GOUDIMEL, Claude, composer of the 16th century, must be named amongst the founders of modern music. The French and the Belgians claim him as their countryman, and the place of his birth is not sufficiently established. In all probability, however, he was born at Vaison near Avignon, about the year 1510. As to his early education we know little or nothing, but the excellent Latin in which some of his letters were written prove that, in addition to his musical knowledge, he also acquired a good classical training. In 1540 we find him established in Rome at the head of a music-school, and here, amongst many other celebrated musicians, Palestrina, the greatest master of the early Italian school, and one of the greatest masters of all schools, was amongst his pupils. About the middle of the century he seems to have left Rome for Paris, where, in conjunction with Jean Duchemin, he published, in 1555, a setting of Horace’s Odes, entitled, Horatii Flacci odae omnes quotquot carminum generibus differunt ad rhythmos musicos redactae. Infinitely more important is another collection of vocal pieces, a setting of the celebrated French version of the Psalms by Marot and Beza (Les Psaumes de David, mis en rime Française par Clement Marot et Theodore de Beze, mis en musique par Claude Goudirnel'), published in 1565. It is written in four parts, the melody being assigned to the tenor. Some of the tunes were probably of popular origin, and they are still used by the French Protestant Church. Others were adopted by the German Lutherans, a German imitation of the French versions of the Psalms in the same metres having been published at an early date. There is little doubt that, at the time of the last-named composition, Goudimel had embraced the new faith, although the French version of ...