Harmonise a Chorale in the Style of Bach

If you're studying harmony, then you will probably encounter Bach chorales sooner or later. Fed up with the endless rules? Here's a guide teaching you the basics.

Steps

  1. Understand how a chorale works. Chorale melodies were sung by a congregation in Lutheran churches in parts of Germany. The melodies are recognisable, and are divided into phrases, which are identified by pause marks. These marks indicate where you should put your cadences.
  2. Look at accidentals. Find the key of the piece and other parts to distinguish possible points of modulation (you will want to modulate at least 2-3 in your chorale)
  3. Start by harmonizing the final cadence. This will normally be a perfect authentic cadence (V-I with both chords in root position), though one shouldn't rule out the possibility of plagal (IV-I) cadences though this is extremely rare.
  4. Look through the rest of the part you have to harmonize, work out possible chords, and lightly pencil them in, starting with the cadences, and then move on to the remaining chords. Each chord must contain the root (which is often doubled), the third and the fifth.
  5. Fill in the rest of the chords. They should fit into the chorale melody, and have logical chord progressions. Most chorales have similar cadential progressions. The best progressions could include a cycle of fifths (vi-ii7b-V7-I), or a cadential 6-4 ((ii7b)-Ic-V7-I).
  6. Go through and try to put in any suspensions (the most common are 4-3 in the Alto at a cadence and a 7-6 in the Tenor in the middle) and dissonances such as 7ths. Remember that these must all be prepared and resolved. (Although a 7th does not have to be prepared it it falls on the second quaver of a beat.) Also add in any passing notes, anticipation notes and echappe notes that you can. These add more style and sophistication to the chorale.
  7. Go through and check all pairs of voices making sure that the two parts never move up or down in perfect fifths, octaves, or in unison. Bach occasionally used parallel 5ths or octaves, but they are rare and hidden with the skill of an expert. Also, check that the Alto part does not go higher than the Soprano part in any chords, and same with Tenor and Alto and Bass and Tenor.
  8. Play it (or get someone to play it for you) on a piano and listen carefully. If there are any chords that sound dissonant or wrong then rework them. This may affect other chords near it so double check for fifths or octaves again.

Tips

  • There are 4 vocal parts in a Bach chorale. As each chord generally has 3 notes, one note must be doubled. The best notes to double are the root and fifth of the chord. Avoid doubling the third of the chord. Bach did this only when it was demanded by voice leading, but did his best to conceal it. A universal exception is in the vii6 chord, where the 3rd is to be doubled in preference to the 5th, which can also be doubled.
  • In minor chorales, you may end the final cadence (which will usually be a perfect cadence) on the major tonic (i.e., with a raised third). This is called Tierce di Picardie (Picardie Third) and is typical of Bach's chorale writing.
  • There are often desirable chord progressions that you should include to gain the maximum number of marks. If the chorale melody allows it, use a cycle of fifths (vi-ii7b-V7-I, or simply vi-ii-V-I) for a final perfect cadence. The progression Ic-V-I, whilst being a more common feature of Classical music, is by no means out of place in a Bach chorale, and is in itself a very good progression. The emphasis is rather on voice-leading than harmonic progressions, however.
  • In most harmony work, you must always make the leading tone of the key when used in a dominant chord (V(7), vii(7)) rise to the tonic at the change of chord. In Bach chorales however, the leading tone may resolve to the fifth of the tonic.
  • Suspensions, like all foreign tones, have to be prepared and resolved.
  • Good part writing is very important. To get the correct spacing between parts, think of the soprano, alto and tenor as being within a 12th of each other, at most; the bass part can be any interval below the tenor.
  • If the chorale tune indicates a modulation (accidentals are sometimes trigger signs), then your cadences must be in the modulated key. Modulate only to closely related keys (keys whose key signature is one accidental away from the home key's, or to the relative key). You may modulate more than once. After a cadence, you can switch straight back into the home key, although it's more usual to modulate back again.
  • Many second inversion chords have a doubled bass note.

IV-Ic-IVb

IV-Ic-IVb is used for a part of a chorale melody going: la-so-fa. The progression IV-Ic-IVb must have the notes: fa-mi-fa in one inner part, and doh-doh-doh in the other.

IVb-Ic-IV

IVb-Ic-IV is used for a part of a chorale melody going: fa-so-la. The progression IVb-Ic-IV must have the notes: fa-mi-fa in one inner part, and doh-doh-doh in the other.

Ib-Vc-I

Ib-Vc-I is used for a part of a chorale melody going: doh-re-mi. The progression Ib-Vc-I must have the notes: doh-ti-doh in one inner part, and so-so-so in the other.

I-Vc-Ib

I-Vc-Ib is used for a part of a chorale melody going: mi-re-doh. The progression I-Vc-Ib must have the notes: doh-ti-doh in one inner part, and so-so-so in the other.

  • An added 7th is a common (and stylistic) feature of the final cadence as well as throughout the phrase. In the penultimate chord of the phrase (chord V), one of the inner parts steps down onto the 7th of the chord before resolving in the final chord I (to the third).
  • If any given material contains prominent stylistic features (excessive passing notes, suspensions etc.), it is preferable to use these in your harmonizations.

Second inversions - passing 6-4s

Second inversions can be used under two main circumstances: the first, the cadential 6-4, you have already encountered. The second is known as the passing 6-4. This consists of either the progression IV-Ic-IVb, IVb-Ic-IV, Ib-Vc-I or I-Vc-Ib. These progressions were used less frequently by Bach, but the contrary motion between the bass part and the chorale melody means that the chances of parallels occurring is greatly minimized.

  • Don't let the parts overlap or cross over. This is hardest to check between the middle two parts since they are on different staves.
  • If you must harmonize a repetition of the chorale melody, a variation in the harmony is preferable.
  • To avoid parallels, try to use mostly contrary motion, especially between the bass and the other voice parts.
  • Most of Bach's chorale harmonizations have frequent passing and neighbor tones.
  • No chord types are without an example in the Bach chorales, although augmented triads, Neapolitans, and chords of the augmented 6th are uncommon, belonging more to later stylistic periods. Diminished 7th chords and half diminished 7ths are frequent in minor keys, as are all sorts of secondary dominants.
  • If you are harmonizing  from the bassline, make sure that the soprano (top) part has melodic interest. This is the main part so it must have the tune.

Warnings

  • The soprano and alto parts should stay within an octave of one another,
  • Never omit the third of a chord,
  • The alto and tenor parts should stay within an octave of one another,
  • Second inversion chords should be avoided, although cadential 6-4s are frequent in Bach's writing (Ic-V-I),and passing 6-4s are not at all uncommon.
  • Never make a melodic leap of an augmented interval,
  • Sometimes suspensions will not fit as the voicing will not be nice or wrong, depending on what key you are in. You can usually always get the 7th in, so if this is the case leave the suspension out but put in the 7th.
  • Never double the third of a chord unless it is called for by voice-leading or in the vii6 chord,
  • Never double the leading note of the key that you're in
  • Parallel perfect fifths, octaves and unisons are extremely rare in Bach chorales, as they lead away from independent motion in individual parts and generally sound awful. Passing tones can create parallels, but they can't hide them!
  • Voices should avoid crossing, but can cross other voices for melodic effect.

Recommended reading

  • Johann Fux - 'Gradus ad Parnassum'. This book was written by the celebrated composer and music theorist Johann Fux in 1725. Although intended to teach 16th Century style counterpoint, it is a worthwhile exercise for anyone learning counterpoint from the ground up.

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