Grove's dictionary of music and musicians

STRICT COUNTERPOINT STRICT COUNTERPOINT 723
Ex 3.
lar
Canto fermo.'
ess
Order ; one of the sounds necessary to form the
characteristic intervals being assigned to the
Canto fermo, and the other, either to the part
which contains the minims—Ex. 4 (A) ; Ex.
6 (i)— or to some other part written in semibreves.
Second Order (Two notes against one). In
this order two minims must be written in one
of the parts against each semibreve in the
Canto fermo, except the last, unless the exercise
should be in triple time, in which case three
minims must be written against each semibreve.
^ The other parts must all move in
semibreves. In the part which contains the
minims the same note may not be struclc twice
in succession. The first bar should begin with
a minim rest, followed by a minim in Perfect
Concord. In the remaining bars the first
minim must always be a Concord, Perfect or
Imperfect. The second minim may he either
a Concord or a Discord. If a Concord, it may
proceed either in conjunct or disjunct movement.—Ex.
4 (g). If a Discord, it must be
botli approached and quitted in conjunct
movement, and lie between two Concords. In
other words it must be treated as a Passing
Note.—Ex. 4 (/). The part which contains
the minims is not permitted to make the leap
of a Major Sixth in any circumstances ;, and
not even that of a Minor Sixth, except as a
last resource in cases of extreme difficulty.^
Consecutive Fifths and Octaves between the
first Minims of two successive bars are strictly
forbidden. Between the second Minims they
are tolerated, but only for the purpose of
escaping from a gi'eat difficulty.
Except in the first and last bars the Unison
forbidden on the Thesis or accented part of
is
the measure ; but permitted on the Arsis or
unaccented beat. The Octave on the Arsis
may be used with discretion ; but the Octave
on the Thesis (Ital. Ottava battuta ; Germ.
Sireich-Octav) is only permitted when approached,
as in the First Order, either in
oblique motion or by separation. Its employment
by approximation, as in Ex. 4, bar 5, is
permitted only in the final cadence.'
In these and all other cases the 'first minims
of the bar are subject to the same laws as the
semibreves of the First Order ;
and the more
closely these laws are observed, the better the
Counterpoint will be. If the elimination of the
second minim in every bar, except the first,
and the last but one, should produce good
Counterpoint of the First Order, no stronger
proof of excellence can be desired.
The Cadence is treated like that of the First
2S cKbini, p. 144 of Mr.. Cosvden Clarke's tn.liition.
(NovoIIo 4 Co.).
3 See footnote 4 on previous page.
Thied Okkbr (Four notes against one). In
this Order four crotchets must be written, in,
one of the parts, against each semibreve in the
Canto fermo, except the last ; the other parts
moving in semibreves. The first bar- should
begin' with a crotchet rest, followed by three
crotchets, the first of which must form a Perfect
Concord with the Canto fermo. The first
crotchet in the succeeding bars is subject to
the same laws as the first minim in the Second
Order. The three remaining crotchets may
form either Concords or Discords,, provided
that, in the latter case, they proceed in conjunct
movement, and lie between two Concords ; in
which respect they must be treated like the
unaccented minims in the Second Order.
When the second crotchet forms a Discord
with the Canto fermo, in a descending passage,
it may, by licence, fall a Third, and then ascend
to the necessary Concord, as at (j) in Ex. 6,
and (I) in Ex. 7. This very beautiful progression,
though forbidden by Cherubim, is
sanctioned by the universal practice of the
great masters of the 16th century.*
The employment of the Tritonus or the False
Fifth, as an interval of Melody, is forbidden, not
only by leap, but even when the intervening
sounds are filled in ;
thus, the progressions, F,
G, A, B, and B, C, D, E, F, are as contrary
to rule as F, B, or B, F. This law, however, is
only enforced when the dissonant sounds form
the limits of the passage ; F, 6, A, B, C, is
therefore perfectly lawful. Consecutive Fifths,
Octaves, and Unisons are forbidden between
the first and third crotchets in the bar ; between
the first or third crotchets of two successive
bars ; and, of course, between the last crotchet
of one bar, and the first of the next.
The Cadence will be formed by the Canto
fermo either in oonjnnctiifn with the part containing
the crotchets, or with one of the parts
written in semibreves, on the same principle as
4 Wax, p. 65.