Type of Submission
Podium Presentation
Keywords
Renaissance, music theory, counterpoint, voice leading, part writing
Abstract
Music of today is composed using countless rules that have developed over the years. During the Middle ages, basic harmony was first used, but it was not until the Renaissance that harmony really flourished to become standard in most music. Counterpoint is, at its core, the study of harmony or quite literally point against point (note against note.) This paper delves into the conception of counterpoint and shows how it progressed to become a widely used technique that has unequivocally changed music to this day by exploring the different facets of counterpoint and studying the music theorists who pioneered and mastered counterpoint.
Counterpoint is not limited to just note against note textures; rather, it encompasses three and four part harmonies as well. Each texture uses slightly different rules than the others and it slowly becomes progressively more complex as a melody becomes a duet, then a trio and finally a quartet with rich chordal structure.
Counterpoint also uses different species. One can take an existing melody and break it down to the most basic specie with one whole note for each measure. Each specie starts subdividing these notes to allow more complex melodies with passing and neighbor tones, suspensions and more.
Counterpoint was not fully developed at its conception. Rather, it grew and was molded by such composers as Franchino Gaffurio, who wrote the first music theory treatise, Gioseffo Zarlino, who wrote perhaps the most influential music theory treatise of the sixteenth and seventeenth century and Johann Joseph Fux, who’s music theory book was studied by such composers as Bach, Mozart, Hayden and more.
All of these developments allowed music to develop into an amazing assortment of polyphonic harmonies that interweave and compliment each other in incredibly intricate ways. These same rules have further developed and become standard for much modern day music. There is no doubt that counterpoint blossomed into a regimented school of thought that almost defines musical aesthetic beauty in today's culture.
Faculty Sponsor or Advisor’s Name
Dr. Sandra Yang
Campus Venue
Stevens Student Center, Room 246
Location
Cedarville, OH
Start Date
4-1-2015 3:00 PM
End Date
4-1-2015 3:20 PM
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
PowerPoint
Development of Renaissance Era Counterpoint: Senseless Stipulations or Scientific Study
Cedarville, OH
Music of today is composed using countless rules that have developed over the years. During the Middle ages, basic harmony was first used, but it was not until the Renaissance that harmony really flourished to become standard in most music. Counterpoint is, at its core, the study of harmony or quite literally point against point (note against note.) This paper delves into the conception of counterpoint and shows how it progressed to become a widely used technique that has unequivocally changed music to this day by exploring the different facets of counterpoint and studying the music theorists who pioneered and mastered counterpoint.
Counterpoint is not limited to just note against note textures; rather, it encompasses three and four part harmonies as well. Each texture uses slightly different rules than the others and it slowly becomes progressively more complex as a melody becomes a duet, then a trio and finally a quartet with rich chordal structure.
Counterpoint also uses different species. One can take an existing melody and break it down to the most basic specie with one whole note for each measure. Each specie starts subdividing these notes to allow more complex melodies with passing and neighbor tones, suspensions and more.
Counterpoint was not fully developed at its conception. Rather, it grew and was molded by such composers as Franchino Gaffurio, who wrote the first music theory treatise, Gioseffo Zarlino, who wrote perhaps the most influential music theory treatise of the sixteenth and seventeenth century and Johann Joseph Fux, who’s music theory book was studied by such composers as Bach, Mozart, Hayden and more.
All of these developments allowed music to develop into an amazing assortment of polyphonic harmonies that interweave and compliment each other in incredibly intricate ways. These same rules have further developed and become standard for much modern day music. There is no doubt that counterpoint blossomed into a regimented school of thought that almost defines musical aesthetic beauty in today's culture.
