Choralbearbeitung from Johann Walther to Dietrich Buxtehude: the treatment of Protestant chorale melodies in German vocal and organ music from 1524 to 1707

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Boston University(1) Strict chorale motet-- after the Flemish tradition-- was cultivated predominately in the 16th century. The majority of the 123 settings in Rhaw's famous publication of 1544 (Newe Gesenge) were this type. On the other hand, vestiges of chorale motet remained throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, especially in connection with technics originating therefrom; namely, chorale fantasia and chorale fugue. (2) Chorale harmonization, the fond technic of the Protestant Reformation, was already predominant in Johann Walther's Gesangbuch of 1524, the earliest source of Choralbearbeitungen. The compositions in this collection contained the chorale melody in the tenor. However, ca. 1570, harmonizations with the chorale melody in the soprano (as a stimulus to congregational singing) began to appear in considerable number also. The climax in Kantionalstil was reached in Lucas Osiander's 50 geistliche Lieder (1586), which were homophobic in the complete sense. [TRUNCATED