Gripla - 01.01.2003, Side 23

THE BUCHANAN PSALTER AND ITS ICELANDIC TRANSMISSION
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of wedding and funeral poetry from the eighteenth and early nineteenth
centuries. The oldest of these, to the melody of Incolæ terrarum, was written
for Þórunn ísleifsdóttir (ca. 1689-1746) by her husband, Rev. Bjami Þor-
leifsson (ca. 1680—1758).46 Bjami Þorleifsson, who was priest at Kálfafell
from 1707-1749, was a graduate of Skálholt and had most likely become
familiar with the Buchanan psalter during his studies there.47 The melody of
Princeps stelliferis is employed for two poems (one in Latin, the other in
Icelandic), written in memory of Guðlaugur Þorgeirsson (1711-1789), also a
graduate of Skálholt and conrector there from 1734-1742.48 An Icelandic
eulogy for Kristín Halldórsdóttir (1738-1810, wife of Steindór Finnsson
sýslumaður, who was the son of Bishop Finnur Jónsson), is the very last text
to Olthof s music documented in Icelandic manuscripts, to Olthof s Rerum
certa salus.49 44 years earlier, a eulogy to Kristín Halldórsdóttir’s mother-in-
law, Guðríður Gísladóttir (1707-1766, the Bishop’s wife) had also been
written to this same melody.50
Three other funeral poems composed to Rerum certa salus have also
survived. Two appear in Lbs 2194 8vo: one in memory of Rev. Jón Stein-
grímsson (1721-1791), the other commemorating Rev. Páll Guðmundsson of
Vallanes (1725-1782).51 Finally, Lbs 462 4to contains a poem to Rerum certa
46 Lbs 52 fol, p. 19: “Útfararminning þeirrar æruverdigu og digder-elskande hðfdings kvinnu
sal. Þörunnar Isleifsdöttur, i stirdum og einfólldum, þö vel meintum Ijödmælum framsett af
hennar sorgande ecta-herra prófastsins velæruverdigs Sr. B.Þ.S.”
47 See/Ævol. 1, 198.
48 Lbs 52 fol, p. 46 and 49-50. The cycle of eulogies for Guðlaugur Þorgeirsson contains four
poems in Latin, each of which is also translated into Icelandic (verse) and Danish (prose).
The Latin poem “Volvuntur miseri” (headed “Responsorium et qvasi echo sepulchralis”) is
written to the melody of Princeps stelliferis. The Icelandic version of this same poem refers
to Stefán Ólafsson’s hymn “Upphaf og hertoginn” for the music (see p. 17, above). The last
poem in the cycle is an epitaph (“Epitaphium/Grafskrift”) that was intended to be sung,
though not to music from the Buchanan/Olthof psalter. On Guðlaugur Þorgeirsson see IÆ
vol. 2, 120-121.
49 Lbs 52 fol, p. 61: “Sorgar þaankar yftr burtkollun þeirrar ad dygdum og mannkostum
þiodkunnu hpfdings-qvinnu Madme Christínar saal. Halldórsdóttur.”
50 JS 479 8vo, pp. 1-5: “Skyldug og ó-gleymi minning sem medal mannanna blijfur j blessan
efter þaa riettlaatu og j lijfenu haa-edla margdygdauduga frii, nii i' Gude sælu frii Gudrijde
Gisladottur.”
51 Lbs 2194 8vo, p. 153: “Stutt og stijrdkvedenn þö einlæg æruminning epter þann i lijfenu
dijgdum og dadumm prijdda, enn a himnumm signudumm söma skirijdda gudmann saal. Sra
Jon Steingrijmsson”; p. 335: "Erfe liöd epter ædla hr. Profastenn Sra Paul Gudmundsson.”