The Gonville and Caius College Psalter

The Gonville and Caius College Psalter was compiled in the 1970s for the men's voice choir, then adapted for SATB in the 1980s. Its abiding characteristic was having the chants and psalm texts separate, each on ring bindings, such that any chant could be paired with any psalm. The Psalter was too heavy for procession, and since the choir rehearsed in situ anyway, the Psalter remained in each singer's place, having been opened to the required pages (upper and lower) before the service. Each copy of the Psalter belonged to one individual for their time in the choir.

Not every Psalm has a chant matching its number (though overall there are nearly 180 chants), and not every chant has accompanying pointing; it seems both were sourced and added on demand. As we would expect from PAT, the Psalter is no more than 99% serious and solemn; at least two of chants are Tranchell's arrangements of popular tunes, the composers being appropriate anagrams.

The chants are all hand-written with various hands evident, including Tranchell's own; but the vast majority of the SATB versions are, we are told, copied out and presumably transposed by Roy Dickinson (1982; Choral Exhibitioner; Music Part I, History Part II, BA 1985).

Not all of Tranchell's own Anglican chants were included in the final SATB edition, and one PAT chant listed in the index is missing from the two surviving copies (chant 42B).

Photo of the Gonville & Caius Psalter

Further images from the Psalter are included below, after the complete index of chants.

Numerical index of Psalm Chants

Separate from the Psalter itself we have an index, compiled by Anthony Groves (Caius 1970). The index relates to the men's voices version, before the final SATB revision of the Psalter, but remains substantially correct. Where the contents of the Psalter differ from the index, the table below endeavours to reflect the Psalter rather than publishing the original index verbatim.

Sort Chant No Composer Original key Type Source according to Psalter Notes
1 1 J. Goss A Double O.C.B. No.14 in A
2 2 W. Turner C Single O.C.B. No.64 in C
3 3 W. Hine G minor Single O.C.B. No.47 in G minor
4 4 W. Croft A minor Single O.C.B. No.150 in A minor
4 4B Ross G. S. Hewletson G flat Double "Original in G flat" In PAT's hand, and not in the ATB index of chants
5 5 K. J. Pye D Double O.C.B. No.107 in D
6 6 T. H. Webb D Double N.C.Ps No.209 in D
7 7A R. Alwyn Surplice A Double St. George's Chapel, Windsor, Men's Voices Ms C.B. No.21
7 7B Anon arr. P. A. Tranchell C Double St. George's Chapel, Windsor, Men's Voices Ms C.B. No.??
8 8 W. Tucker G Single
9 9 Dr Alan M. Brown arr. M. Neary rearr. P. A. Tranchell B flat Double not in the ATB index of chants
11 11 G. M. Garrett D Single O.C.B. No.6 in D
12 12 P. A. Tranchell E minor Double Variation for Gloria. Dated 1970.
12 12B P. A. Tranchell C minor Quadruple Score here First half and Gloria same as chant 12.
13 13 G. A. Macfarren A minor Single O.C.B. No.219 in A minor
14 14 J. Turle C minor Double N.C.P. No.112 in D minor; O.C.B. No.94 in C minor
15 15 E. F. Rimbault D Single O.C.B. No.9 in D
16 16 Dr J. Camidge E Double N.C.P. No.219 in E
16 16B P. A. Tranchell F Double Score here
17 17 W. Morley D minor Double N.C.P. No.135 in D minor; O.C.B. No.290 in D minor
18 18 A. E. Walker G Double O.C.B. No.77 in G
19 19 W. Russell D Double O.C.B. No.44 in D
20 20 J. Turle F Single O.C.B. No.112 in F
21 21 W. Boyce D Double N.C.P. No.97 in D
21 21A M. W. Scot-Higson D minor Double Score here
22 22A M. Camidge D minor Double
22 22B M. Camidge D major Double O.C.B. No.144 in D
22 22C E. J. Hopkins B minor Double B.Ps. No.57 in B minor
22 22D E. J. Hopkins B major Double B.Ps. No.57 in B major
23 23A C. H. Lloyd G flat Single N.C.P. No.145 in G flat
23 23B H. Walford Davies E Double B.Ps. No.8 in E
24 24 Sir G. A. Macfarren D Single O.C.B. No.78 in A
25 25  E. J. Hopkins  C Double O.C.B. No.108 in C
26 26A A. H. Brewer E flat Double
26 26B P. A. Tranchell E flat Double   Score here
27 27 E. J. Chipp E Double
28 28 W. Bailey (Melody) arr. P. A. Tranchell    E flat Double
29 29 E.G. Monk C Single
30 30A,B W. Hawes E Double
31 31A A. H. Peppin G flat Double
31 31B J. Stainer E minor Double
32 32 H. Stonex F minor Double
33 33 H. J. Gauntlett G Double
34 34 H. Smart D Double
35 35 H. Smart A Single
36 36 J. Battishill C Single
37 37 C. Teesdale E minor Double
39 39 H. Smart G minor Double
40 40 E. J. Hopkins G Double
41 41 W. Felton F Single
42 42A S. Wesley G Double
42 42B P. A. Tranchell F sharp minor Double Missing from the two surviving Psalters
43 43 J. L. Rogers E flat Double
45 45 T. A. Walmisly [sic] A Double
46 46 from Luther C Double
47 47 T. Attwood D Double
48 48 J. Stafford Smith G Double
49 49 T. S. Dupuis C Double O.C.B. No. 163 in C major
50 50 T. A. Walmisley C Double
51 51 L. Flintoft E minor Double
54 54 T. Kelway C Single
56 56 W. Russell (melody) arr. P. A. Tranchell B flat Double O.C.B. No. 89 in B flat; N.C.P. No. 95 in C major
57 57 R. Cooke (melody) arr. P. A. Tranchell C Double
61 61 F. A. G. Ouseley B flat Single
62 62 S. Wesley E flat Double
64 63 G. C. Martin A flat Double
65 65 E. J. Hopkins F Double
66 66 J. Turle C Double
67 67A G. M. Garrett G Double
67 67B G. J. Elvey F Double
68 68A R. Woodward C Double
68 68B J. Goss A Double
68 68C R. Cooke (melody) arr. P. A. Tranchell F Double
69 69A A. Hollins F minor Double
69 69B J. Stainer F Double
70 70 J. Barnby A minor Double
71 71 H. J. Gauntlett E flat Double
72 72 T. A. Walmisley B flat Double
73 73 J. Turle G Double
75 75A R. Cooke F Double
75 75B P. A. Tranchell A Double Score here
75 75D P. A. Tranchell E flat Double Different harmonization of bars 13 & 14
76 76A G. Thalben-Ball E flat Double
76 76B T. H. W. Armstrong D flat Triple
77 77 T. Attwood A flat Double
78 78 R. P. Goodenough G Double
80 80 J. Radcliffe E flat Double
81 81 G. J. Elvey E flat Double
84 84 E. J. Hopkins (arr. P. Marchbank) F Double
85 85 W. G. Alcock D flat Double
86 86 J. Battishill A minor Double
87 87 G. F. Huntley B flat Double
89 89 J. Turle F Double
89 89D P. A. Tranchell E flat minor Double Score here
90 90 J. Turle E flat Double
91 91 J. Alcock (melody) (arr. P. A. Tranchell?) D flat Double "source unstated"
92 92 J. Barnby D flat Double
93 93 F. A. G. Ouseley D Single
95 95A E. Elgar G Single
95 95B M. Greene B flat Single
97 97 C. Macpherson A Double
98 98A W. Marsh G Double
98 98B G. M. Garrett G Double
99 99 W. Parratt C Double
100 100 E. C. Bairstow D Double
101 101 H. Walford Davies C Double
102 102 C. Macpherson B flat Double
104 104 G. J. Bennett E flat Double
105 105A W. H. Havergal G flat Double
105 105B W. H. Havergal C Double
106 106 E. Cutler G Double
107 107A G. J. Elvey B flat Single
107 107B from J. Foster E major (Caius: E flat minor) Double
108 108 W. Crotch D minor Double
110 110A H. S. Oakely G flat Double
110 110B R. Cooke (melody) (arr. P. A. Tranchell?) F Double
111 111 G. Thalben-Ball B flat Double
113 113A W. Patten E flat Double
113 113B M. G. J. Neary E minor Double
113 113C M. G. J. Neary E major Double
114 114 Tonus Peregrinus D minor Single
114 114B P. A. Tranchell E minor Double P.A.T. Ms in E minor Original was set for ATB. Score here
114 114C P. A. Tranchell G minor Double P.A.T. Ms in E minor Same chant as 114B
115 115 J. Goss C Double
116 116 G. Thalben-Ball F Double
118 118 W. Crotch F Double
119 119A J. Turle G Double
119 119B J. Goss E Double
119 119C S. Elvey F Double
119 119D T. Attwood G Double
119 119E G. C. Martin E flat Double
119 119F I. Atkins F Double
119 119G E. F. Rimbault B minor Single
119 119H G. Thalben-Ball G Double
120 120 R. Cooke G minor Double
121 121A T. A. Walmisley F Double
121 121B H. Walford Davies D Double
122 122 G. C. Martin E flat Double
123 123 T. A. Walmisley E Double
124 124 G. Thalben-Ball B flat Double
125 125 G. C. Martin G minor Double
127 127 H. Murrill G Double
127 127B P. A. Tranchell C Quadruple [sic] It's a triple chant. Score here.
128 128 C. H. H. Parry E flat Double
131 131 G. Thalben-Ball A flat Single
133 133 J. Jones A Single
136 136 M. B. Foster E flat Double
137 137 S. S. Wesley arr. P. A. S. Hadley F sharp minor Single
138 138 Trent G Double O.C.B. No. 5 in G maj
139 139 H. E. Woolridge C sharp minor Double
143 143A S. S. Wesley C sharp minor Double
143 143B A. H. Peppin E flat minor Single
144 144 G. C. Martin A Double
145 145 J. Corfe (from H. Lawes) B flat Double
146 146 W. Crotch G Double
148 148 Earl of Mornington E flat Double N.C.P. No. 85 in E flat maj
149 149 J. Davy C Double
150 150 C. V. Stanford C Single
151 151 I. Hosenburg (arr. A. Mastrani) A flat Double Score here
152 152 H. S. Oakely F Quadruple
153 153A C. V. Stanford E flat Double
153 153B G. J. Higgins E flat Double
154 154 W. H. Havergal E flat Double
155 155 J. Turle F Double
156 156 H. Smart F Double
157 157 J. Randall D Double
158 158 G. Hast D Double
159 159 J. Jones A flat Double
160 160 T. Tertius Noble C Double
161 161 W. E. Smith G minor and E flat major Double C.Ps. Magnificat No. 6 in G minor
162 162 Parisian Tone F Single
163 163 R. Farrant F Single
164 164 R. Hayes E flat Single
165 165 J. Barnby E Single
166 166 J. Battishill A flat Single
167 167 W. Felton C minor Single
168 168 G. Thalben-Ball F Single
169 169 H. Aldrich A flat Single
170 170 T. A. Walmisley G Single
171 171 H. Walford Davies A minor Single
172 172 J. Stainer D Single

Additional images and texts

The Gonville & Caius Psalter page 1

The Psalter begins with a short guide to Psalmody.

The Gonville & Caius Psalter page 2

The Gonville & Caius Psalter page 3

PSALMODY

The Psalms and Canticles should be sung in a deliberate speech-rhythm, pausing momentarily only at punctuation-marks and at the ends of those lines where the sense requires a slight break.

Indications of expression (and of Unison or Harmony for the Choir) are in the left-hand margin. An asterisk * before a line means: Use the second half of the chant if it is a "double" chant (that is, one of four quarters instead of two).

Various indications are given to assist in putting the words to the music:-

A bar-line means: Move onto the next bar of the chant

("And ful/fil / all thy / mind")

A horizontal dash after a bar-line means: Carry the previous syllable into the bar for one note, or for the whole bar if there are no other words in it.

("/ trust / - in / thee")

("/ A/ - /men")

A horizontal dash before the first bar-line of a line means: Omit the corresponding note of the chant and go straight onto the next note.

A dot (not to be confused with a full stop) between words or syllables means: Move onto the next note of the chant.

("Glory / be . to the / Father") 

("/ marvel.lous / things")

A dot under a syllable means: Do not linger on that syllable but pass on quickly.

("the / shadow . ọf / thẹ Ạl/mighty")

Three dots at the end of a line mean: Carry on to the next line without a break.

(He hath not de/spised nor . ab/horred...

   The / low e/state of . the / poor")

An accent over a word means: Stress and, if appropriate, slightly elongate the accented syllable.

("He hath fóunded")

There follows a guide to the association of psalms and chants:

The Gonville & Caius Psalter page 4

The Gonville & Caius Psalter page 5