“Ein feste Burg ist Unser Gott” (Original Harmonization)

Here is setting of the chorale melody “Ein feste Burg ist Unser Gott” that I composed. Any feedback is welcomed! 

The harmonization is good! Except in the last beat b. 7 to b.8 when tenor and bass has a parallel octave from E to A, and in b.11 third beat the chord is bare without a third. In b.13 soprano and tenor has a parallel fifth B-F# to A-E. I like the double third major chord though since it's bright here. Thanks for sharing!

Henry

4 hours ago, Henry Ng Tsz Kiu said:

The harmonization is good! Except in the last beat b. 7 to b.8 when tenor and bass has a parallel octave from E to A, and in b.11 third beat the chord is bare without a third. In b.13 soprano and tenor has a parallel fifth B-F# to A-E. I like the double third major chord though since it's bright here. Thanks for sharing!

Henry

 

Updated!

I have looked through the update! I hope I'm not too nitpicky!

In the last beat of b.4 to b.5, there's a parallel octave between soprano and tenor (A-G). Now between the third and fourth beat of b.7 the alto and tenor has a parallel fifth (A-E to E-B). Even though I myself find double third major chord ok, I probably won't use that in the cadence of the penultimate chord in b. 13, especially with a unison of the leading tone, since this will make the chord less rich, and the move from C# to F# for the tenor voice is strange for me. That's probably because the chords in b.13 are too closed to each other, thus making it difficult to move for the voices! Maybe using a low A for the bass in that penultimate chord and use a G for tenor in the first chord will save it.

Henry

33 minutes ago, Henry Ng Tsz Kiu said:

I have looked through the update! I hope I'm not too nitpicky!

In the last beat of b.4 to b.5, there's a parallel octave between soprano and tenor (A-G). Now between the third and fourth beat of b.7 the alto and tenor has a parallel fifth (A-E to E-B). Even though I myself find double third major chord ok, I probably won't use that in the cadence of the penultimate chord in b. 13, especially with a unison of the leading tone, since this will make the chord less rich, and the move from C# to F# for the tenor voice is strange for me. That's probably because the chords in b.13 are too closed to each other, thus making it difficult to move for the voices! Maybe using a low A for the bass in that penultimate chord and use a G for tenor in the first chord will save it.

Henry

 

You're not being too nitpicky! Im not good at this yet, and im still trying to improve! Here's the update!

Now it's almost finished! Only there is a parallel fifth in the third and fourth beat of b.9 between soprano and alto (F#-C# to E-B) and in the last beat of b.10 to b.11 between alto and bass (F#-C# to G#-D#). There's a parallel octave in the third and fourth beat of b.11 between soprano and bass (F# to D, I didn't spot this in earlier reply).

Updated!

Hi! The error in b.10 is correct now! The parallel fifth in b.9 between soprano and alto and the penultimate chord are not changed yet.😅

54 minutes ago, Henry Ng Tsz Kiu said:

Hi! The error in b.10 is correct now! The parallel fifth in b.9 between soprano and alto and the penultimate chord are not changed yet.😅

 

Lol better now?

Now the error in b.9 is corrected! Just spot an error this time arround b.2 2nd beat to 3rd beat between Soprano and Bass with a parallel fifth (G-D to D-A), maybe because it's in contrary motion so I didn't spot it before!😅

I'm curious as to why you decided to use the alto clef for the bass portion of the grand staff? I'm assuming this is for organ. I didn't know organists could read the c clef, so this is interesting to me! 

That said, I think you did a good job with your harmonization. I quite enjoyed this!