Musical Forms

Chorale

The congregational hymn of the Lutheran church. The texts and music of many early chorales were adapted from pre-Reformation hymns, antiphons etc, and from secular songs. Publications of numerous hymnbooks during and after Luther's lifetime helped to establish the chorale as a central item in the service and also stimulated the composition ot new chorales. After 1600 melodies were written by J. Cr�ger and others, but chorale composition centred more on writing new texts to four-part versions of existing melodies in 'cantional' style, i.e. with the melody in the top part, simple supporting lines in the others and a regular harmonic tread. This style, initiated by the Calvinist theologian Osiander, reached its highest point of development in the chorale harmonizations of J.S. Bach. Chorales were much used as the melodic basis for other compositions. The chorale concerto is a sacred vocal piece based on a chorale; composers include Praetorius, Schein and Scheidt. There are large-scale examples of the period circa 1600-1620 with two or more vocal and instrumental choirs.

The chorale cantata is a cantata which is a setting of a chorale text (or partly a paraphrase of one, as in many of the cantatas of Bach's second cycle, 1724-5), generally using the chorale melody in various ways. An earlier type was the chorale motet, a vocal work often with instrumental doubling, where the chorale served as a cantus firmus in the 16th century and later served as a basis for fugal imitation.

Forms for organ include the chorale prelude, a short setting for organ of a chorale strophe, intended as an introduction for congregational singing. It was developed by 17th-century north German composers, notably Buxtehude, and is seen at its finest in Bach's Orgelb�chlein; later examples include those of Brahms and Reger. The term is often loosely applied to any organ piece, except variations, based on a chorale melody.

The chorale fantasia is a more extended organ piece based on a chorale (the term has also been used for the elaborate opening choruses in Bach's chorale cantatas); the chorale fugue is an organ fugue based on a chorale melody; the chorale partita or chorale variations is a set of variations on a chorale melody.

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