The Principles And Practice Of Tonal Counterpoint

The Principles and Practice of Tonal Counterpoint is a comprehensive textbook that combines practical, "how-to" guidance in 18th-century techniques with extensive historical examination of contrapuntal works and genres. Beginning with an introductory grounding in species counterpoint, tonal harmony, and figured bass, students progress through the study of chorale preludes, invertible counterpoint, and canonic and fugal writing. This textbook thoroughly joins principle with practice, providing a truly immersive experience in the study of tonal counterpoint and familiarizing students with contrapuntal styles from the Baroque period to the 21st century. Also available is a companion volume, The Principles and Practice of Modal Counterpoint, which focuses on 16th-century techniques and covers modal music from Gregorian chant through the 17th century.

Covering modal music from Gregorian chant through the seventeenth-century, The Principles and Practice of Modal Counterpoint is a comprehensive textbook combining stylistic composition, theory and analysis, music history, and performance. By supplementing a modified species approach with a wealth of complete musical examples and historical information, this textbook thoroughly joins principle with practice, providing a truly immersive experience in the study of modal counterpoint and familiarizing students with modal repertoire.

On the subject of "Counterpoint," as that term is generally understood, this book does not profess to be an exhaustive treatise. Rather is it intended, as a practical textbook, to deal with the principles of free part-writing and to offer suggestions for the cultivation of such a musical instinct that wherever polyphony is desirable in composition the various parts shall be made interesting and truly melodious. It seems to the writer that at the present day the import of the word counterpoint is largely historical. Certainly the rules still in vogue in the majority of the books on counterpoint are those which were practiced when music was under the influence of the old modal system, was written almost exclusively, for voices, and long before the principles of rhythm and of tonality, so deeply implanted in our modern instrumental music, had come into existence at all. Moreover in these textbooks there is little to stimulate the imagination of the student or to develop a broad musical judgment. The subjects given, with their heterogeneous and unrhythmic collection of whole notes, seem at best merely to furnish opportunities for the acquisition of a rudimentary power of selection. But this selecting and grouping of the various chord-factors in the most effective way have already been taught the student during his course in harmony, - when that subject has been properly taught, that is, without a servile dependence upon the figured-bass system. In fact, whoever has been writing free exercises in harmony under competent instruction has also been writing counterpoint of a certain kind; that is, he has been making the separate voices as varied and melodious as possible. Every one will recognize the great discrepancy, in style between the counterpoint of the textbook and that of a Mozart Strng Quartet, a Beethoven Symphony, or even the contrapuntal accompaniment of a Franz song. There must of necessity be some difference; one is an exercise for the young student, the other the work of mature genius. Nevertheless the difference should be one rather of degree than actually of kind. In both exercise and work of creative imagination should be found the broad principles of all musical art; there should be life, spontaneity and freedom, and all the voices, whenever possible, should say something, except where a confessedly homophonic style is being used. In music, of all arts, "the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." Hence the writer has no sympathy with the arbitrary division of counterpoint into two classes, strict and free.

In this groundbreaking book, Tymoczko uses contemporary geometry to provide a new framework for thinking about music, one that emphasizes the commonalities among styles from Medieval polyphony to contemporary jazz.

From the PREFACE. On the subject of "Counterpoint," as that term is generally understood, this book does not profess to be an exhaustive treatise. Rather is it intended, as a practical textbook, to deal with the principles of free part-writing and to offer suggestions for the cultivation of such a musical instinct that wherever polyphony is desirable in composition the various parts shall be made interesting and truly melodious. It seems to the writer that at the present day the import of the word counterpoint is largely historical. Certainly the rules still in vogue in the majority of the books on counterpoint are those which were practiced when music was under the influence of the old modal system, was written almost exclusively, for voices, and long before the principles of rhythm and of tonality, so deeply implanted in our modern instrumental music, had come into existence at all. Moreover in these textbooks there is little to stimulate the imagination of the student or to develop a broad musical judgment. The subjects given, with their heterogeneous and unrhythmic collection of whole notes, seem at best merely to furnish opportunities for the acquisition of a rudimentary power of selection. But this selecting and grouping of the various chord-factors in the most effective way have already been taught the student during his course in harmony, - when that subject has been properly taught, that is, without a servile dependence upon the figured-bass system. In fact, whoever has been writing free exercises in harmony under competent instruction has also been writing counterpoint of a certain kind; that is, he has been making the separate voices as varied and melodious as possible. Every one will recognize the great discrepancy, in style between the counterpoint of the textbook and that of a Mozart String Quartet, a Beethoven Symphony, or even the contrapuntal accompaniment of a Franz song. There must of necessity be some difference; one is an exercise for the young student, the other the work of mature genius. Nevertheless the difference should be one rather of degree than actually of kind. In both exercise and work of creative imagination should be found the broad principles of all musical art; there should be life, spontaneity and freedom, and all the voices, whenever possible, should say something, except where a confessedly homophonic style is being used. In music, of all arts, "the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." Hence the writer has no sympathy with the arbitrary division of counterpoint into two classes, strict and free.

First Published in 2003. The Craft of Tonal Counterpoint is an introductory text to the analysis and composition of tonal counterpoint. Using examples from the music of J.S. Bach - the master of this style - the author takes students through a series of carefully graded, cumulative exercises that stress both analysis and writing. Benjamin covers chromaticism and fugal writing in exceptional detail. The exercises cover a wide range of formats, including error detection, linear pitch reduction, analysis and composition. The book also incorporates a 100-page anthology of scores, effective for analysis, in-class performance, and compositional models.

Tonal Counterpoint is a study of counterpoint in the Common Practice focusing on the contrapuntal arts from the Baroque through the 19th Century. This book presents a step by step study of how to create imitation, canons and fugues of all types and varieties.