A Monk's Musical Musings: How to Compose Counterpoint
-
Upload
max-zimmerman -
Category
Documents
-
view
215 -
download
0
Transcript of A Monk's Musical Musings: How to Compose Counterpoint
-
8/17/2019 A Monk's Musical Musings: How to Compose Counterpoint
1/8
-
8/17/2019 A Monk's Musical Musings: How to Compose Counterpoint
2/8
2/7/16, 11Monk's Musical Musings: How to Compose Counterpoint (Imitation and Modulation 1)
Page ttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2008/07/how-to-compose-counterpoint-imitation.html
east. Then, the subjects he used for lute and violin were too - there's no tactful way to say this - trivial, which is why
is fugues for those instruments are so highly episodic. I was left then to come up with a new kind of subject that would
work for the guitar, and that would have some weight to it that allowed for some interesting contrapuntal devices. I
nally got the subject back in 1999, but it took seven years before the piece reached its final form. It's written on two
taves, but this is a solo.
s you can see, the fugue is in A minor and the subject is 3.5 measures in length. There are no leaps in it at all, and
fter tonicizing the dominant degree, it just descends the scale to the tonic, where there is a brief tail figure that
kewise tonicizes the tonic. The range of the subject is a minor sixth, and this is important: Subjects with wide ranges
uck for the guitar. An octave is pretty much the outer limit, and that is really, really stretching it.
S T U D Y W I T H H U C B A L D
Guitar Lessons by George Peppe
H U C B A L D E N D O R S E S :
Blackbird Rider Nylon Guitars
Juke Yard Lexicon MPX-G2 Repai
Jim Kozel Custom Luthiery
RMC Polydrive Pickup Systems
Encore Music Publishing Softwar
Strings by Mail for 10 Years!
http://www.stringsbymail.com/store/http://www.gvox.com/http://www.rmcpickup.com/http://www.jimkozel.com/http://www.thejukeyard.com/http://blackbirdguitars.com/index.htmlhttp://www.thumbtack.com/Guitar-Lessons-by-George-Pepper-San-Antonio-TX/service/80904
-
8/17/2019 A Monk's Musical Musings: How to Compose Counterpoint
3/8
2/7/16, 11Monk's Musical Musings: How to Compose Counterpoint (Imitation and Modulation 1)
Page ttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2008/07/how-to-compose-counterpoint-imitation.html
he answer starts in measure five, it is tonal, and it begins by tonicizing the tonic and then descends the scale. You'll
ote all the parallel thirds: This is idiomatic for the guitar. Because the answer starts on the tonic, it ends in a half-
adence to an implied V(6/3) in nine, which allows the final entry of the subject to begin on a highly desirable I(6/4)
onority, and the D-sharp actually momentarily creates a diminished triad sound. Looking for cool harmonic
uxtapositions like this is a big part of the job of writing counterpoint, and total awareness of these details adds an
lement of craftsmanship to the work. Bach and Beethoven both filled their music with nifty minutiae like this, and I
icked this stuff up by analyzing in detail every momentary vertical sonority in some of their works. It was a serious
hore, but it was well worth it.
ou'll notice that the parallel thirds are between the lower two voices this time. This is not particularly idiomatic, but as
ou can tell from the fingering, it isn't overly daunting to execute either.
t thirteen the first modulatory episode starts, and I just used a modified retrograde of the subject's tail figure to
chieve it. Note the idiomatic parallel thirds in the top two voices. The harmony in thirteen is i, of course, and thirteen
as an implied ii(d5). Then, I just modified the sequence in the bass to get the, la, ti, do, sol of the upcoming dominant
egion with, me, re, do, ti in the lead and the new, fa in the middle voice. This gives the V(m7) of the new key on the
nal eighth note, and we're there in three measures flat.
ach was fond of lengthy episodes - especially in his younger days - and his episodes are sublimely beautiful, but my
pproach is far more minimalist. It's a shame the term "minimalist" has been used to describe the repetitive music of
hilip Glass et al because it is really fitting of my approach. I'm interested in economy of means and expression, not
engthy perorations, and if you look at Bach's last works, he cut down on the episodic material there as well. Beethoven
ecame almost ascetic in his spareness in some of the movements of the late string quartets, and it is from there that I
ake my queues.
In San Antonio? Visit Century Mu
In Alpine? Visit Transpecos Guita
W H Y M U S I C W O R K S :
T H E H A R M O N I C S E R I E S ,
M U S I C A L C O N T E X T , A N D
T H E L A W S O F M U S I C A L
M O T I O N .
Chapter 01: The Harmonic Serie
Chapter 02: The Native Systems
Chapter 03: The Alpha Context
Chapter 04: Beta/Gamma Conte
Chapter 05: Secondary Dominan
Chapter 06: Secondary Subdomi
Chapter 07: The Exotic Systems
Chapter 08: Exotic Motions
Chapter 09: Harmonic Canon
Chapter 10: The Alien Systems
Chapter 11: Alien Motions
Chapter 12: Mobius Loops
Chapter 13: The Extra-Diatonics
Chapter 14: Equal Temperament
http://hucbald.blogspot.com/2010/10/why-music-works-chapter-fourteen.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2010/10/why-music-works-chapter-thirteen.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2010/10/why-music-works-chapter-twelve.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2010/10/why-music-works-chapter-eleven.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2010/10/why-music-works-chapter-ten.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2010/10/why-music-works-chapter-nine.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2010/09/why-music-works-chapter-eight.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2010/09/why-music-works-chapter-seven.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2010/09/why-music-works-chapter-six.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2010/09/why-music-works-chapter-five.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2010/09/why-music-works-chapter-four.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2010/09/why-music-works-chapter-three.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2010/09/why-music-works-chapter-two.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2010/09/why-music-works-chapter-one.htmlhttp://www.transpecosguitars.com/http://www.century-music.com/cms/index.html
-
8/17/2019 A Monk's Musical Musings: How to Compose Counterpoint
4/8
2/7/16, 11Monk's Musical Musings: How to Compose Counterpoint (Imitation and Modulation 1)
Page ttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2008/07/how-to-compose-counterpoint-imitation.html
ow that we have reached the dominant level and the key of E minor, you can see here in the first middle entries the
ontrapuntal device this subject is set up to exploit: Suspension chains (Or, syncopation chains, if you prefer). I modifiedhe first counter-subject so that instead of parallel thirds, we now have a series of 4-3 suspension resolutions in measure
eventeen into eighteen. I repeat this 4-3 device at twenty into twenty-one under the answer (Now on the original tonic
evel: Tres cool, non? ), and the lowest voice on the second system is free.
n the third system I inverted the subject in the bass and have the syncopations in the lead, so we get a rising chain of
1-10's at twenty-five into twenty-six. The inverted subject leads into a half cadence in twenty-eight, so the second
modulatory episode has an extra measure in it to turn us around to the tonic. Aside from a slight elaboration in the lead,
his episode is the same as the previous one, so it seems to be taking us to, "the dominant of the dominant," but that
would be out of bounds for a strict fugue. So...
Chapter 15: Integrated Chromat
T H E U L T I M A T E C L A S S I C G U
A R R A N G E M E N T S P O S T S E R I
Desert Song - Eric Johnson
Unchained Melody - Zaret/North
Dust in the Wind - Kansas
Spanish Fly - Eddie Van Halen
Gymnopedie No. 1 - Eric Satie
A Day at the Beach - Joe Satrian
Eu So Quero Um Xodo - Domingu
Tears in the Rain - Joe Satriani
Yankee Doodle Dixie - Chet Atkin
Stairway to Heaven - Jimmy Pag
Streaming Audio for All Pieces
S O N A TA O N E I N E M I N O R
F O R S O L O C L A S S I C A L G U I T
B Y G E O R G E A L T O N P E P P E R
I: Toccata in E Minor
II: Sonata in A Minor
III: Scherzo in G Major
IV: Axial Fugue in E Minor
Streaming Audio for All Moveme
M U S I C A L R E L A T I V I T Y T H E O
Introduction: The Harmonic Seri
Chapter I: Tonality and Modality
Chapter II: Root Motion Dynamic
Chapter III: Secondary Dominant
Chapter IV: Integrated Modality
Chapter V: Harmonic Canons
Chapter VI: Secondary Subdomin
Chapter VII: Counterpoint
Chapter VIII: Rhythm
Chapter IX: Melody
http://hucbald.blogspot.com/2006/10/musical-implications-of-ha_116095401647633647.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2006/10/musical-implications-of-harmonic_15.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2006/10/musical-implications-of-ha_116086032378222060.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2006/10/musical-implications-of-ha_116076251232636446.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2006/10/musical-implications-of-harmonic_13.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2006/10/musical-implications-of-harmonic_12.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2006/10/musical-implications-of-harmonic_11.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2006/10/musical-implications-of-harmonic_10.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2006/10/musical-implications-of-harmonic_09.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2006/10/musical-implications-of-harmonic.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2008/08/sonata-one-in-e-minor-iv-axial-fugue-in.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2008/08/sonata-one-in-e-minor-iii-scherzo-in-g.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2008/08/sonata-one-in-e-minor-ii-sonata-in.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2008/08/sonata-one-in-e-minor-i-toccata-in-e.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2010/05/ultimate-classic-guitar-arrangements.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2010/03/ultimate-classic-guitar-arrangements.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2010/02/ultimate-classic-guitar-arrangements.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2010/02/ultimate-classic-guitar-arrangements-eu.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2009/12/ultimate-classic-guitar-arrangements.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2010/06/ultimate-classic-guitar-arrangements.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2010/01/ultimate-classic-guitar-arrangements.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2010/01/ultimate-classic-guitar-arrangements_29.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2010/01/ultimate-classic-guitar-arrangements_23.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2010/01/ultimate-classic-guitar-arrangements_17.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2010/10/why-music-works-chapter-fifteen.html
-
8/17/2019 A Monk's Musical Musings: How to Compose Counterpoint
5/8
2/7/16, 11Monk's Musical Musings: How to Compose Counterpoint (Imitation and Modulation 1)
Page ttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2008/07/how-to-compose-counterpoint-imitation.html
used the traditional deceptive motion to "modulate" to the relative of the dominant, which is perfectly legit, even inhe most rigorous of fugues. See how looking for the most economical means can lead to some great ideas? I could have
omposed an entirely new episode and just modulated in the same old boring way, but this arrival comes as a surprise
fter hearing just a mildly varied form of the first episode.
ince suspension chains are this subject's raison d'etre this set of middle entries starts off with a 2-3 chain. I'm adding
ome sixteenth note action to build up to the third episode in the final measures, as you can see, and the second system
resents the 7-6 posibilities. I present the 7-6's again over an inverted form of the subject in the third system, and the 2-
's again in inversion in the bottom system. Finally, I give a run of four sixteenths to lead to the final episode at the end
f the page, and it appears from the V(m7)/I that we are going to stay in the key of G major.
Chapter X: Form
Appendix I: Harmonic Music
Appendix II: Contrapuntal Music
Appendix III: Melodic Music
Epilog: Musical Philosophy
Appendix IV: Tritone Duality
Appendix V: Free Composition
C O M P O S I N G C O U N T E R P O I N T
Where to Begin
How to Progress
Using Larger Forms
Using Three Voices
Imitation and Modulation 1
Imitation and Modulation 2
Imitation and Modulation 3
B O O K H U C B A L D F O R A G I G
Need a solo guitarist in Texas?
BOOK ME!
Outside of Texas/New Mexico?
Contact my Management!
M O N K ' S M U S I C : P D F / M I D I / M
.Mac Fileshare Page
.Mac Download Page
MySpace Profile Page
http://www.myspace.com/georgepepperhttp://homepage.mac.com/pep27/FileSharing4.htmlhttp://homepage.mac.com/pep27/FileSharing5.htmlmailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://hucbald.blogspot.com/2008/08/how-to-compose-counterpoint-imitation.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2008/07/how-to-compose-counterpoint-imitation_26.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2008/07/how-to-compose-counterpoint-imitation.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2008/07/how-to-compose-counterpoint-using-three.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2008/07/how-to-compose-counterpoint-using.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2008/07/how-to-compose-counterpoint-how-to.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2008/07/how-to-compose-counterpoint-where-to.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2007/08/appendix-v-free-composition.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2007/08/appendix-i-dual-function-of-tritone.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2006/10/musical-implications-of-harmonic_20.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2006/10/musical-implications-of-harmonic_19.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2006/10/musical-implications-of-harmonic_18.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2006/10/musical-implications-of-harmonic_17.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2006/10/musical-implications-of-harmonic_16.html
-
8/17/2019 A Monk's Musical Musings: How to Compose Counterpoint
6/8
2/7/16, 11Monk's Musical Musings: How to Compose Counterpoint (Imitation and Modulation 1)
Page ttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2008/07/how-to-compose-counterpoint-imitation.html
Wrong! The previous D(m7) allows for another deceptive motion, this time by whole step instead of half step, and to Eminor this time versus G major previously: We're back in E minor... or so it appears.
elieve it, or not, this episode is actually the original subject in augmentation. If you look at the first and last notes of
very measure, you can see this clearly: I've just ornamented it with harmonic figuration and put it all over a dominant
edal, the open low E string of the guitar. As my mom would say, "That's the bee's knees!" LOL! Notice that I don't shed
he F-sharp until measure fifty-three, at which point the modulation to A minor becomes apparent.
he recapitulation is a stretto, of course, but a unique one: Every voice starts out on the same pitch, which is the open
igh E string of the guitar, and then descends to take its place in turn.
Download my First CD FREE!
P R E V I O U S P O S T S
How to Compose Counterpoint (
Three Voices)
How to Compose Counterpoint (
Larger Forms)
How to Compose Counterpoint (to Progress)
How to Compose Counterpoint
(Where to Begin)
Heavy Nylon Now on MP3.com.a
Heavy Nylon Demo 2
Recording Update: Heavy Nylon
Demo 2
On Pan-Stylistic Legitimacy in
Contemporary Compos...
One Thing Leads to Another: Fre
Glissentar Upd...
Recording Woes
http://www.blogger.com/http://hucbald.blogspot.com/2008/06/recording-woes.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2008/06/one-thing-leads-to-another-fretted.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2008/06/on-pan-stylistic-legitimacy-in.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2008/06/recording-update-heavy-nylon-demo-2.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2008/06/heavy-nylon-demo-2.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2008/07/heavy-nylon-now-on-mp3comau.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2008/07/how-to-compose-counterpoint-where-to.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2008/07/how-to-compose-counterpoint-how-to.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2008/07/how-to-compose-counterpoint-using.htmlhttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2008/07/how-to-compose-counterpoint-using-three.htmlhttp://www.mp3.com.au/Hucbald
-
8/17/2019 A Monk's Musical Musings: How to Compose Counterpoint
7/8
2/7/16, 11Monk's Musical Musings: How to Compose Counterpoint (Imitation and Modulation 1)
Page ttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2008/07/how-to-compose-counterpoint-imitation.html
one of this is overly difficult to play, and I ought to be performing it within the next year or so, but I just have so many
ieces on the to do list. At least I can see light at the end of the tunnel now. Coming up on four years ago I was looking
t a list of nearly eighty pieces and saying... well... you know. LOL! Now I have less than ten left.
OSTED BY HUCB ALD AT 8:27 PM
C O M M E N T S :
iceeey said...
he harmony in thirteen is i, of course, and thirteen has an implied ii(d5).
mall correction: You mean of course that the implied ii(d5) is in measure fourteen, not thirteen.
Great articles! I've enjoyed reading them immensely.
:47 AM
Hucbald said...
Good catch!
really appreciate your comment. Most of these posts are done to keep my analytical juices flowing, but it's very nice to
ear that someone else appreciates them.
re you the reader from Bethesda I see in the Sitemeter stats? I used to live in Adelphi, and I hung out at Uncle Jed's
oadhouse quite a bit.
heers,
George
:42 AM
POST A COMMENT
I N K S T O T H I S P O S T :
CREATE A LINK
< Home
http://hucbald.blogspot.com/https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=13018936&postID=1467093213716810972&isPopup=truehttp://hucbald.blogspot.com/2008/07/how-to-compose-counterpoint-imitation.html#1307612394696646686https://www.blogger.com/profile/17111826753868595100http://hucbald.blogspot.com/2008/07/how-to-compose-counterpoint-imitation.html#4805629460175969545https://www.blogger.com/profile/05986693118593845213https://www.blogger.com/email-post.g?blogID=13018936&postID=1467093213716810972http://hucbald.blogspot.com/2008/07/how-to-compose-counterpoint-imitation.html
-
8/17/2019 A Monk's Musical Musings: How to Compose Counterpoint
8/8