Suggested Learning Resources
- The following 18th century counterpoint rules should not be broken
- o Follow rules of first species counterpoint in terms of motion and melodic writing.
- o Only write a harmonic P4 when it is treated as a dissonant passing or neighbor
tone, or in a 4-3 suspension.
- o Available dissonant suspensions are the same as in strict style, 4-3, 7-6, 9-8
in the upper part and 2-3 in the lower part.
- o Should close with a standard V-I cadence.
- o Majority of intervals should be harmonic consonances or chordal dissonances contained
in the V7 chord.
- o The chordal 7th of a dominant must resolve down to the mediant
- o The leading to as appears in a dominant must resolve up to the tonic
- Opening interval should be a 3rd or a 6th to establish the key and major or minor
mode. (Unison, Octave, or 5th as the opening interval is considered a weakness)
- In 18th century counterpoint, the following guidelines may be broken in
some cases, but the result is a weaker sense of counterpoint
- o Phrase beginning and endings should imply tonic and dominant (seventh) harmonies.
- o Incorporate chordal skips, dissonant passing tones, and neighbor tones all on
offbeats.
- o Passing and neighbor tones can appear on the downbeat, but only occasionally
- o Make occasional use of dissonant suspensions, especially when approaching a cadence.
- o Suspensions should be prepared by a consonance that is held over to the next
beat.
- o There should be a balance between perfect and imperfect consonances, with more
imperfect than perfect.
- o Overall pleasing contour
- o More oblique motion or repeated notes are OK in 18th century counterpoint
- o New cadence intervals (not just 2 and 7) are acceptable
https://youtu.be/mh_y--BOfqo
Objective 16.4: Identify strengths and weaknesses of 18th century counterpoint