“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!)