A Practical Approach to 18th Century Counterpoint, Revised Edition

Practical work in writing counterpoint! This volume emphasizes developing analytical and writing skills in the contrapuntal technique of the eighteenth century. The orientation is strongly stylistic, dealing mainly with the polyphony of the late Baroque period. Three aspects are stressed throughout: practical work in writing counterpoint, utilizing various textures, devices, and genre of the period; historical background, to establish the origins of different forms and justify the pedagogical method employed here; analysis of selections from music literature, often in voice leading reductions. After an opening chapter that reviews some general features of the late Baroque period, there is a brief survey of melodic characteristics and a study of procedures associated with two, three, and four voices.

Key features include: initial note-against-note settings employing cantus firmus give way to more involved diminution techniques and then to consideration of the chorale prelude; introduces invertible and imitation counterpoint, culminating in the study of canon, invention, and fugue; and includes appropriately placed separate chapters on chromaticism, contrapuntal devices, variation, and choral writing.

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Title of related interest from Waveland Press: Gauldin, A Practical Approach to 16th Century Counterpoint, Revised Edition (ISBN 9781478604716).