Harmonising Chorale Melodies For SATB Choir: Search

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Harmonising Chorale
Melodies for SATB Choir
This article is intended for students who need to harmonise a chorale melody
in the style of J. S. Bach, as is often required for Harmony papers in
undergraduate music degrees. This, of course, does not preclude any one else
interested in gaining some understanding of the sort of processes involved in
harmonising a given part for SATB choir. Typically, the harmonised chorales
which many universities expect their students to produce will include
harmonies which Bach may have only infrequently, or rarely, used in his own
harmonisations. This is because universities typically use the harmonised
chorales as a means of teaching harmony in general and so students are
required to illustrate their understanding of the various types of chords by
correctly inserting them where ever the given part allows. For this reason, the
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3/21/2019 Learn How to Harmonise Chorale Melodies for SATB choir | Deciphering Music Theory.com
present article deals with such chords as: diminished sevenths, augmented
6ths, and various types of secondary chords. An understanding of passing
progressions and the correct use of the cadential six-four is also required.
It is important to remember that the harmonised chorales of J. S. Bach were

written for SATB choir, therefore, all ‘rules’ governing the writing of vocal
melodies need to be kept in mind at all times. You will not have to set the
words, however, an understanding of the various rules for setting a vocal
melody, such as, avoiding intervals which are difficult to sing, not exceeding
the ranges of the voices, and maintaining a typical texture, will all be required.
The student must also adhere to the forbidden voice-leading rules of the
classical era, and produce convincing progressions. This may sound like a lot
to remember but further information will be given as these topics are
introduced below, or by clicking on any highlighted topics.
Before we begin, it is vitally important to keep each voice in their correct range.
Typical choir voice ranges are shown below.
When setting melodies for voices, prolonged writing at the extremities of the
ranges should be avoided as this is difficult and taxing for most singers.
The tenor part is typically written in the treble clef but sounds an octave lower
(this is indicated by the little 8 attached to the bottom of the clef). This is used
when all voices are written on a separate stave, or in open score, as below.
When the voices are paired up on two staves, or in short score, the tenor is
written as it sounds – in the bass clef.
Most examples of harmonised chorales are in short score, as is the case for
most harmonisation questions, therefore, the tenor will be written as it sounds.
Now that we know the voice ranges, let us look at the excerpt which we will
harmonise.
This is only one phrase of a complete chorale and it includes the soprano part.
Typically it is the soprano part which is included with this type of question; it is
this part which will give us the clues to complete our harmonisation.
Firstly, we should establish what key our excerpt is in. This can usually be
done by looking at the key signature, but we can also look at the final note of
the chorale (which is often the tonic) and any accidentals in the excerpt to help
us decide if it is in a major key or its relative minor. Our excerpt is in G minor.
This can be confirmed not only by the key signature, but also by the F sharp
accidental in bar 1 and the final G note in bar 4.
With the key now established we can begin our harmonisation.
At this stage it is usually a good idea to sketch in a possible bass line, this will
help us to get a sense of our progression while also creating a strong
countermelody with the soprano part. These early sketches may need to be
altered or changed at a later time, but it is important to create an early outline
of your harmonisation. At this stage it is also a good idea to sketch in the
cadences. Obviously, for our example only one cadence is needed, but for a
full chorale there may be as many as six, or more. By sketching in the
cadences we gain more of an understanding of where our chorale is headed,
especially when modulations are involved.
As mentioned above, it is the given part which gives us the clues for
completing our harmonisation. To determine which cadence we can use at the
end of our excerpt we must look at the final two notes, in this case it is an A
and G. In the key of G minor the only possible cadence we can use at this
point is a perfect cadence, V – i, as the other cadential possibilities such as
plagal, imperfect and interrupted, do not contain the relevant notes A and G.
We can now sketch in a possible bass line for our cadence
and indicate what chords we intend these to be (of course, these may change
as we proceed).
With our cadence in place we can begin sketching in the rest of our bass line.
The notes in the soprano part guide us in our choice of harmony, but
remember to create strong progressions – by frequently using the primary
triads, I, IV and V, passing, and cadential progressions – and also insure that
your bass line has a strong melodic contour – by using contrary motion with
the soprano part whenever possible.
Even at this early stage, we have used a passing progression (beats three and
four, bar 1), a secondary dominant (beat two, bar 2), and a cadential six-four
(beats three and four, bar 4). Already our cadence has been extended with the
addition of the cadential six-four. We can now sketch in the remaining parts.
With our remaining parts sketched in we can already see several part-writing
errors, such as the consecutive fifths between the upbeat bar and bar 1, and
between beats one and two of bar 1. Finding a solution to the consecutives,
such as changing the chords or rearranging the parts is a good idea if the
underlying chord progression is faulty, however, at this stage, when we have
only added simple block chords, it is probably a better idea to begin to fill out
the progressions and decorate the harmony, or to look for simple solutions to
the consecutives. In an examination situation this is often the better way to
spend your time as many of the part-writing errors will disappear once
secondary chords and non-harmony notes are added. (Warning: don’t think
that the addition of non-harmony notes will always solve the problems of bad
part-writing. It is better to not write them at all if possible).
A simple solution to the consecutives between beats one and two of bar 1 is to
change the dominant chord on beat two to a dominant seventh chord in four-
two inversion.
This solution effectively solves the consecutives problem while also adding an
extra drive towards the tonic chord on beat three of bar 1.
When we do wish to begin decorating our excerpt, it is once again the soprano
part which gives us the necessary clues to proceed. In our excerpt, the
soprano part contains only one beat which is not a quarter note. From this we
can assume that the use of note values shorter than an eighth note will
probably not be appropriate. With this in mind, as well as the use of non-
harmony notes to create an eighth note texture, we can also try to precede
many of the existing chords with secondary chords. Remember, when using
secondary chords on the offbeat eighth note, the existing quarter note must be
part of the secondary chord. An initial sketch of our decorated excerpt will
hopefully clarify.
On the offbeat of beat one, bar 1, we have inserted a secondary dominant

seventh, which precedes the dominant of G minor creating a V of V
progression. We are able to insert this chord here because the existing G note
in the soprano part becomes the seventh of our secondary seventh chord and
also resolves correctly; down to the third of the dominant (F sharp). Notice also
that the third of the secondary seventh (C sharp) is prepared correctly, to avoid
a false relation, and also resolves correctly, up to the root of the dominant (D).
On the offbeat of beat four, bar 1, we have retained the B flat and G quarter
notes in the soprano and bass parts respectively, and created a secondary
diminished seventh chord which precedes the minor dominant at the beginning
of bar 2. The existing soprano and bass quarter notes resolve correctly when
used as part of the diminished seventh. And finally, on the offbeat of beat two,
bar 3, we have again used the existing B flat and G quarter notes in the
soprano and bass parts to create a German augmented 6th chord.
Notice that with the insertion of these secondary chords, some of the voice-
leading has changed from our earlier sketch. For example, the secondary
dominant seventh on the offbeat of beat one, bar 1, has changed the dominant
on beat two back to a root position chord which now moves through a four-two
inversion to the first inversion tonic chord on beat three. Also, the German
augmented 6th chord in bar 3 has created some motion towards the initial
chord of the cadential six-four on beat three.
Of course, these secondary chords still do not solve the consecutive fifths
between the upbeat bar and bar 1, and the eighth note leap from the third (C
sharp) to the E natural of the secondary dominant on beat two of bar 2 means
there is no direct move from the leading note of the secondary dominant (C
sharp) to the root of the dominant on beat three. We can solve these issues by
adding more eighth note movement.
Notice the use of voice exchange between the tenor and bass parts in the
upbeat bar removes the consecutives while also creating some eighth note
movement into bar 1.
In bar 2, transferring the leading note from the alto to the bass of the
secondary dominant on beat two, not only solves the issue outlined above, but
also creates more eighth note movement. We can also add another secondary
dominant to the texture; this time on the offbeat of beat four, bar 2.
This secondary dominant precedes the subdominant on beat one of bar 3, and
adds more eighth note movement.
With most of the phrase now consisting of a continuous eighth note rhythm,
the drive towards the cadence seems to lose its impetus on the remaining
quarter note beats (beat three, bar 2, and beats one, three and four, bar 3).
This does not mean that the above example is wrong, or that a continuous
eighth note rhythm should always be the goal of all harmonisations. The
student should, however, always keep in mind the rhythmic aspect of his/her
harmonisation, especially the rhythmic drive towards the cadences. As this
excerpt is being used as a ‘student guide’ to chorale harmonisation, let us see
if we can add more eighth note movement.
Here, the dominant chord on beat three of bar 2 has become a dominant
seventh resolving in four-two inversion to chord i on beat four. This has created
some eighth note movement on this beat. The secondary dominant, on beat
two, which precedes the dominant, on beat three of bar 2, has now also
become a secondary dominant seventh. And finally, further eighth note
movement has been created by changing the cadential dominant in bar 3 to a

dominant seventh.
Other ways of creating movement in the phrase is to use non harmony notes
such as, passing notes, anticipations, and suspensions.
Notice there has now been added two suspensions in the alto part: a 9-8
suspension on beats one and two, bar 1, and a 4-3 suspension on beat four of
bar 2 resolving on beat one of bar 3. The resolution of the seventh of the
secondary dominant seventh on beat two of bar 2 (G) also creates a 4-3
suspension over chord V on beat three. Suspensions are an excellent means
of creating forward movement through the use of tension and release through
dissonance and consonance. As always, suspensions must be properly
prepared and resolve correctly.
Now, the only thing left to do is to correctly label our progression, and indicate
the key of our excerpt.
This is only one possible harmonisation for this chorale melody. The steps for
completing this excerpt are also only a suggested guide for your own work. As
with everything, time and diligent practise will make the process quicker and
less confusing while also strengthening the foundations of harmony and
composition.
Bach’s 371 Harmonised Chorales is an excellent resource for further study of

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Home Articles Posts Resources

It is important to remember that the harmonised chorales of J. S. Bach were

With the key now established we can begin our harmonisation.

On the offbeat of beat one, bar 1, we have inserted a secondary dominant

movement has been created by changing the cadential dominant in bar 3 to a

Bach’s 371 Harmonised Chorales is an excellent resource for further study of

Proudly powered by WordPress | Theme: Duster by Automattic.

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