chorale

Chorale is a term in church music that refers to a hymn tune sung by congregations in Protestant worship, especially within the German Lutheran tradition. It also designates musical settings built on that tune, ranging from simple four-part harmonizations to elaborate organ or choral works. In its broad sense, a chorale is any composition that uses a chorale melody as its foundation.

Origins and characteristics: Chorales emerged in the 16th-century Reformation in the German-speaking lands, as congregational singing was emphasized. The tunes are typically vernacular German texts, often syllabic and easy to sing. Many chorale melodies were newly composed for the reform, while others were adapted from earlier plainchant or other melodies. The texts deal with religious themes such as faith, salvation, and praise.

Development in the Baroque period: In later centuries, chorales became a central material for polyphonic writing. Composers created full four-part harmonizations for choir and produced organ chorale preludes and other works in which the chorale melody serves as a cantus firmus. Johann Sebastian Bach is especially associated with chorales, composing cantatas and organ works that center on chorale melodies and collecting them in forms such as the organ chorale preludes.

Modern usage and significance: Chorales remain a core element of Lutheran and other Protestant worship services and continue to influence hymnody and choral writing. The term chorale in English is used for both the hymn tune itself and for musical settings based on that tune.