1/5/10 Species Counterpoint
Dr. Peter Ivan Edwards
Asst. Professor, Music Composition
Yong Siew Toh Conservatory, NUS
Terminology
  What is counterpoint?
- counter = against
- point (punctus) = note (in this case)
- note against note
  Counterpoint is used largely in polyphonic music, but it is
very much related to voice leading, and, therefore, is
fundamental to homophonic music as well.
Terminology
  What is species counterpoint?
- Created by Johan Joseph Fux in his book, Gradus ad
Parnassum from the 1720s.
- Originally to teach the art of modal counterpoint.
- The species approach has been use also with tonal music
teaching, which is what we’ll do.
1 1/5/10 Terminology
  Cantus Firmus: a melodic line used to build other
contrapuntal voices above or below.
- In doing counterpoint, one starts with a cantus firmus and
adds another voice to create counterpoint.
- For our purposes, this will be a bassline (but doesn’t have to
be) which will suggest a harmonic progression.
Where We Are
  Good News! - You have already done counterpoint.
- Adding NCTs to a melody is a first step in doing
counterpoint.
  So, what’s different?
- We will focus on just 2 voices, rather than 4, which changes
the strictness of the rules a bit.
Overview
  Following this introduction:
- 2nd species: 2 notes against 1 note in the cantus firmus.
- 3rd species: 4 notes against 1 note in the cantus firmus.
- Rhythmized Counterpoint: a free counterpoint with NCTs
and changing proportions in each voice.
2 1/5/10 2nd Species Counterpoint
Dr. Peter Ivan Edwards
Asst. Professor, Music Composition
Yong Siew Toh Conservatory, NUS
What is 2nd species counterpoint?
  2 notes against 1 note in the cantus firmus.
For example:
How do I do it?
  You already know how!
  Adding NCTs to a melody is more or less 2nd species
counterpoint.
  Here one only uses 2 voices (rather than 4), and there can
only be a 2:1 relationship between the two voices, that is, 2
notes against 1 note.
1 1/5/10 How do I do it?
  If you start with a 1:1 counterpoint, then consider the
following things when trying to make it into a 2:1
counterpoint.
  Where there is an interval of a 3rd, one can add a passing
tone.
How do I do it?
  Where there is a repeated note, one can add a neighboring
tone in between. One can also create a neighbor group by
moving the second repeated note to the weak part of the
beat.
How do I do it?
  Where there is a descending stepwise line, one can add
escape tones.
  One might add an anticipation at the cadence.
2 1/5/10 Any other rules?
  The rules for parallel 5ths and octaves need to be observed
like they are for outer voices in 4-part writing. Be aware,
therefore, of not just parallel motion but also direct motion.
  Below are some examples of good, bad, and possible uses of
5ths and octaves. Notice that even when 5th and octaves
aren’t parallel, they can be things that should be avoided
because the 5ths or octaves fall on the strong beats.
Other things to consider
  Shape the counterpoint voice and consider the same things
you did when composing melodies last semester – climax, a
good balance of continuity and variety.
  Melodic intervals should be largely steps, but occasional leaps
are very important. If you leap a 4th or more in one
direction, then it is common to follow that with stepwise
motion in the opposite direction.
(Needs example)
Other things to consider
  NCTs do not have to be on the weak part of the beat. For
example:
3 1/5/10 Other things to consider
  You don’t have to always use NCTs on the weak part of beats.
Sometimes, you can use just two CTs, for example:
Using Suspensions
  In traditional species counterpoint, there is a species reserved
for practicing suspensions. We will incorporate them here
though.
  We will only use 7-6 suspensions and 2-3 suspensions
though.
  First, a brief introduction to suspension is necessary.
Using Suspensions
  Suspensions are a kind of NCT that involve 3 components –
the preparation, suspension, and resolution.
  There are a number of different kinds of suspensions. The
most commonly found in the upper voice are 7-6 and 4-3
suspensions. In the lower voice, the most commonly found is
the 2-3 suspensions.
  These names just come from the intervals found between the
lowest voice and the counterpoint voice in the suspension
and resolution.
4 1/5/10 Using Suspensions
  If you already have a 1:1 counterpoint, then adding
suspensions can be pretty easy. If you have adding the
counterpoint in the upper voice, then look for descending
parallel 6ths. If you are adding the counterpoint in the lower
voice, then look for descending parallel 3rds.
5 1/5/10 3rd Species Counterpoint
Dr. Peter Ivan Edwards
Asst. Professor, Music Composition
Yong Siew Toh Conservatory, NUS
What is 3rd species counterpoint?
  4 notes (not 3, as the name might suggest) against 1 note in
the cantus firmus.
  Like all species of counterpoint, 3rd species counterpoint is
for practicing counterpoint.
  There are very few examples of works written with just 3rd
species counterpoint throughout.
How do we do it?
  If you start with a 1:1 counterpoint and elaborate it, consider
the following things:
  One should mix NCTs and CTs. For example (taken from
Kennan’s Counterpoint): (add audio of example)
1 1/5/10 How do we do it?
  Avoid using only CTs. If you do this, you will get an
accompaniment rather than a melody. (add audio of example)
How do we do it?
  Become familiar with common patterns that might be created
between 2 melodic notes in the counterpoint voice in a 1:1
counterpoint. For instance, common patterns found
between the interval of a 5th (here in the lower voice) might
be:
  You can then use these as a guide to your counterpoint. (But
don’t forget about shaping the melodic line.)
Any more rules?
  There aren’t any special rules for 3rd species that don’t apply
to 2nd species or voice leading and melodic writing generally.
Ex. 1
Ex. 2
Ex. 3
Ex. 4
  In example 1, the leap in the same direction from the last
16th of beat 1 to the first 16th of beat 2 is uncommon. It
makes the smoothness of the line interrupted.
2 1/5/10 Any more rules?
Ex. 1
Ex. 2
Ex. 3
Ex. 4
  In example 2, there is a leap out of the leading tone (this is a
I-V progression).
  In example 3, the flow of the melodic line stops because of
the repeated note. In species exercises, this is a problem, but
in “real” music, you will find this, so don’t worry too much
about this rule.
  In example 4, the first C makes the arrival of the second C
less climatic. So, there is a shaping problem here.
What about parallel 5ths and octaves?
  The principle for using parallel 5ths and octaves is largely the
same as for 2nd species counterpoint.
  Avoid 5ths and octaves on consecutive downbeats.
  Avoid 5ths and octaves on the 3rd or 4th sixteen followed by
one on the subsequent downbeat.
  5ths and octaves in consecutive beats but not falling on the
downbeat is fine.
3 1/5/10
Adding Rhythmic Activity to a Simple
2-Voice Counterpoint
Dr. Peter Ivan Edwards
Asst. Professor, Music Composition
Yong Siew Toh Conservatory, NUS
Where We Start
Example #1
Original
With Rhythmic Activity
1
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Analysis of Example #1
Analysis of Example #1
Analysis of Example #1
2
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Analysis of Example #1
Example #2
Original
With Rhythmic Activity
Analysis of Example #2
3
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Analysis of Example #2
Analysis of Example #2
Analysis of Example #2
4