Contrafact

Kontrafaktur ( to Latin contra "against" and facere " make " counter-proposal ) is an artistic production, in which a work of art while maintaining a certain form components, a new work of art is made. Kontrafaktur thus is an example of intertextuality and intermediality.

Music

As Kontrafaktur both the process and the outcome of a particular method for creating a new musical singing piece is called in music theory. In this case, only the lyrics of an existing plant is changed so that a new song with the same melody arises. This procedure was employed particularly frequently in the hymn, because at the Germanization of the songs used in worship already received well-known melody, the Latin text should be replaced though. The method of Kontrafaktur takes place not only for simple song melodies, but also in polyphonic choral works and more complex application. Well-known examples are found in Johann Sebastian Bach. For instance, the opening chorus Sing, rejoice of his Christmas Oratorio a Kontrafaktur the opening chorus of the cantata Tönet, ihr Pauken! Ring out, trumpets!

Since the definition of the parallel English-language term ( " contra fact" ) is slightly extended, it is called in modern music theory also often of Kontrafaktur when a new melody is composes while maintaining the harmony schema. This practice is found mainly in modern jazz.