THE ART OF SIGHT-READING (PART 2)

In Part 2 of "The Art of Sight-Reading" article, Dr. Hall offers musical examples in which pianists can
assess how they rate in the area of sight-reading and music reading. Two- and four-part chorales by J.S.
Bach serve as the ultimate "litmus test" for the testing of sight-reading.

SIGHT-READING: PUTTING THEORY INTO PRACTICE

The examples towards the bottom of this page present: 1) an extracted soprano and bass line from a
four-part Bach chorale; 2) a complete four-part Bach chorale. I have chosen the first chorale because of
its perfection in two-voice counterpoint, general smoothness of independent lines (i.e. “conjunct” rather
than “disjunct motion”), and its overall beauty. I have chosen the second chorale because of its
shortness (it is one of the shortest out of nearly 400 chorales) and exceptional beauty (despite its
shortness, it is one of the most beautiful out of all Bach’s chorales). Pianists who would like to test their
sight-reading or music reading abilities can hardly find better examples than this, since they
demonstrate all the points I emphasize in Part 1 of “The Art of Sight-Reading.”

Now, scroll down to Examples 1 and 2. If you can play Example 1 hands separately from beginning to
end each at a slow but steady tempo with the indicated fingering and with no note errors, then your
reading is at Grade 1-2. If you can do all the same with hands together, then your reading is at Grade 3.
If you can play Example 2 hands separately from beginning to end at a slow but steady tempo with no
note errors, then your reading is at Grade 3. If you can do all the same with hands together, then your
reading is at Grade 4. In general, most two-part chorales are at about Grade 3 (such as Example 1), while
the shorter and/or less difficult Bach four-part chorales are at about Grade 4 (such as Example 2), while
the longer and/or more difficult four-part chorales range from Grade 5 to about 8.

Bear in mind that the above descriptions correspond to BachScholar’s grading system, which is more
thorough than most contemporary systems and method books today. For example, can a “Grade 3” or
“Level 3” method book be found today that has two-part counterpoint examples similar to Example 1?
The answer is, of course, “no.” Can a Grade 4, 5, or 6 method book be found today that has four-part
hymns or chorales similar to Example 2? The answer is, of course, “no.” Most students today working
out of a popular Grade 3 or Level 3 method book by, say, Alfred or Faber, would never be able to play
Example 1 even with a few week’s practice. Likewise, most students working today out of a popular
Grade 4-6 method book are at a total loss when confronted with a relatively simple four-part chorale
like Example 2. I once witnessed a student, who was supposedly “Grade 10” in the TRINITY system, not
able to play a relatively simple four-part chorale well (similar to the chorale in Example 2), even with a
week’s practice. We have a glaring problem on our hands if a student achieves an advanced standing
(Grade 8 or above) in one of the popular contemporary systems like ABRSM, RCM, or TRINITY yet cannot
sight-read a relatively simple chorale like Example 2 perfectly. Such students need remedial work in
sight-reading.

Nothing improves music reading and sight-reading skills more than two- and four-part chorales by J.S.
Bach. Imagine how rock solid one’s sight-reading would become by working through and practicing over
100 two- and four-part chorales like the ones featured here! (Nearly 400 such chorales are currently in
progress!) Now, here are some rules and guidelines to follow when practicing and sight-reading Bach
chorales:

HOW TO PRACTICE EXAMPLES 1 AND 2

1. Whenever playing hands separate or together, the most important thing to strive for is attaining
a smooth, singing tone played mostly legato. Bach placed a high emphasis on “cantabile” or
“singing style” playing, and since chorales are vocal music it stands to reason that a smooth,
legato touch is the most important aspect of their performance.

2. Try to follow the suggested fingerings in Example 1 as closely as possible. Great pains have been
taken to work out the most efficient fingering, which should work for most pianists with an
average-sized hand. The only pianists who should deviate from the suggested fingerings are
those with unusually large hands and long fingers, in which case different fingerings may work
better. Fingerings have been omitted from Example 2 because those who are advanced enough
to play the notes and chords (i.e., Grade 4) should be advanced enough to figure out reasonable
fingerings.

3. Do not play fast, but always with a slow and steady quarter-note motion.

4. Do not “fumble” around and “guess” notes making mistakes along the way. A note is either right
or wrong, and wrong notes are not permitted. Playing wrong notes is usually the result of poor
reading skills. Even when playing through the very first time (sight-reading), one should avoid
wrong notes at all costs.

5. As a general rule, add slight ritardandos (i.e., slow down) about a beat or two before each
fermata, which marks the end of a phrase. It is never appropriate to play Bach’s chorales
metronomically and to “plow through” the fermatas. Please observe all fermatas and phrase
endings!

6. Listen for and be attentive to slight differences in dynamic shadings. Even though Bach did not
indicate dynamics in his chorales, the pianist should strive to attain slightly louder and slightly
softer gradations of tone that correspond with the melodic lines. As a general rule, the pianist
should decrescendo (i.e., get softer) before most fermatas or phrase endings. This is very
important and often overlooked by pianists.

7. With the exception of fermata cadence points, most two-part chorales require no damper pedal
and are, in fact, ruined with the use of pedal. However, due to the presence of full chords in
four-part chorales, the use of the damper pedal is almost always a necessity. Four-part chorales
should be practiced often with no pedal at all, to which liberal amounts of pedal should be
added once all the notes and fingerings are secure.

8. Never play mechanically. Bach’s chorales are among the most beautiful and perfect of all music
ever composed in the history of music and deserve to be played with care and reverence. There
is no reason to play Bach’s chorales, two- or four-voiced, with any less feeling than one would a
 Chopin Nocturne or work by Debussy. For example, playing the correct notes and good
fingerings in Example 2 is about a “Grade 4” achievement; however, making meaningful music
out of it with good voicing, ritardandos, and pedaling raise the bar to at least “Grade 6” or
more.

EXAMPLE 1

EXAMPLE 2
Sincerely, Cory Hall (D.M.A.) -- March, 2016
HOW TO PRACTICE PIANO

In this essay, Dr. Hall explains some of the most important rules to follow when learning new music as
well as retaining older repertoire.

Learning to play classical piano well and to excel in the music of the great masters like Johann Sebastian
Bach (1685-1750), Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791), Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) and
others takes much desire, dedication, and practice. Ideally, the younger one begins piano study the
better one will be able to play later in life; however, it is encouraging to know that students at any age
can begin piano study and it is never too late to learn piano. Whether one is 7 or 77, one can always
have fun and enjoyment through the study of piano and especially by following the rules below!

Learning how to practice efficiently and to make the most out of your practice sessions is the key to
rapid progress. If one wishes to run marathons (26.2 miles), one must run many miles over the course of
one week. Running a full marathon would be impossible by training only 5 miles a week. If one wishes to
become accomplished at anything – be it violin, kickboxing, or yoga – one is required to practice that
sport or craft on a regular basis with full concentration and a determined mind. The following lists the 10
most important rules to follow when practicing, regardless of whether one is a beginner or seasoned
professional. These rules are the result of many years of practice, teaching, and experimentation:

10 IMPORTANT PRACTICE RULES

1. Try to set aside a time to practice that works consistently on a daily basis and keep this time as your
“holy” practice time. Turn off all phones and devices during this time so that there are no distractions. In
our age, more than ever, we seem to be burdened with too many extraneous and unimportant
distractions. Your practice time should be set aside as “holy” and treated as such. If you are a parent or
teacher working with a child around the ages of 7 to 12, try to instill in them this type of regular work
ethic.

2. Consistency, rather than long periods of time, is key. It is better to practice 20 minutes a day with
the time well-spent than to practice sporadically for longer periods with distractions. Ideally, beginners
and those up to about Level 2 should strive for at least 30 minutes a day, those at Levels 3-4 should
strive for at least 45 minutes a day, those at Levels 5-6 should strive for 60 minutes a day, and those at
Levels 7-8 should strive for 75 minutes a day. These are minimum suggested practice times as it is
always helpful to practice more if one is able.

3. Always learn new music slowly and never try to play too fast too soon. A good general rule to follow
is to learn all moderate-speed or fast works at least at half speed and after this is close to perfect begin
speeding up the new piece gradually by increments of about 10-12% over the next few weeks. An
excellent metronome speed progression to follow is: 36-42-48-54-63-72-84-96-108-126-144-168-192-
216. Research has shown that these are really the only metronomic speeds that are necessary for
virtually all music. For example, if the desired performance speed for a new piece is 84 beats per minute,
one would learn it first at the half speed of 42, then when secure progress to 48, then 54, then 63, then
72, then finally the full speed of 84.
4. Always learn new music with no damper pedal even if the music requires lots of pedal. Learning
proper pedaling is one of the most difficult aspects of playing the piano. For this reason, it needs to be
treated separately and with much listening and care. Using the pedal from the very beginning when
learning new music makes it difficult to focus on the essential elements of the music, namely, the
correct notes, rhythms, dynamics, articulation, coordination between the hands, and other important
details. Once the student is able to play the new work from beginning to end securely at a moderate
tempo, this is the best time to begin adding pedal just as frosting is added to a completed cake.

5. Students from the beginning levels up to the late intermediate level (around Level 6) should do a lot
of hands separate practice. Especially beginners, as a rule, should always play hands separately, then
together. However, once students attain a relatively high level of proficiency around Level 6 or so, hands
separate practice should become the exception rather than the rule used only occasionally to spot-check
problem areas. By the time students are at the late intermediate to advanced level, they should be
weaned off of the “separate then together” rule.

6. A good suggested time to spend on technical exercises like scales, chords, arpeggios, etc. is about
10 minutes for every 60 minutes of practice.

7. All piano students should strive to increase their repertoire and try out composers and styles that
are different and new. A good idea is to write all the pieces one can play on a set of 3” by 5” flash cards,
one piece for one card, and throughout the months and years try to increase the stack of cards. An
effective way to achieve this is to spend about 75% of the complete practice time each session on new
material and about 25% on reviewing old material. For example, if one practices for 60 minutes then the
first 10 minutes could be spent on technical exercises, about 37 minutes could be spent learning new
material, and the remaining 13 minutes could be spent reviewing old material. Such “new” and “old”
material may apply to the same work if it is long enough. For example, if one already has half a
movement of a Mozart or Beethoven sonata securely learned (which in this case classifies as “old”
material), then the “new” material could be a portion of the next half of the sonata.

8. The best way to become a better sight-reader is to constantly learn new music, which gives
students all the more reason to take heed of rule #7. The more new music one learns on a regular basis,
the better one’s sight-reading skills will become. It is really this simple.

9. Memorizing should not be an issue for students up to about the intermediate level, or about Level
5. Instead of trying to memorize music, students in these lower levels should be more focused on
learning good musical habits, increasing technical skills, and learning to read music fluently. Students
who try memorizing music prematurely – that is, before attaining a fluent technique or sight-reading
skills – are “putting the cart before the horse,” so to speak. However, by the time students are at a solid
intermediate level in technique and performance, they are ready to begin placing emphasis on
memorizing small portions at a time.

10. Try to avoid practicing too many pieces in the same session. In fact, research shows that the fewer
pieces one practices in one session the better. For example, if one has 60 minutes to practice and begins
the session with 10 minutes of technical exercises the remaining 50 minutes is better spent on one or at
the most two works – like a movement from a Mozart or Beethoven sonata – than 10 minutes each on
five separate pieces. It is better to spend an entire week on one piece and get it at 90% perfect than to
touch upon only small portions of 10 pieces each at 10% perfect. In other words, “quality” always reigns
supreme over “quantity” when practicing piano.

Sincerely, Dr. Cory Hall (August, 2015)

THE IMPORTANCE OF PLAYING HYMNS & CHORALES

(in progress) In this article, Dr. Hall explains why all serious pianists and students of piano should spend
more quality time practicing, mastering, and most important of all, enjoying, church hymns and Bach
chorales. CLICK HERE for a detailed description of BachScholar's "Hymn & Chorale Project"!

INTRODUCTION

In my opinion as a pianist and piano teacher, hymns and chorales are among the most neglected and
overlooked musical style, which is unfortunate since they provide countless benefits and skills
for pianists of all levels. Hymns and chorales should be a regular part of the pianist's practice routine
from around "Grade 3" up to the professional, concert level. Nobody is exempt. Hymns and chorales are
analogous to vitamins and minerals. The great 19th-century pianist Hans von Bülow (1830-94) was
famous for proclaiming that Bach'sThe Well-Tempered Clavier is the pianist's "Old Testament" while
Beethoven's 32 Sonatas are the pianist's "New Testament." Robert Schumann (1810-56) proclaimed
Bach's WTC is the "bread and butter" of piano playing. I proclaim to you here that hymns and chorales
are the pianist's "vitamins and minerals"! Inherent in hymns and chorales abound many vital elements
of technique, musicality, and pedaling that are absent in other styles or exercises. Scales and arpeggios,
as beneficial as they are, are unfortunately "one-dimensional." Chopin Études, as impressive and highly
touted as they are, are at best "two" or "three-dimensional." Hymns and chorales are "four" and even
"five-dimensional" especially when artistic pedaling is thrown into the mix.

What exactly are hymns and chorales? In J.S. Bach's time, a chorale was a brief chordal-style chorus sung
at the end of and often interspersed throughout a church cantata or other liturgical works. In essence,
chorales were the 16th and 17th century equivalent to what we know today as church hymns. The main
musical difference, however, between a typical Bach chorale and church hymn of today is one of
complexity and texture. Bach chorales are invariably more harmonically complex and musically profound
than today's popular hymns, which stem from a variety of church denominations as early as the 1700s
beginning with the Methodism of John Wesley (1703-91). Chorales became the musical heart and soul --
the musical "battle cry" so to speak -- of Martin Luther's (1483-1546) Protestant Reformation that
occurred mainly in Germany and northern Europe. This period of musical and church history spanned
over 200 years, from 1517 (the year of Luther's famous "95 Theses") to the time of Bach's maturity, ca.
1730. Most chorale melodies Bach used in his cantatas were not composed by Bach, but rather by one
of the numerous Lutheran and Reformation oriented song writers of the 1500s and 1600s. Bach's usual
procedure was to borrow one of these popular sacred song melodies (some of which, surprisingly, had
their origins as secular songs, such as love songs or drinking songs), and harmonize the
popular song melody that was sung in the soprano voice with accompanying alto, tenor, and bass voices.
To this, he would fill out the four-part harmonies with the text of the sacred song, often penned by the
composer of the song or sometimes a separate lyricist, and the finished product would be referred to as
a chorale.

The soprano-alto-tenor-bass (SATB) musical fabric has been the foundation of sacred as well as secular
music since the Renaissance up to our time today. Pianists who are able to read and play SATB style
music with proficiency are much better prepared and well-rounded as pianists. The reason Schumann's
popular Träumerei is so difficult for so many piano students is that they have not yet learned how to
play basic four-voice hymns and chorales. Conversely, piano students who have been well grounded in
hymn and chorale playing will find the Träumerei not very difficult at all, at least from a technical
standpoint. The piano student who can impressively toss off four octaves of scales in all the major and
minor keys but has not learned how to play basic hymns and chorales will, surprisingly, not be able to
play the Träumerei without much struggle. Playing hymns and chorales and polyphonic works like
Schumann's Träumerei require special techniques and skills that traditional scales and arpeggio practice
sadly do not accomplish.

Not only does successful hymn and chorale playing make a complete pianist, but Bach chorales have
always been a favorite vehicle for music theorists. Even today, almost 300 years after Bach's death,
Bach's chorale harmonizations are still used as the gold standard against which everything is measured.
All the great composers after Bach studied Bach's chorales -- Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Liszt,
Chopin, Wagner, and the list goes on. Walk into a university or conservatory music theory lecture today,
and you are guaranteed to encounter Bach chorales. Bach's chorale harmonizations are just as potent
and meaningful today as they were in the 1600s and 1700s. And the best part of all is that Bach
composed all his chorales, and all his music for that matter, for the glory of God. The pianist cannot go
wrong and can even greatly benefit by studying and re-studying quality church hymns that have stood
the test of time as well as the gold standard of musical harmony and some of the finest and most
rewarding music ever written in the history of music, Bach chorales. Soli Deo Gloria.

REASONS HYMNS AND CHORALES ARE IGNORED BY TEACHERS AND STUDENTS

I have observed that piano teachers almost never assign hymns and chorales and piano students seem
to have little interest in them. Aside from one or two simple "token" church hymns included in some of
the older piano method books, hymns and chorales are virtually void from the leading piano methods
and curricula today. But why? I think there are several answers to this question, which include:

 Testing programs such as ABRSM, RCM, TRINITY as well as piano diplomas and competitions do
not require hymns and chorales, making it pointless for piano teachers to assign them
or students to learn them. This is a shame and is one of the most glaring pitfalls of these
organizations, testing systems, and competitions.

 Hymns and chorales are not "piano music" per se, but rather choral music transcribed to the
piano. There exists so much piano music already that it is understandable why "non piano
music" would seem of little importance to teachers and students; however, this is a poor excuse
since all students are required to learn algebra in school, even the ones who will never use
algebra for the rest of their lives. Algebra trains students to think logically just as hymns and
chorales train pianists to become complete musicians.

 Teachers do not assign hymns and chorales because they never were assigned them as students.
This is also a shame, although it is unfair to blame it all on teachers who were themselves taught
poorly. The way to fix this problem is to have bold piano teachers break from tradition, stand up
 for what they believe is right, and assign hymns and chorales to students. Otherwise, it is a self-
perpetuating system of neglect and students will continue to be deprived of the most valuable
technical and musical exercises in the history of piano playing.

 Even if teachers assigned them, hymns and chorales often seem "slow" and "boring" to the
majority of young piano students who would rather play "fast" and "exciting" music in order to
wow all their friends and relatives. After all, hymns and chorales are not "fun" or "sexy" to play
or listen to and for a 12-year-old to play Bach's magisterial Lenten hymn O Mensch, bewein'
dein' Sünde groß at a party would most likely be extremely embarrassing for both the child and
the young listeners. Most kids nowadays do not want to hear hymns or chorales. They like "fun"
music. It is a completely different story for 65-year-olds, though. Yet, it does not have to be this
way. When Bach was 12 he was already an avid fan of playing church chorales and elaborating
(improvising) on them. Ween a young piano student on the great hymns and chorales of the
past and he/she is virtually guaranteed to become an excellent pianist as well as take special
interest in composition. The best training for young composers, hands down, is by instilling a
thorough grounding in hymn and chorale performance and analysis.

 Hymns and chorales are Christian and we live in a predominantly secular age today in which our
language, thoughts, and music must be wiped clean from any references to religion. This is sad,
and is the worst reason of all to not play hymns and chorales.

 Hymns and chorales are difficult to play well and are much more difficult than they look and
sound. Students and teachers generally avoid music that looks and sounds easy but is difficult to
play, always preferring it to be the other way around. This is sad, and is the second worse reason
of all not to play hymns and chorales.

BENEFITS OF PRACTICING HYMNS AND CHORALES

Now that I have listed the main reasons that hymns and chorales are avoided or ignored by most
teachers and students, I would like to list the benefits inherent within. This list is simply staggering. No
other style of music contains all these benefits all encapsulated within an average of only 16 or
fewer bars of music. That is, the average hymn or Bach chorale of around 16 bars or fewer can be
likened to an ultra-nutritious shake with as many as one-tenth the calories of, say, a Chopin Étude or
movement of a Beethoven Sonata. I have witnessed students who can toss off major, minor, and
chromatic scales with impressive velocity, yet simply crumbled and failed miserably at playing a 16-
bar chorale by Bach. This can be likened to an orator who possesses great speed of mouth with no
substance of mind. Consider the myriad of benefits that hymns and chorales offer pianists:

 Hymns and chorales are all dedicated to the glory of God. What benefit could be greater than
this?

 Hymns and chorales represent some of the popular and greatest music of all time and chorales
were the main emphasis of J.S. Bach who is arguably the greatest composer in the history of
music. Other than glorifying God, what reason could be greater than this?
 Hymns and chorales are the best pieces for practicing sight-reading and music reading in
general. This is because the pianist needs to be able to recognize and play three or four notes at
a time, all as one unit as a chord, rather than just one note at a time. Show me a pianist who can
sight-read hymns and chorales well, and I will show you a pianist who can sight-read well.

 Hymns and chorales are the best pieces for practicing polyphonic playing. The simplest hymns
consist of three voices, while most hymns and all Bach chorales consist of a four voices. Since
the pianist has only two hands, this means each hand usually plays two or sometimes three
voices at a time. Traditional scales and arpeggios contain only one voice per hand, which is
simple in comparison. This is why a pianist can have the fastest scales and arpeggios in the
world, yet be unable to play a hymn or chorale decently. Polyphonic playing is a completely
different skill than is required for traditional scales and arpeggios.

 Hymns and chorales provide the best preparation for Bach's fugues. Most of Bach's fugues are
nothing more than three or four-voice chorale texture with added passing tones. That is, Bach
conceived his fugues "vertically" rather than "horizontally" since the vertically aligned chords
function as the "bonds" that hold everything together. For this reason, the best preparation for
playing Bach's fugues is by far the practice and mastery of Bach's chorales. Show me a pianist
who plays a dozen Bach chorales with ease and fluency, and I will show you a pianist who is able
to play a Bach fugue well.

 Hymns and chorales are the best pieces for developing finger independence. Due to the
polyphonic nature of hymns and chorales, each hand must control usually at least two voices.
This requires each finger to have its own "brain" or to move on its own. For example, one finger
may be held down while the other finger is held down and released, both at the same time.
Show me a pianist who displays great finger independence in a hymn or chorale and I will show
you a pianist who has great finger independence.

 Hymns and chorales are the best pieces for practicing fingering and fingering variations. Due to
the independence of voices in hymns and chorales and the fact that there often exists more
than one acceptable choice of fingering for each phrase or group of notes, the pianist
must develop the ability to adapt to different fingerings. Trying out different fingerings and
deciding which fingering one likes best requires an active mind and mature musicianship.
Solving fingering problems is much like solving a puzzle and there are no better pieces for this
than hymns and chorales. Show me a pianist who uses intelligent fingerings in a hymn and
chorale, and I will show you a pianist who uses intelligent fingering.

 Hymns and chorales are the best pieces for developing control of rhythm and tempo. Due to
their generally slow and deliberate character, hymns and chorales require a slower and more
steady tempo than in virtually all other styles of music. Playing slow is more difficult than playing
fast, especially for children and those under the age of around 25, and there are no better
pieces to practice slow playing than hymns and chorales. Show me a pianist who is able to
 choose intelligent tempos and maintain a solid beat in hymns and chorales, and I will show you a
pianist who is a mature musician.

 Hymns and chorales are the best pieces for practicing pedaling. Although the initial learning of
hymns and chorales should be with the pedal totally omitted, the finished and polished product
often requires very careful and refined use of the damper pedal. I know through experience that
pedaling is perhaps the most difficult aspect of teaching piano. Special emphasis on hymns and
chorales by both teachers and students proves to be the most efficient way to learn and teach
pedaling. Show me a pianist who pedals hymns and chorales well, and I will show you a pianist
who can pedal well.

 Hymns and chorales are the best pieces for practicing voicing and cantabile playing. Bach himself
wrote that he highly valued the keyboardist's ability to play in a cantabile or "singing" fashion
and that this was the main reason for composing his Inventions and Sinfonias. Since hymns and
chorales emulate human voices (soprano, alto, tenor, bass) all singing in harmony, this
offers pianists countless possibilities with regards to voicing which requires the utmost control.
For example, the pianist might play four notes at a time where one of these four notes, say, the
soprano, is given extra emphasis and played a little louder than the other three voices. Then,
there might be a series of notes in the alto voice that require extra emphasis, and so on. Pianists
do not get as many opportunities to practice voicing anywhere else than in hymns and chorales.
Show me a pianist who can voice hymns and chorales well, and I will show you a pianist who can
voice on the piano well.

HOW TO PRACTICE HYMNS AND CHORALES

Hymns and chorales require a special kind of technique and expression unlike that of most other styles
of piano music. In fact, hymns and chorales are not "piano music" per se, but rather vocal music realized
on the piano. For this reason in order to play hymns and chorales well, the pianist must develop a
beautiful, singing tone and become sensitive to minute differences in tone, touch, and volume. The last
thing one wants to do is to "just play the notes," which turns these beautiful gems into
soulless exercises. This being said, however, it is permissible and sometimes necessary to omit the
"expression" while in the stage of learning notes, fingerings, and rhythm, in which case the expressive
nuances along with careful pedaling may be added in due course. The following lists the steps the pianist
should follow in order to attain mastery. These steps shall be followed in order and none of them shall
be overlooked; however, professional pianists or those experienced with hymn and chorale playing may
skip to the final steps (#6-7). Two pieces are used as examples pertaining to this practice list, Amazing
Grace and Ach wie flüchtig, ach wie nichtig, both of which may be viewed in their complete four-part
notation in Examples 1a-b.

1. The standard, default mode of articulation (touch) in hymns and chorales is legato, since the aim
is to emulate human voices. As a rule, successive notes that are different should be played
connected while successive notes that are the same should be detached. Should the pianist
 adhere to this one rule, he will have mastered the most important aspect of hymn and chorale
playing.

2. When first learning a hymn or chorale, extract the soprano and bass voices (the outer
voices) and play these as if it were a duet. Practice first hands separate then together and strive
for fingerings that allow for the most ease and fluency with a smooth, legato sound being the
primary goal. Playing the hymn or chorale as a duet will almost always require different
fingerings than when all four voices are played, which is a good thing since it teaches pianists to
be able to adapt to different fingerings. As a rule, Bach would begin with the composition of the
outer voices in his chorales, to which he would add the inner voices last. Hence, it makes much
sense for the pianist to practice to outer voices first so that the "outer parameters" of the
piece may be properly absorbed into the musical conscience. A good analogy is that the hymn or
chorale is like a sandwich where the outer voices (soprano, bass) represent the bread while the
inner voices (alto, tenor) represent the delicious interior. Would you be happy if you ordered a
premium sandwich in a restaurant that was served with cheap and flimsy bread with holes that
not only tasted bad but fell apart upon your first bite? Thus, properly preparing the outer voices
in hymns and chorales is of utmost importance in order to establish a strong musical
foundation. Refer to Examples 2a-d.

3. After learning the two outer voices with both hands, the next step is to practice the two upper
voices (soprano and alto) with the right hand only. This will almost always require different
fingers on the soprano note than when played separately (like in Step #2). The pianist should be
attentive to all the separations and connections between the notes, becoming conscious of
when to separate or connect successive notes. Refer to Examples 3a-d.

4. After learning the two upper voices with the right hand only, the next step is to practice the two
lower voices (tenor and bass) with the left hand only. This is identical to Step #3 but with the
two lower instead of upper voices. Refer to Examples 4a-d.

5. Be attentive to overlapping or crossing voices, which happens often in four-voice writing.

Overlapping voices often require an alto note to be taken with the left hand -- that is, if it is
unusually low and in the tenor range -- or a tenor note to be taken with the right hand -- that is,
if it is unusually high and in the alto range. In other words, if a note is in the treble clef it does
not necessarily mean that it must be played with right hand, and conversely, if a note is in the
bass clef it does not necessarily mean that it must be played with the left hand. Unfortunately,
traditional four-voice notation has no way of implicating which hands are to take which notes,
which creates interesting challenges for the pianist. The pianist should always keep an open
mind and constantly experiment and try out different options pertaining to division of notes
between the hands. Refer to Examples 5a-b.

6. After learning the upper and lower pairs of voices with the right and left hands separately (Steps
#3-4), it is time to put it all together. If all the steps have been done in the proper order and the
pianist has learned the skill of connecting some notes while separating other notes as well
 as playing in a predominantly legato fashion, this next to final step should not be very difficult;
however, if the final step is too difficult then Steps #3-4 need to be practiced more until
mastered. It is important that before adding pedal the complete hymn or chorale can be played
with intelligent fingerings and all the proper connections; that is, never use pedal to mask
insecure finger technique. The complete hymn or chorale may now be played with no
pedal. Refer to Examples 6a-b.

7. If the pianist is able to play all four voices with both hands with good expression, clear
technique, and control over the fingers with no pedal, the final step is to add pedal and to
become more attentive to dynamic shadings. The better one is able to connect with the fingers,
the less damper pedal will be needed; however, even in the case of exemplary finger legato and
musical expression, virtually all hymns and chorales could afford to be sprinkled with a little
pedal here and there while many benefit by full pedals on most chord changes. The general rule
with pedaling is if all four voices can be played 100% legato with the fingers then pedal is not
necessary. On the other hand, if there are jumps that are impossible to connect with the fingers
or repeated notes that require separations, then the pedal should be used to help smooth out
the rough edges. Proper and artistic pedaling in hymns and chorales is perhaps the most difficult
yet rewarding aspect of playing this style of music. Often, a hymn or chorale will sound "dry" or
"academic" with no pedal despite every effort to connect with the fingers, when simple
dashes of pedal on most of the harmonies make the music much more enjoyable sounding. The
complete hymn or chorale may now be played with pedal as marked below each stave. Refer to
Examples 6a-b.

Still in progress.......
HOW TO PRACTICE BACH CHORALES

Bach's four-part chorales are among the most beneficial of all styles the pianist can practice. On this
page, Dr. Hall presents an essay on Bach chorales concluded by a list of some of Bach's lesser difficult
chorales (arranged in order of BWV numbers) that are recommended to piano students. CLICK HERE to
peruse or purchase the chorales we have published so far.

WHAT IS A CHORALE AND WHY PRACTICE THEM?

J.S. Bach’s four-part (or four-voice) chorales are classical music’s ultimate masterpieces in harmony.
Bach composed a total of over 350 chorales, which come from two sources, the C.P.E. Bach
Collection and Bach’s approximately 200+ cantatas. A typical church cantata by Bach usually included a
chorale as the final movement, which most today would refer to as a “church hymn,” although Bach’s
chorales are usually a bit more harmonically complex than most popular hymns we are familiar with
today. All the great composers after Bach — Haydn, Mozart, Schubert, Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, etc. —
were thoroughly grounded in the harmonic style perfected and codified by Bach in his chorales. Even
though later composers did not always write strictly in four voices as Bach did in his chorales, they
nevertheless relied on the voice-leading rules set forth by Bach.

Bach chorales are not piano music per se, but rather vocal music for a choir consisting of four voices:
soprano, alto, tenor, bass (SATB). Because chorales are not actual “piano music,” this is most likely the
reason they have traditionally been neglected or discounted by traditional piano methods and
conservatories. This is very unfortunate, since Bach chorales serve as the ultimate “litmus test” of the
pianist’s overall abilities and skill level. Show me a pianist who can play several Bach chorales fluently
and musically on the piano with good fingering and artistic pedaling as well as the ability to sight-read
competently less difficult chorales, and I will show you a pianist who has attained “master” status. A
pianist who can play and sight-read Bach chorales in a musical and artistic fashion is far better prepared
for the real-world of classical piano than the pianist who plays predominantly flashy and virtuosic 19th-
century etudes.

It is my opinion that, after playing the piano for 45 years and teaching it for over 30 years, Bach chorales
are THE BEST AND MOST BENEFICIAL style the piano student can possibly play. Bach chorales are far
superior for the pianist’s complete development than all the Chopin and Liszt etudes combined. This I
believe from the bottom of my heart, and considering that there are currently no quality piano editions
of Bach's chorales available, this is why I am devoting the next few years to transcribing and editing
Bach's chorales for piano.

WHICH EDITIONS TO USE

There currently exist two excellent comprehensive sources for Bach’s 350+ four-part chorales: 371
Harmonized Chorales and 69 Chorale Melodies (Riemenschneider, 1941, G. Schirmer, Inc.) and Chorales
Harmonised by Johann Sebastian Bach (Button, Williams, 1985, Novello & Company Limited).
The most available and popular is the 371 Harmonized Chorales, which virtually every music theory
student possesses nowadays. The advantage of this edition is that you get 371 chorales for a very low
price. The disadvantage is, however, that the manuscript is far too small and virtually impossible to read
unless you photocopy (or photograph) the pages and blow them up by at least 100%. The second book
listed, by H. Elliot Button and edited by Peter Williams, includes virtually all the Bach chorales (or even a
few more) than the Riemenschneider edition, however, is much better in that the manuscript is slightly
larger and much easier to read, the chorales are better categorized according to hymn tunes, and it
seems to be more up-to-date and “scholarly” than the 371 Harmonized Choralesedition. However, it is
very difficult to find and if you want to purchase it you will most likely have to contact Novello &
Company Limited personally. In addition to these two comprehensive editions, Peter J. Billam has
transcribed 40 chorales into legible piano notation minus fingerings, which are available for free: 40
Bach Chorales.

Aside from size of manuscript, the main difference in text between the Riemenschneider and Button
editions are ties. The 371 Harmonized Chorales usually includes ties when a note repeats whereas in
the Chorales Harmonised by Johann Sebastian Bach the ties are usually omitted. To investigate this
discrepancy further, one would have to consult C.P.E. Bach’s original edition (1784-87, in four volumes)
of his father’s chorales which is found in the first complete edition of Bach’s works, The Bach-
Gesellschaft Edition (Volume 39)published in 1850. I have not looked into the BG Edition yet, but plan to
do so in due course as my Bach chorale research progresses. Personally, I prefer Button’s Chorales
Harmonised by Johann Sebastian Bach over Riemenschneider’s 371 Harmonized Chorales and this is the
edition I use in preparing the chorales published by BachScholar, which is why if you expect ties for a
chorale because you possess 371 Harmonized Chorales but see them omitted in BachScholar’s edition,
that at least you are aware of the reason why they are omitted. CLICK HERE to peruse or purchase
chorales edited for piano that we have published so far.

STEPS ON PRACTICING BACH CHORALES

1. Know the four voices in traditional four-part writing — soprano, alto, tenor, bass (SATB).
Virtually all piano methods neglect the teaching of this technique, in which all the great masters
even after Bach (Mozart, Beethoven, etc.) were well-grounded. The most beneficial technique a
piano student can learn is that of being able to read and play fluently with four voices.

2. Learn the two-voice version hands separately with emphasis given to attaining a smooth, legato
touch with the fingering provided. No pedal is necessary in this step.

3. Learn the two-voice version hands together with the same care given to step #2. It is
recommended that beginning to intermediate level students refrain from using pedal in this
step; however, advanced pianists are permitted to use the pedal sparingly if done tastefully and
artistically.

4. Learn the four-voice version hands separately with careful attention given to fingering. Please
follow the fingering provided in BachScholar’s editions, since it specifies when each hand plays
one, two, or three notes. Almost never does each hand play two notes, as in a “textbook”
 example of a chorale, but rather, almost all Bach chorales require at least for part of the chorale
three notes in one hand (usually the right) and one note in the other hand (usually the left). Pay
close attention to which notes should connect (usually changing notes) or not connect (usually
repeated notes and changing notes in which the thumb is repeated).

5. Learn the four-voice version hands together with careful attention given to the fingering
provided and with no pedal.

6. Add pedal to step #5 — that is, all the “gaps” or “holes” are filled in with careful changes of the
damper pedal.

7. Always strive for a smooth "singing" (cantabile) tone and never just "play the notes." Remember
that chorales are vocal music and that your piano tone should emulate as much as possible the
human voice. Fermata cadence points almost always call for a little slowing down or ritardando,
not too little and not too much, but just the right amount in the right proportion. Advanced
pianists are welcome to use the damper pedal in chorales, although less advanced students
should use the pedal sparingly or not at all. Bach chorales are the perfect style in which to learn
the fine points of proper piano pedaling, which Rubinstein referred to as "the soul of the
piano."

For a nice example of how all these steps are integrated to form a "finished product," here is an example
of me playing a well-known chorale featured in Bach's great St. Matthew Passion: O Haupt voll Blut und
Wunden

41 LESSER DIFFICULT BACH CHORALES (FROM OVER 350 IN EXISTENCE)

1. BWV 6 (No. 72 in "371 Chorales")

2. BWV 19

3. BWV 20 (No. 26 in "371 Chorales")

4. BWV 26 (No. 48 in "371 Chorales")

5. BWV 38 (No. 10 in "371 Chorales")

6. BWV 43 (No. 102 in "371 Chorales")

7. BWV 62 (No. 170 in "371 Chorales")

8. BWV 64 (No. 160 in "371 Chorales")

9. BWV 65 (No. 12 in "371 Chorales")

10. BWV 67 (No. 42 in "371 Chorales")

11. BWV 70, movt. 11

12. BWV 79 (No. 257 in "371 Chorales")

13. BWV 84 (No. 112 in "371 Chorales")

14. BWV 89 (No. 281 in "371 Chorales")

15. BWV 94

16. BWV 96 (No. 303 in "371 Chorales")

17. BWV 101 (No. 292 in "371 Chorales")

18. BWV 119

19. BWV 122 (No. 53 in "371 Chorales")

20. BWV 123 (No. 194 in "371 Chorales")

21. BWV 151

22. BWV 153 (No. 217 in "371 Chorales")

23. BWV 165

24. BWV 166 (No. 204 in "371 Chorales")

25. BWV 194 (No. 257 in "371 Chorales")

26. BWV 252 (No. 153 in "371 Chorales")

27. BWV 255 (No. 40 in "371 Chorales")

28. BWV 262 (No. 153 in "371 Chorales")

29. BWV 281 (No. 6 in "371 Chorales")

30. BWV 282 (No. 316 in "371 Chorales")

31. BWV 286 (No. 228 in "371 Chorales")

32. BWV 293 (No. 154 in "371 Chorales")

33. BWV 323 (No. 30 in "371 Chorales")

34. BWV 324 (No. 358 in "371 Chorales")

35. BWV 327 (No. 334 in "371 Chorales")

36. BWV 331 (No. 227 in "371 Chorales")

 37. BWV 360 (No. 350 in "371 Chorales")

38. BWV 370 (No. 187 in "371 Chorales")

39. BWV 384 (No. 149 in "371 Chorales")

40. BWV 396 (No. 127 in "371 Chorales")

41. BWV 414 (No. 148 in "371 Chorales")

Sincerely, Cory Hall (D.M.A.), January, 2016

BACH-HALL CHORALE PRELUDES

In this article, Dr. Hall introduces pianists to an exciting new body of piano music -- Hall's own
arrangements of Bach's chorales! Fresh off the press and still unpublished (but not for long), these
musical gems will soon be able to be enjoyed by all pianists and students!

BACH-HALL CHORALE PRELUDES FOR PIANO — ARTISTIC GEMS FOR CONCERT & CHURCH

My primary purpose in composing arrangements of Bach’s chorales is to transform otherwise “dry” and
“academic” four-part chorales into beautiful, romantic-style piano pieces while retaining the essential
elements (i.e., melodies and harmonies) that Bach has provided. It is fully possible to “romanticize”
Bach’s music and do it tastefully and unpretentiously. It is fully possible to be a “Bach purist” (as I believe
I am) yet still compose “romantic Bach” arrangements for the modern piano. When forming ideas on a
new chorale arrangement, I improvise on the chorale Bach has provided using a myriad of pianistic
techniques I have learned from my many years as a pianist. In essence, I pretend I am Bach living today,
with a grand piano in front of him, and with the experience of having heard and practiced great piano
works of, namely, Chopin, Liszt, Brahms, and Rachmaninoff. Finally, I select the technique and affect that
best represents the music and text of the chorale and proceed to compose an idiomatic piano
arrangement of Bach's chorale. — Dr. Cory Hall

I write this exciting article following an incredibly fruitful period in my creative life as a composer and
arranger, which took place in February, 2016. Creative phases like this happen only once every few
years. Before February, 2016, my first and last fruitful period as a composer occurred way back in 2011,
which is the year almost all of my original compositions were composed, namely, my incredibly artistic
and original Opus 1 and Opus 2 collections, which to this day still baffles me as to how I composed so
many first-rate piano works in such a short period of time. Well actually, I know the answer as to how I
could have done it, which is none other than the Holy Spirit. The same way the Apostle Peter describes
the Holy Scriptures as being the result of the authors being inspired and led by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter
1:17), I believe that it was not I, but rather the Holy Spirit of God, who inspired and guided me through
the roughly three-week period in February, 2016 when at least 10 of my chorale preludes were
composed. I (or in reality, the Holy Spirit) composed a new prelude about every two days, which
included conceiving the initial ideas to writing them out in detail using Sibelius notation software. Let
me reiterate this, folks — I composed ten complete highly artistic and first-rate chorale preludes in the
course of only about three weeks, which I fit between my roughly 43 weekly piano students. This is highly
unusual for me, since the last time something like this occurred was in 2011 and at that time I had no
piano students at all and thus a lot of free time.

I am a sporadic composer/arranger and do not follow a disciplined plan of composing like many
professional composers do. Rather, I go long periods of time composing nothing, but then all of a
sudden one day I become inspired to write an arrangement or experiment with some original ideas that
may lead to an original work or two. But here is the kicker, folks — when I get into one of my creative
phases that usually last only a few weeks (the phase in 2011 lasted around 8 months!) such my “Bach
Chorale Prelude” phase in February, 2016, I produce absolutely first-rate material that is usually heads
and shoulders above those of my peers. There are some highly prolific composer/arrangers who churn
out a plethora of compositions and arrangements, yet many of their works are lackluster and
predictable. I am the opposite. I do not compose very often, but when I do, my work far surpasses that
of the more prolific composers.

I implore all serious classical pianists reading this that they should practice and play my Bach Chorale
Preludes because they are, quite simply, some of the absolute best Bach piano arrangements ever
composed. When mentioning Bach Chorale Preludes or Bach arrangements of any kind, one is inevitably
compared to the great pianist and Bach arranger, Ferruccio Busoni (1866-1924). However, I have no
need to fear since my arrangements are far superior to Busoni’s Chorale Preludes for several reasons:

WHY BACH-HALL CHORALES ARE BETTER THAN BACH-BUSONI CHORALES

1. My arrangements of Bach’s chorales come directly from Bach’s original and unadorned four-part
chorales. Compare these to Busoni’s arrangements of Bach’s chorales, which are literally “Organ
Chorale Preludes” in that they are piano adaptations of arrangements Bach composed for organ
performance. Seen in this light, mine are simply “arrangements” while Busoni’s are
“arrangements of arrangements”. Busoni did not consult the original source for his chorale
preludes (that is, the unadorned four-part chorale), but rather, consulted organ arrangements
that are often unidiomatic (i.e. awkward) for the the modern piano. There is good reason why 7
of 10 Bach-Busoni Chorale Preludes are almost never played by pianists — They are overly
difficult and extremely awkward to play.

2. Because my arrangements of Bach’s chorales come directly from Bach’s original and unadorned
four-part chorales, I place primary importance on the melody (hymn tune) followed in
importance by the bass line and chords. Contrast this with Busoni’s “arrangements of
arrangements” and you will discover that the melody is often either distorted beyond
recognition or sometimes hardly present at all.

3. My arrangements of Bach’s chorales are more idiomatic for the piano and much less academic
sounding than Busoni’s, and thus, my arrangements are superior to Busoni’s in depth, breadth,
and practicality. Busoni published 10 Organ Chorale Preludes, of which only three are routinely
played by pianists. There is good reason why pianists almost never play 7 out of 10 (70%!) of
Busoni’s Chorales. They are awkward and difficult and not even that musically rewarding.
Contrast these with my arrangements, so far all ten of which are masterfully written for the
piano, mesmerizing to listen to, and an absolute joy to play despite their relative difficulty.

4. My arrangements of Bach’s chorales remain true to Bach’s original four-part chorales but at the
same time are highly artistic and creative sounding. To summarize, the chorale melodies are
always discernible and true to Bach’s originals, yet at the same time, the romantic-style piano
music sounds like a hefty dose of Brahms mixed in with some Chopin, Liszt, and topped off with
smudges of Rachmaninoff. Because my arrangements retain the original chorale tunes (many
from the 1500s) as well as Bach’s original harmonies and bass lines, this makes them ideal
pieces not only for concert performance, but also, specifically traditional Lutheran church
 services. I know of hardly any Lutheran church musicians who would dare to play Bach-Busoni
chorales for a church service, yet, a Lutheran music minister colleague of mine has already
performed several of my arrangements in church with great aplomb. My Chorale Preludes are
absolutely ideal for church and concert hall! Compare this with the Bach-Busoni chorales, of
which only 3 of 10 preludes are usually only played in secular concert venues.

5. My arrangements of Bach’s chorales serve not only as preludes in their own right, but also,
function ideally as etudes since each prelude typically highlights a particular rhythmic or melodic
technique. Piano teachers will soon discover that the Bach-HallChorale Preludes offer some of
the most rewarding piano music one can teach and practice, from the incredibly alluring and
romantic Habanera-style “Ich ruf’ zu dir” (Busoni’s most famous chorale) to the Lisztian
arpeggios in “Wer nur den lieben Gott” to the energetic and contrapuntal “Wir Christenleut” to
the hauntingly beautiful 2:3 rhythms in “Jesu, der du meine Seele.”

6. My arrangements of Bach's chorales are generally much less difficult than Busoni's, and thus,
are more accessible to a wider audience of pianists. Busoni's virtuosity at the piano is legendary;
however, Busoni seems to have mounted difficulty upon difficulty just for the sake of being
difficult in his 10 chorale preludes, which still to this day alienates his audience and scares away
prospective performers of his music.

7. Included in my chorale preludes, before the “prelude proper,” is Bach’s four-part chorale in its
original key and in its original notation. Neither Busoni’s nor any other contemporary Bach
chorale arrangements include Bach’s original chorale, thus making it a mystery from where the
arranger’s ideas originated. Having Bach’s unadorned chorale at one’s disposal, one can then
compare Bach’s original with my arrangement, which helps foster understanding of the creative
process involved with composing a romantic-style piano arrangement.

Unfortunately, my time and circumstances for recording videos has diminished; however, when I get
some time and am able to record these works, I plan demonstrate how great they are. But until then, I
implore all serious pianists who love Bach to purchase these preludes and practice them often. They are
sure to change your musical life for the better! Now, I would like to give short descriptions of each
prelude arranged in the order they were composed (which most likely will be the way I will organize
them when all published in one volume).

THE BACH-HALL CHORALES IN THE ORDER THEY WERE COMPOSED IN FEBRUARY, 2016

1. Ich ruf’ zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ (from Cantata 177) —This is the title of one of Busoni’s two most
often performed chorales and is one of the most well-known and beloved of all of Bach’s
chorales. My arrangement is unique in that it features a a Spanish-style “Habanera” rhythm
although in a very slow Adagio tempo. In the key of G minor, it features the chorale melody on
top accompanied by a heavily pedaled broken chord accompaniment with the Habanera rhythm
and a cadenza before the final phrase. I don’t know what led me to choose a Spanish-style
rhythm for Bach (I know, it seems crazy), but it works fabulously and is perhaps the only chorale
out of over 300 that it works with.
2. Hilf, Herr Jesu, laß gelingen (from the Christmas Oratorio IV) — This is one of my favorite of all
chorale melodies, which the famous Bach scholar Charles Stanford Terry calls an “aria” melody
rather than a true “chorale” melody. Nevertheless, this beautiful melody was calling out to me
to be accompanied with romantic-style rich, arpeggiated chords along with active middle voices.
My setting of this Bach chorale, in F major, is ultra-romantic with many ritardandos and
cadences that result in the most rubato out of all my arrangements. This arrangement sounds
like sentimentalized Brahms with a hefty dose of rubato.

3. Jesu, der du meine Seele (from the C.P.E. Bach Collection) — This is Bach’s only chorale out of
nearly 400 in the key of B-flat minor, a highly expressive key with no equal. I set it in a slow and
expressive tempo with slow triplets in the right hand accompanied with eighth notes (duplets) in
the left hand (creating slow 2:3 polyrhythms). During the the half notes and fermata cadence
points in the chorale, I use a short musical interlude that harkens to Spanish music. (Don’t ask
me why I seem to be preoccupied with Spanish music mixed in with Bach. I, of Germanic and
Nordic heritage, would seem to be the least likely to elude to Spanish styles.) This is technically
the least difficult of my arrangements, although it is musically superlative!

4. Christ, unser Herr, zum Jordan kam (from Cantata 7) — This arrangement is a lively Allegro with
the chorale chords played staccato in the right hand accompanied by exciting and somewhat
tricky running fast notes in the left hand (to depict the water of the Jordan River). Bach also
arranged this famous Martin Luther chorale for organ with the left hand playing fast, scale-like
passages to depict the running water of the Jordan River. This arrangement is exciting and fun to
play and its E minor “modal” style (Luther usually composed in this modal style, which was a
product of the Renaissance) creates a somewhat “medieval” sound. This is the only incomplete
arrangement, since I have now decided to add a French Overture style introduction section
(with slow dotted rhythms) so that it has the typical slow-fast overture form. I love this piece!

5. Wir Christenleut’ (from the Christmas Oratorio III) — This is one of the most harmonically rich
chorales out of nearly 400, which is set in the unusual key of F-sharp minor. Despite the
otherwise “slow and sad” key of F-sharp minor, this chorale actually has a unique energy that
demands a moderately fast tempo. This energy is created by the 16th notes Bach uses in the
opening of the left hand. I use this five-note motive as the basis of the entire piece, thus
transforming it into a contrapuntal study with a theme and two variations. This excellent piece
works ideally as a finger independence etude as well as an octave etude (the left hand in the
second variation features octaves). It is exciting and rewarding to practice and play!

6. Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern (from Cantata 1) — One of my favorite of all chorale
melodies, in the key of F major, this joyous piece is set with rolling triplets in a gigue style
accompanied with eighth notes in the left hand. Despite the 2:3 rhythms that may be
challenging for intermediate-level pianists, this is one of the two lesser difficult pieces out of all
10 and serves as an excellent etude for students who need work with triplets and 2:3
polyrhythms. This is the most “Baroque” sounding out of all 10 preludes and actually sounds a
bit like Handel more so than Bach!
 7. Verleih uns Frieden gnädiglich (from Cantata 42) — Before choosing this chorale, I did not know
it and had never heard it. But after improvising on Bach’s original chorale for a while (in the key
of F-sharp minor) I immediately heard some incredible expressive possibilities. And wow, is this
ever expressive! Set with many liberal ritardandos and fermatas, this slow rubato-laden chorale
has more meaning packed into its three pages than many works of ten pages. This is an
absolutely gorgeous piece with lots of pedal, extreme dynamic contrasts, and octaves
throughout in the bass line in the left hand.

8. Herr, nun laß in Friede (from the C.P.E. Bach Collection) — This is a very slow-moving and simple
chorale, yet highly expressive, which is a funeral chorale (Lord, Now Let Thy Servant Go In
Peace) based on the Canticle of Simeon (Nunc dimmitis). In the key of A minor, it is presented in
its original form in more practical piano notation (as opposed to the stricter four-part notation)
followed by a repetition with octave doublings in the bass. This beautiful prelude is an ideal
piece for pianists to learn to maintain a slow but steady beat, learn clean pedaling, and play slow
octaves in the left hand.

9. Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan (from Cantata 12) — Just when I thought all my ideas were all
used up and I would no longer compose another chorale prelude (I think I went a few days with
no new ideas), I stumbled upon this jubilant chorale in the key of B-flat major and immediately
heard some great possibilities. And it turned out to be perhaps my finest Allegro-style chorale,
full of energy and virtuosity! In fact, it is the most virtuosic out of all 10, which begins with the
theme and proceeds to a powerful Brahmsian style Variation 1 followed by a left-hand-etude-
like Variation 2 which concludes with a rousing optional repeat and coda. Wow! Pianists who are
blessed with powerful technique and energy will absolutely LOVE this prelude!

10. Wer nur den lieben Gott läßt walten (from Cantata 84) — This gorgeous and nostalgic-sounding
melody in the key of B minor combined with Bach’s masterful choice of chords provides for the
longest and perhaps most expressive of all 10 chorales. Flanking the rich, chordal-style theme
and its arpeggiated variation is a 7-bar interlude, the number 7 symbolizing perfection. It
requires advanced pianism and the ability to achieve unprecedented expression. Whenever I
finish playing this beautiful, romantic, and dreamy piece it sounds as if it were composed by
Liszt. What better way to conclude a set of ten preludes than this?

Sincerely, Cory Hall (D.M.A.) -- March, 2016

BACH CHORALES: THE BEST "ETUDES" FOR PIANISTS

In this shocking and groundbreaking article, Dr. Hall explains why Bach chorales are actually more
beneficial to pianists than the more popular and flashy 19th-century etudes such as those by Chopin and
Liszt.

BACH CHORALES: THE BEST "ETUDES" FOR PIANISTS

Imagine this scenario: A young and highly gifted piano student can play all the major and minor scales
and arpeggios four octaves at a fast tempo and can play Chopin's Fantaisie Impromptu well and up to
speed. This young student, who is under the age of 15, loves practicing piano, is a fast learner and fast
memorizer, and has spent the last three years working his way up the grades in one of the world's
leading piano testing systems (i.e., ABRSM, TRINITY, RCM, etc.) and has recently passed "Grade 8 With
Distinction." This is one very talented and hard-working student! Yet, when given this relatively simple
passage from Beethoven to sight-read, which may be rated around "Grade 4," he was at a total loss.

The opening bars of the 2nd movement of Beethoven's Sonata, Op. 14 No. 2

When trying to read and figure out the chords in these eight bars, it came as a rude awakening to me
that this student sounded like a total beginner. It seemed as if all the time and effort on scales,
arpeggios, etudes, and difficult works like the Fantaisie Impromptu and working our way through the
requirements for a leading system's "Grade 8" was a waste of time, since all of this did absolutely
nothing for preparing the student to play even the most basic chordal-style passages like in the second
movement of Beethoven's Op. 14 No. 2. This is not a made-up scenario, but is a student I actually
witnessed. Moreover, this is not the first time I have experienced otherwise talented and gifted students
who know all their scales and arpeggios who have a difficult time playing chordal-style music, what I like
refer to as "vertical-style" music. Consider now another vertical or chordal-style piece by Grieg, "The
Death of Ase" from Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Op. 46. One of my favorite teaching pieces, this is a perfect
test of the pianist's ability to read chordal-style music. This passage may be rated about "Grade 5"
according to most systems today, and thus, is not really "advanced" at all. Yet, from my experience most
students who have achieved levels higher than "Grade 5" and are supposedly "advanced" have a difficult
time sight-reading this relatively easy passage. For this reason, I believe testing systems like ABRSM,
TRINITY, and RCM are promoting students to advanced levels who have not been trained to play fairly
simple and basic chordal-style passages such as this. No style prepares a student better for this Grieg
example, or the Beethoven example above, than church hymns and Bach chorales -- which all the
world's testing systems have seemed to ignore. Imagine how much better students could sight-read and
play chordal passages such as this if they had been trained from the early levels to read and properly
play church hymns, and especially, Bach chorales!

Opening bars from "The Death of Ase" from Grieg's Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Op. 46 (Grieg's own piano
transcription from the orchestral version).
The piano testing systems and curricula of today almost totally neglect the playing of hymns and
chorales, which unfortunately leaves students ill-prepared for reading and comprehending chordal or
vertical-style music. All the scales and arpeggios in the world and the ability to play all the Chopin and
Liszt etudes, surprisingly, do virtually nothing for preparing pianists to play chordal-style music. It may
come as a surprise to many that the majority of advanced-level classical piano music consists neither of
scales and arpeggios cascading up and down the keyboard nor most material similar to Chopin and Liszt
etudes, but rather, is founded upon the harmonic principles and rules set by J.S. Bach in his chorales
almost 300 years ago from this writing. For example, Brahms' beautiful and popular Intermezzo Op. 118
No. 2 is completely void of scales. There are some arpeggios, but they are slow and only one octave.
Four-, five-, and six-voice chords abound so much in this Intermezzo that a pianist who is not properly
trained in the playing of Bach chorales simply will not be able to play this Intermezzo. One can possess
the fastest scales in the world, yet this does not guarantee at all that one can even play the first phrase
of this Intermezzo.

The opening bars of Brahms' Intermezzo, Op. 118 No. 2

Imagine a pianist who can play all the Chopin etudes yet struggles to play Bach chorales (and there are
many such pianists). Now imagine a pianist who instead of spending so much time trying to learn all the
Chopin etudes has spent a large portion of his time mastering the art of playing Bach chorales
(Unfortunately, there are very few of these kinds of pianists). The former pianist, who many would label
a "virtuoso," would undoubtedly have big problems playing Brahms' Intermezzo whereas the latter
pianist would undoubtedly be able to play it with ease. The majority of advanced, classical piano music
falls more into the "chordal" or "vertical" category rather than the "scaler" or "horizontal" category. For
example, how many piano works (other than etudes) can you name that feature four octaves of scales
and arpeggios running up and down the keyboard? Answer -- NONE! Hence, it makes sense that pianists
spend more time practicing Bach chorales than the typical 19th-century etudes.

Music theory students still today, almost 300 years after they were written, are very familiar with Bach
chorales and realize their importance in the study of harmony; however, it is unfortunate that Bach
chorales have been relegated to mere obscurity and all but totally ignored in the piano studios and
conservatories of today. It is also unfortunate that virtually all the piano testing systems and curricula
today do not provide piano editions of Bach chorales or require any playing of four-voice hymns and
chorales. Let's get honest, teachers and students and piano testing systems of the world today -- is it
really fair to have a structured system that promotes students to grades as high as "10" or more in
which there are no components fostering the learning and playing of hymns, and especially, Bach
chorales? What good is TRINITY, ABRSM, RCM, or any other system if they do not properly train piano
students to play real-world piano music, the majority of which is chordal and vertically-based? What
good is a piano system that has not one Bach chorale in its requirements at any level? Answer --
NADA! At this writing, and just prior to the launching of BachScholar's Hymn & Chorale Project, I could
find no good and reliable piano editions with fingerings of Bach's chorales anywhere. Perhaps the reason
Bach's chorales have been neglected by piano teachers, students, and piano testing systems simply has
to do with availability. If true, then this problem has been solved with the launching of BachScholar's
incredibly valuable Hymn & Chorale Project!
BachScholar's engraving (un-fingered) of the opening six bars of Bach's well-known Chorale, O Mensch,
bewein dein Sünde groß (BWV 402), which consists of a total of 24 bars. Considered by many to be
Bach's finest chorale, the pianist who can sight-read this chorale well is an exceptionally gifted sight-
reader while the pianist who can play this chorale well with intelligent fingerings, good pedaling, and
fine expression is a rare breed of pianist. Being able to play a harmonically advanced chorale such as this
is a much more practical and marketable skill to possess than playing predominantly scales, arpeggios,
and 19th-century etudes. The pianist who can play chorales such as this in a tasteful and artistic fashion
with good fingerings, smooth legato touch, and clean pedal changes is a fully mature pianist.
Recommended tempo: quarter note = 48 beats per minute.

Church hymns (such as the 21 Christmas Hymns available at this writing) are the best style to start with
for learning chordal or vertical-style music, while Bach Chorales represent the absolute pinnacle and
gold standard of harmony in the history of music. Mozart, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Schubert,
Schumann, Brahms, and virtually all composers after Bach used the SATB chorale style codified and
perfected by Bach as the basis behind their music and voice-leading principles. We, as piano teachers
and students, need to begin taking Bach chorales seriously instead of simply casting them off as dry
music theory exercises. A complete pianist is one who can play the usual scales and arpeggios and
etudes, yet goes the extra mile by spending time living with, practicing, and digesting the finest
harmonic masterpieces ever composed in the history of music. Show me a piano student who can play
fast scales and arpeggios, can whiz through typical 19th-century etudes, yet has trouble reading and
playing Bach chorales, and I will show you a pianist who is ill-prepared for the real world of classical
piano; however, show me a piano student who is not necessarily as proficient in scales, arpeggios and
etudes as the first pianist, yet who has been well-grounded in the proper playing and sight-reading of
Bach's chorales, and I will show you a pianist who is well-prepared for the real world of classical piano.

To summarize, regular practice of Bach's chorales leads to superior sight-reading skills, superior
flexibility and independence of the fingers, superior control of articulation, superior pedaling, superior
listening skills, and a superior cantabile approach to the piano. For example, I attribute my masterful
and effortless performance of Bach's beautiful and difficult Sheep May Safely Graze much more to my
experience playing relatively "slow" hymns and chorales (I was a church organist for 11 years) than to
my practicing of more flashy 19th-century etudes. No musical style gives one more effortless finger
independence and tonal control than Bach chorales. After practicing a few chorales over about an hour's
time I always feel like my hands and fingers have been infused with amazing strength and flexibility,
much more so than after practicing 19th-century etudes for the same amount of time. To put it simply,
Bach chorales are hands down the best "etudes" pianists can practice, since they lead to superior skills
in so many areas! Move over Chopin and Liszt!

A DESCRIPTION AND SUMMARY OF BACHSCHOLAR'S HYMN & CHORALE PROJECT

The objective of BachScholar's Hymn & Chorale Project is to make church hymns and Bach chorales
accessible and approachable to piano students, teachers, and scholars with easy-to-read engravings
accompanied by intelligent and practical fingerings. Church hymnals are inconvenient for pianists due to
the wide spaces between the clefs in order to allow space for the words. Moreover, the printing in most
hymnals is usually too small for the average pianist. The typical format for Bach chorales is even more
intimidating. For example, the popular book 371 Harmonized Chorales and 69 Chorale Melodies,
compiled by Riemenschneider (Schirmer, 1941), is a useful resource for scholars, however, the
manuscript is far too small to make it practical for pianists. My personal favorite scholarly edition of
Bach chorales is Chorales Harmonised by Johann Sebastian Bach, collected and arranged by H. Elliott
Button (Novello, 1985). It is the edition from which most of the Bach chorales in the Hymn & Chorale
Project are taken. Each title contains:

1. The text to the hymn or chorale with English text for hymns as well as German and English for
Bach chorales

2. Pertinent background or historical data about its origins

 3. A version with soprano and bass voices with and without fingerings (on separate pages)

4. The full, 4-voice version with and without fingerings (on separate pages)

Versions with and without fingerings are included in order to offer something for everyone. Some
pianists work better with fingerings provided whereas other pianists may prefer a clean score with no
fingerings. Also, having an un-fingered version is a great teaching tool in that students can write in what
they think are good fingerings, which then can be checked with the professional and practical fingerings
provided. Versions with two and four voices are included in order to offer something for everyone.
Beginning-level students up to about "Grade 3" should concentrate on the two-voice versions, while
more advanced students should start with the two-voice version for orientation, then concentrate more
on the four-voice version. Bach's usual procedure in harmonizing chorales was to first begin with the
outer voices (soprano and bass) to which he then added the inner voices (alto and tenor). If a student
has difficulty reading two voices, then it is recommended that the student practices at least a dozen
two-voice versions ONLY until this difficulty has been overcome. Sight-reading among students
nowadays is at its lowest level ever, and there is nothing better for building up superior sight-reading
skills for pianists at ALL levels than the two-voice versions of chorales. Moreover, the two-voice versions
are so perfect and gratifying in their own right that pianists at ALL levels should practice and enjoy them
regardless of their "simplicity."

After one is able to sight-read at least a dozen two-voice chorales with little difficulty, then one is ready
to graduate to the four-voice versions which should be learned first hands separately. Much time,
thought, and experience have gone into the fingerings in these hymns and chorales, and it is advised
that students follow these fingerings exactly. The recommended fingerings, which should fit most hands
well, enable pianists to achieve the most legato possible in the most efficient fashion. The default touch
in hymns and chorales is legato and it is often necessary when playing two voices in one hand to connect
one voice (usually in the case of different notes) while not connecting the other voice (usually in the
case of a repeated note).

Once the pianist has reached the advanced level of being able to play (not sight-read, but after some
practice) at least a dozen four-voice Bach chorales in a musical fashion -- which entails: good fingerings,
a smooth legato touch, a steady tempo with tastefulritardandos before fermata cadence points, clean
pedaling -- from the un-fingered versions with one's own intuitive fingerings NOT WRITTEN IN THE
SCORE, then one has reached mastery of the playing of Bach's chorales. This is a difficult goal to reach,
however, should be a goal all serious pianists should strive to attain. To summarize, there is hardly a
musical style other than Bach Chorales that helps one so fully develop into a complete pianist and
musician! (Please view the beautiful examples below!)
This is a sample text page from Bach's two chorales, Von Gott will ich nicht lassen (BWV 417 & 419).
Each title in the Hymn & Chorale Project begins with a text page like this with pertinent historical data
about the hymn or chorale.

These are the first four bars of Bach's Chorale, Von Gott will ich nicht lassen (BWV 419), whose text page
appears above. The excerpt above shows the un-fingered two-voice version (soprano and bass) while
the excerpt below shows the same bars with fingering. All works in the Hymn & Chorale Project present
two-voice versions with and without fingering each on separate pages.
These are the first four bars of Bach's Chorale, Von Gott will ich nicht lassen (BWV 419), whose text page
and two-voice versions appear above. The excerpt above shows the un-fingered four-voice version
(SATB) while the excerpt below shows the same bars with fingering. All works in the Hymn & Chorale
Project present full SATB versions with and without fingering each on separate pages.