demusic1-2, Exercise 2: The chorale

Model answer (check the terms):

A chorale is a Lutheran congregational hymn with a plain, singable melody and German words. Luther wanted ordinary worshippers to sing, not just a trained choir, so the chorale gave them music they could join in with.

Why it mattered later: composers kept returning to chorale tunes. Bach and others wrote organ pieces, cantatas and Passions built on them, so the chorale supplied shared melodies that listeners recognised. It also supported a system of church choirs and schools that trained musicians.

The caution: it would be wrong to say only Protestants made music. Catholic courts and churches in southern and Rhineland Germany, and in Austria, had a rich musical life too (check examples), and the chorale is one strand among several.