Ars Nova Counterpointer
Long story short, I spent 4 years majoring in music composition. I always struggled with theory. A combination of then undiagnosed adhd, an health issues resulted in not learning very well in class.
Then those health issues resulted in dropping out of school and being homebound. Now I have all the time in the world to learn 4 part harmony and counterpoint.is the textbook I have from my time in college. I hate this textbook with every bone inside me. I hate the way its orginized and I despite trying I don't think I can actually learn anything form it.I need to go back to the basics, I'm thinking of doing so in the form of learning species counterpoint. However that won't help me with harmony and voice leading (at least if I understand it right) since It only deals with 2 voices.I learn best through doing, especially with music, but due to the whole homebound situation a teacher is not a possibility.
Which leaves me with computer programs. I'm considering getting by ars nova. I have practica musica by them and while I hate the program with a burning passion as schoolwork it is quite handy for ear training and the such.I don't really care if I have to spend money, I just want to have the means to learn counterpoint and voice leading so that I have a firm grasp on it. Oh man, I hate the BHN! I recommend you check out our list of recommended theory textbooks:Every institution I've been at uses the Laitz, which I like a lot.
But I think I like the Aldwell/Schacter a bit more. It's really the most musical and counterpoint-focused text that is commonly in use today. So I would recommend that.If you want a textbook that is strictly devoted to species counterpoint, and you want to do a really in-depth study of that before you move onto harmony and voice leading, then you might check out Peter Schubert's Modal Counterpoint: Renaissance Style, which is a very good strictly counterpoint text that takes you through species counterpoint in 4 voices and beyond to free counterpoint. You should download this workbook:This distills the whole text of Fux into a handful of basic rules, with all of Fux' cantus firmi given in every mode, species, and voice position for 2-part, 3-part, and 4-part counterpoint. Learning the art of counterpoint is primarily about going through all of these exercises. It's like 'scale practice' for the mind of the composer.In combination with the Mann translation of the Gradus or Jeppesen's Counterpoint, it's everything you really need.
Good luck. Why not use what all the composers who have been successful writing counterpoint used through out the few centuries?.here is the link.this is from scratch, you can do the exercise along with the dialect. It is written in a dialectic which is like the Socrates dialogues.It has been the standard since it was first written in Latin and it starts with the beginnings of counterpoint. Its painless although through and if you go through this book you will learn all the real foundations of counterpoint from the beginning. It also sets the basic concepts that composers have tweaked to use for all periods of music from the beginning of counterpoint through current music that is contrapuntal.all the composers since Bach has studied this book. And its free. If you are serious, this is the place to start.
After this one, you can sort through the rest for practice and you will see that they all copied his book in one way or the other. If you want a solid foundation, this is it.ljse7m. When I was analyzing a symphonie by Hans Werner Henze using Schoenberg's 12 tone technique, I noticed a direct connection to some of his contrapuntal lines using his tone rows with the same principles as FUX except with a change in the preface definitions of consonance and dissonance! Lol.Fux will teach you the PRINCIPLE and CONCEPTS of writing counterpoint.
He applied them to the consonance and dissonance of the day. (well of the day he was writing about) Of course, if you just take it literally, and you don't take the concepts and adapt them to the genre you are using, then I can see that comment coming from him.If he were here, I would respond by telling him to 'think outside the box' and use Bloom's Taxonomy on creative thinking and he would have seen how it fit into even his atonal concepts.You can see it in Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, etc on and on and really anyone that wrote counterpoint or about counterpoint. Its a definitive writing about tension and relaxation between musical lines.
What good is knowledge if you don't care to use it in different situations? Lol, nice find for a quote however. Very amusing. Fux is about part writing. Each composer added to what was done before, but they didn't change it, they just adapted it.personally, I do not understand how this concept of using the older concepts in a newer setting is now pretty much a lost art. Today, more and more want instructions on how to create something new!
I find the such an oxymoron. Maybe this lack of application of concepts to different situations is getting rare has something to do with more and more schools (not all by any means!) ignoring or in some radical instances, attempting to BAN Critical Thinking Skills from the schools!
With Schoenberg, I would not be surprised that this is taken at least slightly out of context. Or maybe he just had a bad day.Fux IS about the birth of counterpoint. The better scholars on education propose that information should be taught in order that they are learned best, i.e.
Start at the beginning and add to what the student learns. Kodaly is a perfect example of this. Fux starts at the beginning. You then build upon it. It is the foundation of counterpoint. You can build on it as so many have done already. Your foundation will be very sound.ljse7m.
I would recommend the relevant sections of for a basic introduction to species counterpoint. It's very light on details and examples, so it's probably not ideal for independent learning, but it is online and free.Studying counterpoint is very much linked to voice leading, as a lot of the decisions you'd make in 3 or 4 choice part writing are derived from one and two voice tendencies. Also, the entire notion and practice of harmony really came about as a gradual evolution of contrapuntal practices, so counterpoint is a great place to start.
In fact, I redesigned my entire lower division undergraduate theory curriculum this year using the online text I posted above, and I taught first and second species counterpoint after Fundamentals but before any harmony or part writing concepts. Have fun!. I highly recommend reading Counterpoint by Kennan. I need to go back to the basics, I'm thinking of doing so in the form of learning species counterpoint.
However that won't help me with harmony and voice leading (at least if I understand it right) since It only deals with 2 voices.you don't understand it correctly Species is more than just two voices. It only starts with two voices and it IS voice leading and harmony. It does not start with functional harmony however it starts with the basis of harmony that is derived from consonance and dissonance and voice leading which leads to functional harmony.After you learn Fux, harmony is a snap. I can hip you to functional very quickly after you have a foundation in FUX.
Really, Harmony is a breeze once you learn the consonance and dissonance and part writing.Fux is old style, but it prepares you for EVERYTHING else. Centuries of top composers set the standard. Ts the proper way to learn.
Ars Nova Huntsville
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