This is a video series explaining how Bach’s chorales work and, more broadly, how 4-part harmony in the major-minor ‘tonal’ system works. But especially Bach’s chorales! For A-level students, ABRSM enthusiasts, and anyone else who really wants to get to grips with this topic. All aboard for a voyage into melody, counterpoint, the implications of various chords, standard chord progressions, modulation and more! You may be able to find the Albert Riemenschneider edition of Bach’s chorales on imslp.org under Riemenschneider’s name (please respect copyright laws in your jurisdiction).
NB, Durham University Music Department does not assume that students have already studied Bach chorales.
Produced by Ian Dickson with Simone Tarsitani.
Part 1: What are chorales and what is counterpoint?
Part 2: All about melodic motion
Harmony presupposes counterpoint but counterpoint presupposes melody. Therefore, we have to consider some important aspects of melody before attempting counterpoint. In particular: up versus down; step versus leap; consonant melodic interval versus dissonant; scale degrees; and contour. We then look at a chorale tune and the bass line that Bach wrote to go with it.
Part 3: Two-part counterpoint (tune + bass)
Before diving into 4-part harmony, it is important to look at the main principles that apply to the counterpoint between any 2 parts in a musical texture. The most important counterpoint in a chorale, or in general, is that between the tune and the bass line.
We have to understand:
- 01:31 – The four kinds of relative (aka simultaneous or contrapuntal) motion—parallel, similar, oblique, contrary—and the effect of each.
- 09:34 – The three kinds of vertical (aka harmonic) interval—perfect consonances, imperfect consonances, dissonances—and the effect of each.
- 18:21 – How to “approach” perfect consonances—i.e., the relative motion that should be found in two parts when they move together to a vertical octave, fifth or unison.
- 24:30 – Four important kinds of dissonant note—how to spot them and how they resolve.
- Specifically:
- 25:06 – The passing note.
- 30:42 – The neighbour note.
- 34:17 – The suspension.
- 39:35 – The anticipation.
- 40:26 – Bonus revelation (probably best not emulated): Bach’s parallel fifths.
Part 4: Chords and how to use them
In Part 5 we will go through the typical chord progressions (such as ii6—V—I). But those progressions will make more sense if we first think about the nature of the chords used (triads and seventh chords).
In particular, we need to think about whether they contain perfect consonances (which need to be approached in particular ways) and/or dissonances (which need to resolve), not to mention the leading note (which also tends to resolve to the tonic).
- 01:01 – Triadic chords and their inversions. Incomplete chords.
- 03:13 – Why are there alternative chords in minor keys (e.g., chord V and chord minor v) and how do you know which to use?
- 08:16 – The contrapuntal implications of triads.
- 09:46 – Consonant triads.
- 16:05 – The first-inversion diminished triad and how the tritone resolves (with the root in the Soprano voice).
- 21:01 – The first-inversion diminished triad with the fifth in the Soprano.
- 22:08 – 6-4 (second-inversion) chords and how to use them correctly.
- 28:17 – Other dissonant triads.
- 35:44 – The various kinds of diatonic seventh chord.
- 38:18 – The dominant seventh chord.
- 40:45 – The supertonic seventh chord.
- 42:49 – How seventh chords are usually prepared.
- 45:25 – A typical chord progression that includes a supertonic seventh chord followed by a dominant seventh chord.
- 47:10 – The leading-note diminished-seventh chord and how it resolves.
- 50:37 – How to use suspensions in 4-part harmony.
- 57:35 – 2-3 suspensions in the Bass line.
- 59:33 – Summary: things to remember.
Part 5: Chord progression and modulation
In this video we look at the most common types of chord progression (aka harmonic progression) and modulation. If you were to make a list of every progression in Bach, it would be very long and difficult to memorise. Fortunately, most progressions are variants of a small number of types, which we can cover.
You also have to know the standard progressions in order to modulate convincingly. This is because modulation in the Baroque style means not just changing key but dovetailing normal progressions in closely related keys (normally relative major/minor, or a key with key signatures that differs by one sharp or flat). Most chorales (or other pieces) will modulate to at least one such key. Understanding a small number of harmonic concepts thus makes it possible to harmonise any normal chorale tune in a Baroque style… and to compose in other genres.
- 01:47 – The Pre-Dominant—Dominant—Tonic concept.
- 07:06 – The authentic cadence, aka the perfect cadence.
- 10:58 – The non-cadential (or pre-cadential) V—I progression.
- 12:34 – ii(6)—V—I 16:30 Various Pre-Dominant chords other than ii.
- 24:00 – Chord vii°6 revisited 25:51 Other cadences.
- 28:59 – Passing chords and the Rule of the Octave schema.
- 37:51 – Miscellaneous progressions involving IV or vi.
- 41:54 – Sequential progressions.
- 48:01 – Summary of the progressions covered.
- 52:35 – Chorale 42 (Riemenschneider) revisited, featuring a modulation to the relative minor.
- 01:02:43 – How modulation works.
- 01:05:41 – Other examples of modulation to closely related keys.
- 01:13:56 – Applied chords (aka secondary dominants) that are not pivot chords.
- 01:19:10 – Occasions on which Bach seems to move to a closely related key between phrases, without modulating through a pivot chord.
Part 6: Worked example – a chorale tune harmonised by Bach
Our series on eighteenth-century harmony and the Bach chorale style in particular, concludes with a ‘worked example’. We demonstrate how you can use the concepts and patterns explained in the previous videos to harmonise a chorale tune from scratch… but the harmony is in fact by J. S. Bach.
This chorale is the last movement of the church cantata Wo soll ich fliehen hin, BWV 5. As a reminder that Bach’s chorales are beautiful art and not just exercises, Durham students Eva Scullion, Iona Bastin, Liam Atherton and Samuel Davie perform the chorale in a slightly pared-down form without the instrumental ensemble. Ian Dickson on organ.
- 1:25 – Stage 1: work out a key scheme and sketch in the most important Bass notes, especially for cadences or sometimes non-cadential phrase endings.
- 11:01 – A reminder of normal Pre-Dominants and likely pivot chords.
- 14:39 – Stage 2: work out a contrapuntally optimal Bass line (using the principles covered in Part 3 of the series) that also fits the progressions discussed in Part 5… and then fill in the inner parts.
- 40:10 – J.S. Bach, Wo soll ich fliehen hin (Cantata, BWV 5), movement 7. Führ auch mein Herz und Sinn durch deinen Geist dahin, daß ich mög alles meiden, was mich und dich kann scheiden, und ich an deinem Leibe ein Gliedmaß ewig bleibe. ‘Lead my heart and mind by means of your Spirit even to that place, that I may shun all that can separate me from you, and that I may remain a member of your body forever’.
Performance recorded by Simone Tarsitani.