Lutheran Chorale

A large body of German and Scandinavian hymn tunes are known as CHORALES and developed from the impetus of the Protestant Reformation in those countries. The chorales reflect a variety of musical styles and melodies ranging from medieval plainsong and the song of the 16th-century Meistersinger, to the baroque continuo accompanied lied. Because of his masterful chorale harmonizations, many persons associate the chorale chiefly with a Johann Sebastian Bach.

In a broad sense, "chorale" can refer to two types of religious song: (1) Roman Catholic liturgical chant (cantus choralis), and (2) hymn tunes in the Lutheran (German Evangelical) tradition.

The phrase structure of chorales is often the German bar form (AAB). In accord with the poetic structure of German chorale texts, few chorale tunes are in common (CM), long (LM), or short (SM) meter; instead, they use a wide variety of other hymn meters. There are two main styles of rhythmic movement in the chorale. One consists of the sturdy rhythms with regular patterns of mostly quarter notes and a few longer note values, especially for phrase endings. This style is sometimes called the "isometric" ("same meter") chorale; it was common in the 18th century and is now associated with the chorale harmonizations of J.S. Bach. Most of the older chorales found in American hymnals are isometric. The other style, known as the "rhythmic chorale," consists of more irregular and often syncopated rhythms, such as those often found in the Reformation-era chorales (c. 1520 - 1550), which were originally sung without accompaniment. This is illustrated by the original rhythm of Luther's EIN' FESTE BURG.

Chorales can be harmonized in the "Bach style" using a number of nonharmonic tones (PASSION CHORALE), or in a simpler style that uses nonharmonic tones sparingly, and then mostly at cadences, such as LOBE DEN HERREN (harm. by William Sterndale Bennett).

By the time of Freylinghausen's famous Pietistic hymnal in the early 18th century, the newly composed chorales clearly reflected the baroque solo song style; they were mostly arias for single voice with 'basso continuo' (frequently harpsichord and cello) accompaniment. These chorale arias were published with only melody and figured bass parts. The keyboard instrumentalist would improvise the missing parts. Although chorale arias were adapted in simpler arrangements for use in congregational singing, hymns for the soloist took precedence over hymns for the congregation. These solo chorales reflected the aesthetic principles of the late baroque, with melodies constructed to allow the singer and the accompanist ample opportunity for embellishment.

Many of the later chorale melodies were built on the intervals of the triad (WIR PLUGEN, UNSER HERRSCHER); some of them used dance rhythms (NEUMARK). These are only two of many stylistic traits which show the influence of general musical developments upon the chorale.

The composer most commonly associated with the chorale in the 18th century is Johann Sebastian Bach. Bach's genius lay not in composing new hymn tunes, but in harmonizing and embellishing the rich body of church song that already existed. He made extensive use of the chorale in his cantatas and passsions, harmonizing most of the melodies in four parts for singing by trained choirs. Some of his ingenious harmonizations are found in hymnals today, either intact or simplified for congregational use. Bach's best know chorale harmonizations are those for the PASSION CHORALE ("O sacred head, no (sore) wounded"), which he used in both his 'Christmas Oratorio' and 'St. Matthew Passion'. Other Bach chorale harmonizations in current American hymnals include:

The largest number of 19th century German musical contributions to the development of the chorale are those of Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847). His large choral works contain harmonizations for the chorales:

[From The Electronic Encyclopedia of Hymnology. Adapted from Sing with Understanding.]

Also see: