Exercises in Elementary Counterpoint

EXERCISES IN ELEMENTARY COUNTERPOINT by PERCY GOETSCHIUS. Originally published in 1910. PREFACE: THE present volume is intended and expected to cover more ground than its title implies. In the authors mind it represents a course in Harmony, quite as much as in Counterpoint. It owes its inception to the authors often expressed conviction that these two courses of study cannot be separated and also to a constantly strength ening belief that the most rational, quickest and best way to acquire a thorough knowledge of the chords and their uses the recognized purpose of the study of Harmony is to begin with one part, to pass from that to two, from that to three, and thus gradually arrive at full four-part harmony. For this reason, an extensive preparatory knowledge of Harmony is not at all necessary, though a general knowledge of the chords will facili tate the study of this book, and is therefore recommended. Such general familiarity may be gained by the study of Part II of my Material, or Chapters III to XXX of my Tone-Relations. The full four-part texture, when approached in this way, as system atized in these chapters, will have developed itself naturally into Counter point and its acquisition will fully prepare the student to undertake the subsequent tasks in homophonic and polyphonic composition. THE AUTHOR. NEW YORK, February, 1910. Contents include: INTRODUCTION. i Chapter L THE SINGLE MEIODIC LINE, STEPWISE PROGRESSIONS AND NAR ROW LEAPS S Exercise i 7 Chapter H. WIDER LEAPS 8 Exercise 2 n Chapter HI. EXCEPTIONAL PROGRESSIONS, AND THE MINOR MODE n Exercise 3 15 Chapter IV. THE ASSOCIATION OF Two MELODIC LINES. CORRESPONDING RHYTHM. FUNDAMENTAL INTERVALS. MAJOR MODE 15 Exercise 4 20 Chapter V. FUNDAMENTAL INTERVALS, MINOR MODE 22 Exercise 5 23 Chapter VI. EXCEPTIONAL INTERVALS 24 Exercise 6 28 Chapter VIL RHYTHMIC DIVERSITY. Two NOTES TO EACH BEAT 29 Exercise 7 36 Chapter VIE. MODULATIONS 37 Exercise 8 41 Chapter IX. THREE NOTES TO EACH BEAT 43 Exercise g 46 Chapter X. SYNCOPATION, OR SHITTED RHYTHM. TIES. Two AND THREE NOTES TO EACH BEAT 47 Exercise 10 50 Chapter XL THE TIE, CONTINUED. RESTS 51 Exercise n 56 Chapter XIE. FOUR NOTES TO EACH BEAT 57 Exercise 12 62 Chapter xm. FOUR NOTES TO EACH BEAT, AS AMPLIFIED FORMS 63 Exercise 13 7 TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE Chapter XIV. DIVERSITY OF RHYTHMIC MOVEMENT IN THE Two PARTS 67 Exercise 14 73 -. u Chapter XV MOTIVE-DEVELOPMENT. IMITATION. THE SMALL INVENTION 73 Exercise 15 81 Chapter XVI. THREE-PART HARMONY, MELODY HARMONIZATION WITH PRI MARY CHORDS 83 Exercise 16 91 Chapter XVII. SECONDARY CHORDS. SEQUENCES 92 Exercise 17 94 Chapter XVDI. MODULATION, DIATONIC AND CHROMATIC. ALTERED SCALE STEPS 96 Exercise 18 99 Chapter XIX. CONTRAPUNTAL HARMONY, THREE PARTS. SIMPLE AND AMPLIFIED 101 Exercise 19 105 Chapter XX. THREE-PART COUNTERPOINT 106 Exercise 20 113 Chapter XXI. MOTIVE-DEVELOPMENT. THE SMALL INVENTION, THREE PARTS 114 Exercise 21 121 Chapter XXII. FOUR-PART HARMONY. MELODY HARMONIZATION. . PRIMARY AND SECONDARY CHORDS. SEQUENCES 122 Exercise 22 126 Chapter XXm, MODULATION 126 Exercise 23 131 Chapter XXIV. CONTRAPUNTAL HARMONY, FOUR PARTS. SIMPLE AND AMPLIFIED 132 Exercise 24 137 Chapter XXV. FOUR-PART COUNTERPOINT ANALYSIS 138 Exercise 25 p . 145 Chapter XXVL MOTIVE-DEVELOPMENT. THE SMALL INVENTION, FOUR PARTS 146 Exercise 26 149 APPENDIX 151 EXERCISES IN ELEMENTARY COUNTERPOINT.