The chorale motet was a type of musical composition in mostly Protestant parts of Europe, principally Germany, and mainly during the 16th century.
In the earlier period, the chorale was typically used as a cantus firmus, fairly easy to hear, with other lines either weaving in and out contrapuntally around it, or following along in the same rhythm in an entirely homophonic style.
Composers of early chorale motets included Johann Walter, who typically used a cantus firmus type of motet setting; Balthasar Resinarius, who wrote in the complex polyphonic style; Sixt Dietrich [de], who chose the simpler homophonic style; and Ludwig Senfl, Lupus Hellinck, Thomas Stoltzer, and others.
Some of these composers were among the most famous and talented in Europe, including Melchior Franck, Hans Leo Hassler, and the spectacularly prolific Michael Praetorius.
Bach's son Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach composed a motet in three movements in the second half of the 18th century, Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, still using Baroques techniques such as a chorale fantasia on Nicolai's "Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme" and the inclusion of a setting by his father.