# Why are psalters/hymns not usually orchestrated?



## mediumaevum (Mar 24, 2011)

Is it just me who can't find the orchestrations of psalters, like the Genevan Psalters (on youtube)?

Why is it so un-common for psalters/hymns to be orchestrated?

The few pieces I've heard, strings only, sounds beautiful, and well-performed. I really miss all the psalter-melodies to be orchestrated. 

Often when psalms/psalters are orchestrated, they often overdo it, like using too much staccato or other fast-moving sections. Please keep them calm, beautiful and simple!


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## Larkenfield (Jun 5, 2017)

I don’t know. That’s a good question. But there are 150 of them and maybe that has something to do with it. Many of them are wonderful.

#84 (parts)

Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.

As they pass through the Valley of Baka,
they make it a place of springs;
the autumn rains also cover it with pools.

They go from strength to strength,
till each appears before God in Zion.


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## Taggart (Feb 14, 2013)

The Calvinists felt that instrumentation was a papist practice and that the word of God should be sung in a simple and unadorned manner. All people should be able to sing simple psalms and hence parts and ornamentation are anathema.


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