Chorälen

Chorälen, or chorales in English, are German hymn tunes and four-part hymn settings that are central to Lutheran church music. They originated in the 16th century during the Protestant Reformation, when congregational singing in the vernacular became common. The texts were written or adapted by Luther and other poets, and melodies were often borrowed from earlier chants or secular tunes before being paired with German lyrics. Chorälen were designed to be sung by the whole congregation and served as a unifying element in worship.

In liturgical practice, chorales appeared as simple melodies suitable for communal singing, typically arranged in four-part harmony. In later periods, composers wrote more elaborate polyphonic settings—chorale harmonizations—for organ, choir, and instrumental ensembles, and they used chorale melodies as cantus firmi in cantatas and larger sacred works. The organist might also precede the hymn with a chorale prelude that introduces the tune.

Notable figures associated with chorälen include Martin Luther and Johann Walter, who helped establish the practice in the early Reformation period, and, in the Baroque era, Johann Sebastian Bach, who integrated chorale melodies into cantatas, organ works (notably the Orgelbüchlein), and other sacred pieces. Chorälen remained a staple of German church music and influenced hymnody across Protestant Europe.

Today, chorälen are studied for their historical and musical significance, performed in church services and concert settings, and regarded as a link between congregational singing and formal sacred music.