Kontrafakti

Kontrafakti is a musical technique where new melodic material is composed over the existing harmonic framework of a pre-existing composition. This means that the chord progressions and the underlying structure of a well-known piece are retained, but a new melody is written to be sung or played over these familiar chords. The term "kontrafakt" is German and translates to "counterfeit" or "imitation," reflecting the idea that the new melody is an adaptation or reinterpretation of an older work.

This technique was particularly prevalent during the Baroque and Classical eras, often used in sacred music. Composers would take popular secular tunes or even existing sacred melodies and write new religious texts to fit the existing musical structure. This allowed for the reuse of familiar and often beloved melodies, making new compositions more accessible and engaging for listeners. A famous example is the use of the melody of "Sei gegrüßet, Jesu, gut" by Johann Walter for the chorale "O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden" by Hans Leo Hassler, which was later used by Johann Sebastian Bach in his St. Matthew Passion. While sometimes seen as a form of musical recycling, kontrafakti also allowed for creative expression by adapting established musical forms to new lyrical or thematic content.