=The Chorale in Protestant Organ Music=.—In addition to his incomparable preludes and fugues, toccatas, fantasias and pieces in the larger forms, Bach made the polyphonic treatment of the =chorale= an art peculiarly his own. In fact, the German style of organ playing may be said to have developed from the chorale and from the music of the Reformation. This furnished a fresher and very different source of inspiration from the Gregorian chant which had been handled so effectively by Frescobaldi and his Italian successors. =Marchand=.—One of the most renowned of early French organists was =Louis Marchand= (1671-1732). In 1717, while living under banishment in Dresden, he was to have entered into a trial of skill with Bach, but lost courage and departed on the morning of the appointed day. A certain triviality has at times characterized the French school of organ music, undoubtedly a reflection of the prevailing style and taste in other branches of musical composition. Of later years, however, a more serious and exalted style has developed. =The German School=.—To return to the German organists. A name familiar to all students of the organ is that of Rinck. =Johann C. H. Rinck= (1770-1846) was a pupil of Kittel, who in turn was a pupil of J. S. Bach. Rinck’s reputation is based largely on his “Practical Organ School,” a work still in use. Another name of importance is that of =Johann Gottlob Schneider= (1789-1864). He has had the reputation of being one of the greatest German organists since the time of Bach. Of the great composers since Bach, =Mendelssohn= stands conspicuous as an organist and composer of organ music. Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven, although occasionally using the organ in their scores, did not compose for the instrument. Mendelssohn developed a decided fondness for the organ, which he played admirably. His six sonatas and three preludes and fugues are masterpieces. Among the representative German organists and composers should be mentioned: =Adolph Hesse= (1809-1863), author of the “Practical Organist” and a prolific composer; =Karl August Haupt= (1810-1891), a celebrated teacher, numbering among his many pupils from all countries such prominent American organists as Eugene Thayer, Clarence Eddy and J. K. Paine; =Carl Ludwig Thiele= (1816-1848) composer of some of the most difficult known works for the organ; =Gustav Merkel= (1827-1885), a prolific composer, whose sonatas are numbered among the standard works for the instrument; =J. G. Rheinberger= (1837-1901), one of the finest organists and best teachers of his time and a composer of great ability, whose twenty sonatas form a permanent addition to the best organ literature. A number of American organists were among his pupils.