Brass Band

Old Hundredth

by Louis Bourgeois

Grade 3 | 5 Mins

The tune Old Hundredth is one of the best-known melodies in all Christian musical traditions and first appeared in the 1551 psalter Pseaumes Octante Trois de David, where it is used as a setting for a version of Psalm 134; it is usually attributed to the French composer Louis Bourgeois (c.1510–c.1560). 

The melody was then used in 1561 by the Scots clergyman, William Kethe in Sternhold and Hopkins' Psalter for his paraphrase of Psalm 100 - All People that on Earth do Dwell, which is still the most familiar hymn sung to this noble tune. When Tate and Brady’s New Version of the Psalms was published in 1696, the melody became know as the ‘old’ version – hence its current title.

This arrangement presents three contrasting verses and is effective as a concert piece as well as an instrumental interlude as part of a church service or wedding.