| Portion of title |
Practical approach to 16th-century counterpoint |
| Contents |
Preface -- Preliminary remarks. The format of the music ; Rhythm ; The ecclesiastical modes ; Latin pronunciation -- Melodic writing with white notes. Pitch succession in the melodic line ; Rhythmic characteristics of melodic lines -- Two-voice texture with white notes. Consonant harmonic intervals ; Dissonant white notes ; Cadences ; Imitation in two-voice texture -- Melodic writing with black notes. Text setting with black notes -- Two-voice texture with black notes -- Other aspects of two-voice texture. Double counterpoint ; Canonic writing in two voices ; Aspects of structure in vocal two-voice compositions ; Instrumental writing in two-voice texture -- Examples of two-voice compositions for analysis -- Three-voice texture with white notes. Harmonic resources ; Voice-leading between consonant sonorities ; Dissonance with white notes -- Cadences in three-voice texture, other white-note dissonance. Cadences in three voices ; Other white-note dissonance -- Black notes in three-voice texture, imitation and reentries. Imitation and reentry in three-voice texture -- Paraphrase technique, further studies in canon. Paraphrase technique ; Three-voice canons (3 in 1) -- Examples of three-voice compositions for analysis -- General considerations of four-voice texture, familiar style. Basic characteristics in four-voice texture ; Cantus Firmus technique -- Examples of four-voice compositions for analysis -- Aspects of five- and six-voice texture, triple meter. Basic features of five- and six-voice writing ; Triple meter -- The motet, parody technique. The motet ; Parody technique -- Examples of five- and six-voice compositions for analysis -- Eight-voice texture, polychoral style -- Examples of eight-voice compositions for analysis -- Additional harmonic devices in the late sixteenth century -- Extended musica ficta and chromaticism -- Appendix 1. Species counterpoint -- Appendix 2. The mass -- Appendix 3. Major composers and theorists. |
| Abstract |
The author emphasizes acquisition of writing skills in the contrapuntal discipline and the simulation of sixteenth century sacred polyphonic idioms in this volume. The author follows a didactic method of a "non species or direct" approach. While no previous contrapuntal training is necessary to absorb this material, some acquaintance with Baroque polyphonic terminology proves helpful. Key features include: musical examples illustrating specific devices taken from musical literature or composed by the author; demonstration of the possibility of employing a single given pitch series within the contexts of different compositional techniques; a collection of complete or excerpted movements drawn from musical literature at the conclusion of each major textual division; emphasis of Palestrina and the Counter Reformation sacred style; discussion of various compositional procedures of the late Renaissance, including paraphrase, cantus firmus, familiar style, parody, polychoral technique, and chromaticism. |
| General note | Includes indexes. |
| Bibliography note | Bibliography: pages 293-303. |
| LCCN | 84015989 |
| ISBN | 0136892582 |
