“WWJD” has become a Christian catchphrase summarizing an ethical test: faced with a difficult decision, one is to ask “What would Jesus do?”
But in the present case–and with all respect to the original case–what I’m proposing is a bit of a musical parlor game: “What would Johann do?”
Bach, that is–Johann Sebastian Bach.
What I’ll do in these “WWJD” posts (for I’m imagining a series of them) is this: in part 1, I’ll present the melody of a Bach chorale.
Readers–should I actually have any–can then submit their harmonizations if they choose, the best of which I’ll present in part 2. (Heck, I’ll even throw in a prize of some sort.) I’ll give my harmonization, just to show I’m not a chicken.
Finally, of course, part 3 will give the original harmonization by the Master. (Hey, if Sherlockians can use that terminology, then so can Bach enthusiasts. JSB was at least historical!)
So, without further ado, here’s ‘WWJD I’:
