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Glite Dictionary
chorale prelude

chorale prelude

9.9
A short organ piece that uses a hymn tune and often introduces singing
  • noun
  • /kəˈræl ˈprɛlud/
  • Specialized
translation icon : preludio coral
  • The organist performed a beautiful chorale prelude that captivated the audience.

Examples

  • The image comes from one of the most remarkable but least understood of Johann Sebastian Bach's compositions: his great chorale prelude for organ on the Lord's

    Academic text (1990)

  • During the concert, she showcased a stunning chorale prelude by Bach, rich in variation.

  • "Jesus My Joy.' A Bach chorale prelude.

    Fiction book (1999)

  • Many composers, including Bach and Pachelbel, wrote intricate chorale preludes for the organ.

Synonyms

prelude
vschorale prelude
4 6.7

A short piece of music that introduces a larger work like an opera or play

is an organ composition built on a chorale melody and developed with variations

Surface Forms

chorale prelude singular
chorale preludes plural

Morphology

chorale + prelude

The meaning is directly compositional: 'chorale' (a hymn tune) combined with 'prelude' (a brief introductory musical piece) yields a short introductory composition based on a chorale. Although it's a specialized musical term, the relation is literal and follows normal noun–noun composition, so a learner who knows both constituents can readily infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Chorale prelude comes from church practice: the organist would play a short prelude on the hymn tune, a chorale, to help people learn the melody before they sang. That's why a chorale prelude now means a short organ piece based on a chorale that acts as an 'introduction' to singing.