Tune Categories, or Classifications

A new heading, "Tune Categories", has been added to the "left navigation" area of the page. Each link takes you to a list of tunes whose classification may be described by the word. As an example, try clicking on the word "Didactic" in the list to your left to see a list of tunes that might be appropriate for various didactic passages found in the Psalms.

We have adapted this classification idea from The Psalms in Metre (Oxford University Press, 1979), with some modifications: (a) The lists include tunes from The Scottish Psalmody, and (b) A tune may be listed in more than one category.

You will find these same links in each of the monthly Psalmody Calendars. If you do not know the recommended tune for the passage, you may be able to substitute a more familiar tune from within the same category. Remember that these categories are broad, and that classification is subjective. Very likely some tunes in the category seem more appropriate than others for the given passage.

Jeremiah Clarke

Jeremiah Clarke (c. 1673-1707) was an English baroque period composer as was his contemporary William Croft. A very familiar piece by Clarke is his trumpet voluntary. It also is believed that he wrote the melody and bass for the tunes including St. Magnus (Psalm 48, Psalm 96).

Other tunes in the Scottish Psalmody that bear the name Jeremiah Clarke as composer or contributor are Uffingham (SP 16, LM), Bishopthorpe (SP 34, CM), and Hermon (SP 74, CM). Hermon, with its combined plaintive and majestic characteristics, is a particularly good tune for singing the Scottish Metrical Psalm 57.

William Croft

William Croft was an English composer and church organist who lived from 1678-1727. He is credited with writing the melody for the tune Eatington (SP 54, CM), to which we sang Psalm 146:1-10 this past Lord's Day (01/20/2008 A.D.).

Croft also composed tunes for Psalms 136 and 148, and is the same Croft for whom the tune Croft's 136th (SP 185, 66.66.88) is named. He is also believed to have written the tune St. Matthew (SP 157, DCM). Certainly we are all familiar with St. Anne (SP 106, CM); perhaps his best-known tune.

More about William Croft can be found in this article on Wikipedia.