MUSIC. The tune NUNC DIMITTIS is by the French musician, Louis Bourgeois, c. 1510-61, the best melodist of his day, and composer of most of the music for the Genevan Psalter, a French metrical version of the Psalms published in 1549. Many of his melodies have been altered, as for example, “Old Hundredth,” but this one has come to us unchanged. It is a glorious melody which needs to be listened to repeatedly to be appreciated. The harmonization is by Claude Goudimel, c. 1505/10-72, another eminent Protestant musician, who provided harmonies for many of the Genevan psalm tunes. Goudimel’s life came to an end in the massacre of St. Bartholomew in 1572, one of those tragedies during the counter-reformation in which the Protestants suffered at the hands of the Jesuits.
35. God that madest earth and heaven
Stanza 1, Reginald Heber, 1783-1826
Stanza 2, William Mercer, 1811-73
Stanza 3, Richard Whateley, 1787-1863
The original hymn consisted of the first stanza only which was written by Reginald Heber after hearing the tune used here played by a Welch harpist in a home where Heber was visiting. Retiring to a quiet place, he promptly wrote the stanza to suit the melody.
For comments on Reginald Heber see [Hymn 1].
William Mercer, author of the second stanza, was a clergyman in the Church of England in Sheffield. In 1857, he issued The Church Psalter and Hymn Book, the most important Church of England book of its time. His aim was to promote greater participation by the congregation in the hymn singing.
Richard Whately was archbishop of Dublin. He was a man of great brilliance of mind, though, it is said, he had no ear for music and no eye for natural beauty.
MUSIC. The tune AR HYD Y NOS is a Welsh traditional melody commonly associated with the words “All through the night.” It appears in many modern hymnals. A growing number of folk tunes are being used for hymn tunes.