M 2136 PREFACE. "THE SCOTTISH PSALTER," now published, is the result of a wide-spread desire to put an end to the confusion at present prevailing through the use of different books with different harmonies for the same tunes. It has been prepared on the understanding that the original "Scottish Psalmody” and the "Revised Scottish Psalmody" are to go out of print, and that the new Psalter is to take their place. To meet the wants of a wide community with diverse tastes and attainments, the collection of tunes has been made large and varied. The work contains, besides 52 chants, 220 tunes, including the best known and most esteemed old church melodies; and along with these an extensive selection of compositions of more recent origin, some of which are high-class tunes by well-known musicians, while others are of a more popular character. It is hoped that the variety thus secured is sufficiently great to meet all reasonable demands. Some may be disappointed by the non-appearance of certain tunes (chiefly of the class called "repeating tunes") once in favour; but the omission has been made in deference to the concurrent opinion of psalmodists adverse to their continued use. Exception has been made in favour of five,-namely, "Eastgate," "Saxony," "Invocation," "Redemption," "St. George's, Edinburgh," which form a group by themselves at the end of the common measure tunes. Most of the melodies have been given in their traditional forms. “Wiltshire," commonly called in Scotland "New St. Ann," appears in the form alone authorized by the composer, Sir George Smart. The harmonies have been revised by Dr. Hopkins of the Temple, who has done his work with much skill and practical judgment. A few tunes, such as the five above named, and "Duke Street" and "Melcombe," were not subjected to his revision, and they appear in their traditional settings. The tunes common to the "Scottish Psalter" and the "Free Church HymnBook" are given in the same forms. The tunes are arranged in alphabetical order,-the long measures coming first, then the common measures, then the short measures, then the peculiar measures. At the head of each tune a passage from a Psalm or Paraphrase is indicated as suitable to be sung to it. It is hoped that, as a rule, the tunes will be sung to the passages to which they are set. But to guide in the use of the freedom of choice possible in a cut-leaved book each Psalm has prefixed to it names of tunes suitable to the whole or to portions indicated. It is much to be desired that respect should be paid by ministers in the use of the Psalms to the divisions thus indicated, and that the too frequent practice of giving out always the same number of verses, without regard to the connection of thought, should be discontinued. In certain Psalms, of which only some verses are usually sung-such as the 73rd, the use of which is very much restricted to verses 23-26-in addition to tunes for the particular part, chants have been suggested to which the whole Psalm may be sung. This has been done with the view of promoting a wider and more varied use of the Psalms in praise than heretofore. It is felt that every means should be used to secure for the Psalms a prominent place in worship, and to prevent them from being pushed aside by the Hymns. A selection of prose Psalms, pointed for chanting, has been added at the end of the metrical version, which it is hoped will increase the acceptableness and utility of the work. This selection contains a considerable number of copyright tunes, which are printed by permission of composers and proprietors, in most cases generously granted without charge. The necessary acknowledgments are made in connection with each tune. If in any case copyright has been unintentionally infringed, the compilers trust the error will be excused. May this "Psalter" promote the glory of God in the praise of the sanctuary! ROBERT G. BALFOUR, Convener of the Psalmody Committee of the Free Church of Scotland. |