Chorale fantasia is a type of large composition based on a

chorale Chorale is the name of several related musical forms originating in the music genre of the Lutheran chorale: * Hymn tune of a Lutheran hymn (e.g. the melody of "Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme"), or a tune in a similar format (e.g. one of the t ...

melody, both works for organ, and vocal settings, for example the opening movements of Bach's chorale cantatas, with the chorale melody as a

cantus firmus In music, a ''cantus firmus'' ("fixed melody") is a pre-existing melody forming the basis of a polyphonic composition. The plural of this Latin term is , although the corrupt form ''canti firmi'' (resulting from the grammatically incorrect tr ...

History

Chorale fantasias first appeared in the 17th century in the works of North German composers such as

Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck ( ; April or May, 1562 – 16 October 1621) was a Dutch composer, organist, and pedagogue whose work straddled the end of the Renaissance and beginning of the Baroque eras. He was among the first major keyboard compo ...

(who arguably had the greatest influence on the genre),

Heinrich Scheidemann Heinrich Scheidemann (ca. 1595 – 1663) was a German organist and composer. He was the best-known composer for the organ in north Germany in the early to mid-17th century, and was an important forerunner of Dieterich Buxtehude and J.S. Ba ...

and

Franz Tunder Franz Tunder (1614 – November 5, 1667) was a German composer and organist of the early to middle Baroque era. He was an important link between the early German Baroque style which was based on Venetian models, and the later Baroque style ...

(who, however, rarely used the term). Their works would treat each phrase of a chorale differently, thus becoming large, sectional compositions with elaborate development of the chorale melody. By mid-18th century this type of organ composition was practically non-existent.

Johann Sebastian Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the '' Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard w ...

used the term first to designate a whole variety of different organ chorale types (during his period in Weimar), and then limited its use to large compositions with the chorale melody presented in the bass. Bach also wrote movements which have been described as chorale fantasias scored for various combinations of singers and instruments, for example the opening choruses of his chorale cantatas and the opening and closing movements of Part I of the

St Matthew Passion The ''St Matthew Passion'' (german: Matthäus-Passion, links=-no), BWV 244, is a '' Passion'', a sacred oratorio written by Johann Sebastian Bach in 1727 for solo voices, double choir and double orchestra, with libretto by Picander. It sets ...

. In the vocal pieces the chorale ''cantus firmus'' is often given to the

soprano A soprano () is a type of classical female singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hz to "high A" (A5) = 880&n ...

voice. In the 19th century the chorale fantasia was revived by

Max Reger Johann Baptist Joseph Maximilian Reger (19 March 187311 May 1916) was a German composer, pianist, organist, conductor, and academic teacher. He worked as a concert pianist, as a musical director at the Paulinerkirche, Leipzig, Leipzig University ...

, who applied the term to monumental pieces based on chorale melodies.

Composers and compositions

North German tradition

: ** ''Allein zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ'', on the hymn " Allein zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ" ** ''Ein feste Burg'', on the hymn "

Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" (originally written in the German language with the title ) is one of the best known hymns by the Protestant Reformer Martin Luther, a prolific hymnwriter. Luther wrote the words and composed the hymn tune between ...

" ** ''In dich hab ich gehoffet, Herr'' (I), on the hymn "

In dich hab ich gehoffet, Herr "" ("In Thee, Lord, have I put my trust", literally: "In thee have I hoped, Lord") is a Lutheran hymn in seven stanzas, written by Adam Reusner and first published in 1533. He paraphrased the beginning of Psalm 31. It was first sung to the melody ...

" ** ''Jesus Christus unser Heiland'' (I), on the hymn " Jesus Christus unser Heiland" ** ''Vater unser'' (II), on the hymn "

Vater unser im Himmelreich "" (Our Father in Heaven) is a Lutheran hymn in German by Martin Luther. He wrote the paraphrase of the Lord's Prayer in 1538, corresponding to his explanation of the prayer in his (''Small Catechism''). He dedicated one stanza to each of the sev ...

" *

: ** ''Auf meinen lieben Gott'', on the hymn " Auf meinen lieben Gott" ** ''Christ lag in Todesbanden'', on the hymn "

Christ lag in Todesbanden "" (also ""; "Christ lay in death's bonds") is an Easter hymn by Martin Luther. Its melody is by Luther and Johann Walter. Both the text and the melody were based on earlier examples. It was published in 1524 in the Erfurt ''Enchiridion'' and i ...

" ** ''Herr Gott, dich loben wir'', on the hymn "

Herr Gott, dich loben wir "" (Lord God, we praise you) is a Lutheran hymn, which Martin Luther wrote in 1529 as a translation and partial paraphrase of the Latin Te Deum. It is sometimes called the German Te Deum. The hymn was first published in 1529. Its hymn tune, Zahn N ...

" ** ''In dich hab ich gehoffet, Herr'', on the hymn "In dich hab ich gehoffet, Herr" ** ''Komm, Heiliger Geist, Herre Gott'', on the hymn "

Komm, Heiliger Geist, Herre Gott "" ("Come, Holy Ghost, Lord God") is a Lutheran hymn for Pentecost, with words written by Martin Luther based on " Veni Sancte Spiritus, reple tuorum corda fidelium". The hymn in three stanzas was first published in 1524. For centuries the chorale ...

" ** ''Was kann uns kommen an für Not'' (2 versions) * Johann Bahr: ** ''O lux beata Trinitas'' (1655), on the hymn " O lux beata Trinitas" *

Johann Adam Reincken Johann Adam Reincken (also ''Jan Adams, Jean Adam'', ''Reinken, Reinkinck, Reincke, Reinicke, Reinike''; Baptism, baptized 10 December 1643 – 24 November 1722) was a Dutch/German organist and composer. He was one of the most important composers ...

: ** ''

An Wasserflüssen Babylon "An Wasserflüssen Babylon" (By the rivers of Babylon) is a Lutheran hymn by Wolfgang Dachstein, which was first published in Strasbourg in 1525. The text of the hymn is a paraphrase of Psalm 137. Its singing tune, which is the best known part ...

'', on the hymn "

" ** ''Was kann uns kommen an für Not'' *

Dieterich Buxtehude Dieterich Buxtehude (; ; born Diderik Hansen Buxtehude; c. 1637 – 9 May 1707) was a Danish organist and composer of the Baroque period, whose works are typical of the North German organ school. As a composer who worked in various vocal a ...

: ** ''Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ'', BuxWV 188, on the hymn "

Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ "" ("Praise be to You, Jesus Christ") is a Lutheran hymn, written by Martin Luther in 1524. It was first published in 1524 in the . For centuries the chorale has been the prominent hymn (Hauptlied) for Christmas Day in German speaking Lutheranism, ...

" ** ''Ich dank dir, lieber Herre'', BuxWV 194, on the hymn " Ich dank dir, lieber Herre" ** ''Ich dank dir schon durch deinen Sohn'', BuxWV 195, on the hymn " Ich dank dir schon durch deinen Sohn" ** ''Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ'', BuxWV 196, on the hymn "

Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ Gottfried Vopelius (28 January 1645 – 3 February 1715), was a German Lutheran academic and hymn-writer, mainly active in Leipzig. He was born in Herwigsdorf, now a district of Rosenbach, Oberlausitz, and died in Leipzig at the age of 70.Robert ...

" ** ''Magnificat Primi Toni'', BuxWV 203, on the

Magnificat The Magnificat (Latin for "

y soul Y, or y, is the twenty-fifth and penultimate letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. According to some authorities, it is the sixth (or sevent ...

magnifies

he Lord He or HE may refer to: Language * He (pronoun), an English pronoun * He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ * He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets * He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' ...

) is a canticle, also known as the Song of Mary, the Canticle of Mary and, in the Eastern Christianity, Byzantine tradition, the Ode of the Theotokos (). It is traditionally incorporated ...

** ''Magnificat Primi Toni'', BuxWV 204, on the Magnificat ** ''Nun freut euch, lieben Christen g'mein'', BuxWV 210, on the hymn "

Nun freut euch, lieben Christen g'mein "", or “Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice” in English, is a Lutheran hymn, written in 1523 by Martin Luther. It is one of Luther's early hymns and considered by some as one of his finest. It was published as one of eight songs in 1524 in t ...

" ** ''Nun lob, mein Seel, den Herren'', BuxWV 212, on the hymn "

Nun lob, mein Seel, den Herren "" (Now praise, my soul, the Lord) is a Lutheran hymn written in German by the theologian and reformer Johann Gramann in 1525. It was published in 1540 and appears in 47 hymnals. A translation by Catherine Winkworth, "My Soul, now Praise thy Make ...

" ** ''Te Deum laudamus'', BuxWV 218, on the

Te Deum The "Te Deum" (, ; from its incipit, , ) is a Latin Christian hymn traditionally ascribed to AD 387 authorship, but with antecedents that place it much earlier. It is central to the Ambrosian hymnal, which spread throughout the Latin Ch ...

** ''Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern'', BuxWV 223, on the hymn "

Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern "" (; How lovely shines the morning star) is a Lutheran hymn by Philipp Nicolai written in 1597 and first published in 1599. It inspired musical settings through centuries, notably Bach's chorale cantata , but also vocal and instrumental works by ...

" *

Nicolaus Bruhns Nicolaus Bruhns (also ''Nikolaus'', ''Nicholas''; late 1665 – in Husum) was a Danish-German organist, violinist, and composer. He was one of the most prominent organists and composers of his generation. Biography Bruhns was born in Schwabst ...

: ** ''Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland'', on the hymn "

Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland A nun is a woman who vows to dedicate her life to religious service, typically living under vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience in the enclosure of a monastery or convent.''The Oxford English Dictionary'', vol. X, page 599. The term is o ...

" *

Vincent Lübeck Vincent Lübeck (c. September 1654 – 9 February 1740) was a German composer and organist. He was born in Padingbüttel and worked as organist and composer at Stade's St. Cosmae et Damiani (1675–1702) and Hamburg's famous St. Nikolai (1702� ...

: ** ''Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ'', on the hymn "Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ" ** ''Nun lasst uns Gott, den Herrn'', on the hymn " Nun laßt uns Gott dem Herren"

Later examples

: **vocal *** Opening movements of his

chorale cantata A chorale cantata is a church cantata based on a chorale—in this context a Lutheran chorale. It is principally from the Germany, German Baroque music, Baroque era. The organizing principle is the words and music of a Lutheran hymn. Usually a chora ...

s *** ''

'': the opening and concluding movements of Part I, "Kommt, ihr Töchter, helft mir klagen" (based on "

O Lamm Gottes, unschuldig "O Lamm Gottes, unschuldig" ("O Lamb of God, innocent") is an early Lutheran hymn, with text and melody attributed to Nikolaus Decius. Originally intended as a German version of the Latin Agnus Dei, it was instead used as a Passion hymn. In both ...

") and "" *** ''Du wahrer Gott und Davids Sohn'', BWV 23, movement 4 ** , when the former was authenticated as a composition by Bach, there are two known chorale fantasias for organ by the composer: *** , on the hymn "

" ( Zahn 7012a melody) *** ''Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns hält'', BWV 1128 (formerly BWV Anh. 71), on the hymn "

Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns hält "" (, original: ) is a Lutheran hymn by Justus Jonas, a paraphrase of Psalm 124 in eight stanzas. It was first published in 1524 in the Erfurt ''Enchiridion''. The theme of the psalm is the need of help against raging enemies. It has been transla ...

" *

: ** '' ''Ein' feste Burg ist unser Gott'', Op. 27'' (1898) ** ''Freu' dich sehr, o meine Seele'' (1898) ** ''Zwei Choralphantasien'', Op. 40 (1899): *** ''Wie schön leucht't uns der Morgenstern'' on the hymn by Philipp Nicolai *** ''Straf' mich nicht in deinem Zorn!'' on the hymn by Johann Georg Albinus ** ''Drei Choralphantasien'', Op. 52 (1900): *** "Alle Menschen müssen sterben" (1900) *** "Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme" on the hymn by Philipp Nicolai *** "Hallejula! Gott zu loben, bleibe meine Seelenfreud" *

Hubert Parry Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry, 1st Baronet (27 February 18487 October 1918) was an English composer, teacher and historian of music. Born in Richmond Hill in Bournemouth, Parry's first major works appeared in 1880. As a composer he is b ...

: ** ', published in 1915.

References

Sources