
"He Leadeth Me" (AUGHTON) [2013]
"My Faith Looks Up to Thee" (OLIVET) [2013]
"Ah, Holy Jesus, How Have You Offended?" (HERZLIEBSTER JESU) [2013] not available
"Humble Praises, Holy Jesus" (VESPER HYMN) [2012] not available
"I Lift Up My Eyes to the Mountains" (LUZON) [2013] not available
"My Lord I Did Not Choose You" (CRUCIFIX Greek) [2014] not available
"Toccata on 'The Spacious Heavens Tell' " (GENEVAN 19) [2015] available by request
"Beams of Heaven" (SOME DAY) [2016]
"Were You There" (WERE YOUR THERE) [2018, rev. 2020] available by request
"Savior of the Nations, Come" (NUN KOMM, DER HEIDEN HEILAND) [2017]