What it is
The chorale is the Lutheran congregational hymn: simple strophic melodies, often from the sixteenth century, sung by the congregation. J. S. Bach wrote hundreds of four-part harmonizations of them as closing numbers of cantatas, Passions and oratorios. After his death his son C. P. E. Bach and his pupil J. P. Kirnberger collected 371 of these chorales (Breitkopf edition, 1784–1787); the Riemenschneider edition (Schirmer, 1941) of the "371 Chorales" is still today the standard practice text in conservatories and colleges (Berklee, RCM, ABRSM advanced harmony programs).
Characteristics of the style
- Four vocal parts (soprano, alto, tenor, bass), the soprano carrying the chorale melody, often doubled by instruments.
- Phrases marked by fermatas: each fermata is the end of a line of text and almost always a cadence. Fermatas do not necessarily indicate a long slowing down, but the end of the phrase.
- Fast harmonic rhythm: usually a new chord on every quarter note, sometimes two per beat.
- Very active, singable bass: it moves by step, often in passing eighth notes, and dialogues in contrary motion with the soprano.
- Inner voices rich in passing tones, suspensions (4–3, 7–6, 9–8) and anticipations, which create a continuous flow of eighth notes even when the melody has only quarter notes.
- Frequent sevenths: not only V7, but also ii6/5, vii°7, sevenths on subdominant chords, diminished seventh chords for tonicization.
- Quick tonicizations and modulations: secondary dominants in every phrase, cadences in closely related keys (V, vi, IV, ii, iii; in minor III, v, iv, VII).
- Minor-key endings often with a Picardy third.
- Vocal ranges: soprano about C4–G5, alto G3–C5/D5, tenor C3–G4/A4, bass E2/F2–C4/D4; maximum distance of an octave between the upper voices.
Typical cadences
| Cadence | How it appears in the chorales |
|---|---|
| Perfect authentic | V(7)–I with a 4–3 suspension or with the leading tone rising, often preceded by ii6/5 or IV |
| Half cadence | ii6–V, IV–V, or V/V–V; frequent in internal phrases |
| Phrygian (in minor) | iv6–V: the bass descends by a semitone (6→5) |
| Plagal | IV–I as an "Amen" or appendix after the authentic cadence, rarer |
| Cadences in related keys | V/vi–vi, V/V–V… in the middle of the chorale |
Famous examples
- "O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden" (melody by Hans Leo Hassler): harmonized several times in the St. Matthew Passion BWV 244, each time differently: an excellent exercise in comparison.
- "Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme": final chorale of cantata BWV 140.
- "Jesu, meine Freude": basis of the motet BWV 227.
- "Es ist genug" (cantata BWV 60): opening by whole tones (melodic tritone) that Alban Berg quoted in the Violin Concerto (1935).
How to study it
- Copy a chorale and write Roman numerals under every beat.
- Mark the nonchord tones (passing, neighbor, suspension) in each inner voice.
- Isolate the bass line and sing it: you will notice it is a melody, not a support.
- Compare two harmonizations of the same melody.
Why a producer needs it
The density of motion in the inner voices of the chorales is the same thing that makes a pad or a string section "alive": instead of holding static chords, make the middle voices move by step, with a suspension before the cadence. It is also an excellent model for pop and gospel choral arrangements.
Related topics
Harmonizing a chorale, Four-part SATB writing, Nonchord tones, Cadences, Secondary dominants, Sacred forms: cantata and oratorio.