Counterpoint: The Polyphonic Vocal Style of the Sixteenth Century

Foreward by Alfred Mann.

This classic introductory text focuses on the polyphonic vocal style perfected by Palestrina. Unlike many other texts, it maintains a careful balance between theoretical and practical problems, between historical and systematic methodology. The result is an exceptionally usefull resource, ideal for classroom use in teaching modal counterpoint.

In Part One, Knud Jeppesen (1892-1974), the world-renowned musicologist and leading authority on Palestrina, offers a superb outline history of contrapuntal theory. He begins by exploring the beginnings of contrapuntal theory from the ninth to the fourteenth centuries. This is followed by separate discussions of each succeeding century, the styles of Palestrina and Bach, the "Palestrina Movement" after Fux and more. The section ends with illuminating coverage of notation, the ecclesiastical modes, melody and harmony.

The second part of the book contains an extended treatment of "species" counterpoint in two, three and four parts, as well as counterpoint in more than four parts, and specific discussions of the canon, the motet and the Mass. Throughout, the text is generously supplied with musical examples-exercises, solutions and illustrations, including many by the great composers.

For this edition, the distinguished scholar Alfred Mann has contributed a new foreward to Jeppesen's classic study.

CONTENIDO:

Foreword (Alfred Mann)

Introduction to the English translation (Glen Haydon)

Preface

Part I. Preliminaries

I. Outline history of contrapuntal theory
-Counterpoint and harmony contrasted
-The ninth to the fourteenth centuries: the beginning of contrapuntal theory
-The fifteenth century: crystallization of principles
-The sixteenth century: the style of Palestrina
-The seventeenth century: some pedagogical developments
-The eighteenth century: the style of Bach
-The nineteenth century: Palestrina or Bach?
-The "Palestrina Movement" after Fux

II. Technical features
-Notation
-The ecclesiastical modes
-Melody
-Harmony

Part II. Contrapuntal exercises

I. Introduction

II. Two-Part counterpoint
-First species
-Second species
-Third species

III. Two-Part counterpoint (continued)
-Fourth species
-Fifth species
-Free two-part counterpoint
-Imitation

IV. Three-Part counterpoint
-First species
-Second species
-Third species
-Fourth species
-Fifth species
-Imitation

V. Four-Part counterpoint
-First species
-Second species
-Third species
-Fourth species
-Fifth species
-Imitation

VI. Counterpoint in more than four parts

VII. The canon

VIII. The motet

IX. The mass

Appendix
-The vocal fugue
-Double, triplle, and quadruple counterpoint
-Summary of the most important contrapuntal laws and rules
-Index