PSALMODY, in its widest sense, eignIfies the Psalms of David set to music and sung. But from the early part of the 16th century the term has been applied only to metrical versions of the l'salms to which short grave airs are either set or adapted.
The practice of psalm-singing may be traced to a very remote date, but we need not refer to any period anterior to that of our Saviour. In St. Matthew's and St. Mark's gospels (xxvi. 30; xiv. 26), we find that, after the last supper, Christ and his disciples "Sung an hymn" ("or psalm," says the marginal note), previously to their going " out into the Mount of Olives." St. Paul exhorts the Ephesians (v. 19) to "sing psalms and spiritual songs ;" and St. James (v. 13) recommends those who are " merry" to do the like. The corroborative passage in the letter of the younger Pliny to Trajan (' Ep.,' x. 97) stating that the Christians mug hymns to their Christ before daybreak, is well known. The bishops FLaviamis and Diodorua ordained that the Psalms of David should be sung by the choir, In the manner of the antiphons. [Aserusioxv.] Among the inferior orders of clergy in the church of Rome were the Pealmistm, whose first institution appears to have been at the commencement of the 4th century. It is believed that this order was established for the purpose of encouraging and regulating the ancient psalmody ; for, says Bingham, " from the first and apes tolical age, singing was always a part of divine service, in which the whole body of the church joined" (L 295, et seg.) The service of the ancient church usually began with psalmody, according to St. Jerome. (Hieron., Ep.,' 22, Ad Eustach.') It was also the exercise and recreation of the Eastern churches in their nocturnal vigils ; and, indeed,et all times in the church, St. Augustine remarks, was psalmody used to fill up vacant intervals. (Aug., ' Ep.,' 119, 'Ad. Januar.') By degrees the greater 'Art of the psalm-tune was surrendered to a single voice, the congregation joining only at the close. This led to a more scientific and perhaps a more refined mode of singing, requiring superior knowledge; and thus, the body of the people becoming incapable of taking a share of the performance, the service was left in the hands of professed musicians. This was encouraged by the Church
of Rome, during her long dominion, because it still farther divided the clergy and laity : but Huss, and afterwards Luther and Calvin, restored to the people their share in the divine service, furnishing them at the same time with the means of performing it in a manner agreeable to themselves, and conformably to what they conceived to be the true principles of public worship. With this view the Psalms were turned into metre, tunes were composed or adapted, and the practice of psalmody soon became a marked distinction of those who departed from the Church of Rome. Luther, however, was friendly to harmony, or music in parts; the severe Calvin, on the contrary, sternly refused to admit anything but simple unaccompanied melody. The design of the reformers was seconded by Clement Marot, who translated the first fifty Psalms into French verse. These, adapted to popular airs, became exceedingly fashionable, and the length to which the new amusement of singing sacred songs was carried by the monarch of France and his courtiers, is fully described by Baylo (in a note on Marot), and after him by Warton (` Hist. of Poet.,' sect. xlv.), as well as others. Theodore Beza, by his version of those Psalms which Marot left untouched, completed the hundred and fifty. Most of the melodies to these, as used by the first Calvinists, are commonly attri buted to Claude Goudimel and Claude Le Jeune, distinguished French composers ; but Bayle, on apparently good authority, ascribes them to one Guillaume Franc; while some think that they were chiefly German. It seems almost certain that a few owe their birth to the great reformer himself, of whose musical knowledge undoubted proofs remain; and it is equally clear, for the reason before mentioned, that the Aarmonisal tunes of Goudiniel and Lo Jeuno were not admitted into Calvin's places of worship, though probably their melodies were.