The ''Souterliedekens'' (literal: Psalter-songs) is a Dutch
metrical psalter
A metrical psalter is a kind of Bible translation: a book containing a verse translation of all or part of the Book of Psalms in vernacular poetry, meant to be sung as hymns in a church. Some metrical psalters include melodies or harmonisatio ...
, published in 1540 in
Antwerp
Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504, , and which remained very popular throughout the century. The metrical rhyming psalms were, probably, arranged by a Utrecht nobleman:
Willem van Zuylen van Nijevelt (d. 1543). For the melodies he used folksongs from the Low Countries (though some have German or French origin). This publication has great value, because the publisher (
Symon Cock) not only added the phrase 'sung to the tune of...' but also provided the actual music (melody) with the texts.
Nowadays many of the folksong melodies that were known at that time can only be reconstructed because they have survived in the "Souterliedekens". Composers like
Jacobus Clemens non Papa
Jacobus Clemens non Papa (also Jacques Clément or Jacob Clemens non Papa) ( – 1555 or 1556) was a Netherlandish composer of the Renaissance based for most of his life in Flanders. He was a prolific composer in many of the current styles, and ...
,
Gerardus Mes, and Cornelis Boscoop made polyphonic settings based on the melody of the monophonic "Souterliedekens". The melody often functions as a
cantus firmus
In music, a ''cantus firmus'' ("fixed melody") is a pre-existing melody forming the basis of a polyphonic composition.
The plural of this Latin term is , although the corrupt form ''canti firmi'' (resulting from the grammatically incorrect tr ...
. The Antwerp printer
Tielman Susato
Tielman (or Tylman) Susato (''c.'' 1510/15 – after 1570) was a Renaissance composer, instrumentalist and publisher of music in Antwerp.
Biography
While Susato's exact place of birth is unknown, some scholars believe that because of his n ...
dedicated four volumes of his music-books ("Musyck Boexkens") to Clemens' "Souterliedekens" (vol. IV to VII).
See also
Anabaptist
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Ausbund
The ''Ausbund'' ("Paragon" in German) is the oldest Anabaptist hymnal and one of the oldest Christian song books in continuous use. It is used today by North American Amish congregations.
History
The core of the ''Ausbund'' is based on fifty- ...
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Anglican
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Book of Common Prayer
The ''Book of Common Prayer'' (BCP) is the name given to a number of related prayer books used in the Anglican Communion and by other Christian churches historically related to Anglicanism. The original book, published in 1549 in the reign ...
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Whole Book of Psalms''
Lutheran
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First Lutheran hymnal
The First Lutheran hymnal, published in 1524 as ''Etlich Cristlich lider / Lobgesang und Psalm'' (Some Christian songs / canticle, and psalm), often also often referred to as the Achtliederbuch (Book with eight songs, literally Eightsongsbook), was ...
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Erfurt Enchiridion
The ''Erfurt Enchiridion'' (enchiridion, from grc, ἐγχειρίδιον, hand book) is the second Lutheran hymnal. It appeared in 1524 in Erfurt in two competing editions. One of them contains 26 songs, the other 25, 18 of them by Martin Lut ...
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Eyn geystlich Gesangk Buchleyn
' ("A spiritual song booklet"), sometimes called First Wittenberg Hymnal and ' (Choir hymnal), was the first German hymnal for choir, published in Wittenberg in 1524 by Johann Walter who collaborated with Martin Luther. It contains 32 sacred songs ...
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Swenske songer eller wisor 1536
''Swenske songer eller wisor nw på nytt prentade / forökade / och under en annan skick än tilförenna utsatte'', often abbreviated as just ''Swenske songer eller wisor 1536'', is the first preserved hymnal published in the Swedish language a ...
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Thomissøn's hymnal
Thomissøn's hymnal (titled ''Den danske Psalmebog'' 'The Danish Hymnal') was a hymnal published in Denmark that received royal authorization in 1569.Valkner, Kristen. 1951. ''Norges kirkehistorie ca. 1500-1800. Sammendrag av forelesninger våren ...
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Presbyterian
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Book of Common Order
The ''Book of Common Order'' is the name of several directories for public worship, the first originated by John Knox for use on the continent of Europe and in use by the Church of Scotland since the 16th century. The Church published revised ed ...
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Scottish Psalter
Decisions concerning the conduct of public worship in the Church of Scotland are entirely at the discretion of the parish minister. As a result, a wide variety of musical resources are used. However, at various times in its history, the General As ...
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Reformed
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Genevan Psalter
The ''Genevan Psalter'', also known as the ''Huguenot Psalter'', is a metrical psalter in French created under the supervision of John Calvin for liturgical use by the Reformed churches of the city of Geneva in the sixteenth century.
Background
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Dutch music
Renaissance music
Renaissance literature
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