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All you ever Wanted to Know About Species Counterpoint (al Fux)

Cantus firmus requirements (Schenker, Salzer-Schachter)

Cantus firmus : Abstraction from melody in which linear element is separated from other aspectsof writing (harmony, rhythmic profile, motivic design)

1. Rhythm --equal note values (use whole notes). Absence of pulse.

2. Harmonically neutral --e.g., not outlining triads (creates a grouping).

3. No chromatic notes (suggests repetition, modal mixture, or modulation)

4. Intervals allowed :major and minor seconds (only horizontal dissonance)

major and minor thirds

perfect fifth, perfect fourth

major and minor sixths

perfect octave

(larger intervals should be treated cautiously)

5. Balance : no single tone predominates (watch for tones preceded by leaps, as these stick out)

Avoid excessive motion in same direction (over 5 notes)

No complete neighbor or neighbor-like formations

6. Unresolved melodic tension forbidden

Outlining of dissonant intervals, e.g. tritone

Leading note without resolution

7. No immediate repetition of groups of tones, sequences

8. Leaps :

A leap larger than a third should be followed by a change in direction

Larger the leap, the more carefully it should be handled

No more than two leaps larger than a fourth

Two consecutive leaps in same direction

Avoid more than two consecutive leaps (suggests compound melody)

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Better to avoid downward leaps of sixths

9. Variety

Mixture of conjunct and disjunct motion (should contain 2-4 leaps)

10. Continuity :

Conjunct motion should predominate

11. Direction, contour :

Should contain some highest point or climax (do not repeat climax)

12. Range : 10th is maximum (normal vocal range)

13. Length : 8 to 16 notes (not a piece, just an exercise)

14. Begin and end on tonic :

Approach tonic from above at end (2-1)

Penultimate tone generally enters by step. Never follows leap larger

than a third.

15. Establish key :

Avoid perfect 4th upwards or perfect 5th downwards for first interval

16. Avoid descending scales with notes left out (but see Schenker's c.f.)

17. With long c.f., more than five tones in stepwise motion permissable if

counteracted by a large leap in opposite direction.

18. Do not end c.f. with both leading tones--too static.

First Species Rules (two voices)

1. The voice above or below the cantus firmus is a counterpoint . In first species onenote of the counterpoint is placed against one note of the cantus firmus.

2. Only consonances are allowed as vertical intervals (excluding the perfect fourth).

3. Restrictions on perfect consonances :

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a) The unison is allowed only at the beginning or the end. As the most stableinterval, in the middle of an exercise it would impede forward motion.

b) Octaves and fifths may appear in the middle of an exercise. However, toomany octaves will impede the melodic flow, as will, to a lesser extent, too many fifths.Imperfect consonances should predominate in the middle of the exercise.

4. Three types of motion are formed by the cantus and the counterpoint:

a) motus rectus (direct motion)

b) motus contrarius (contrary motion)

c) motus obliquus (oblique motion)

Direct motion is of two types:

a) Parallel motion= voices maintain a constant distance from each other.

b) Similar motion= voices proceed in the same direction without

maintaining a constant distance from each other.

5. The two basic rules of interval succession (vertical dimension)

a) Imperfect consonances may be approached in any motion.

b) Perfect intervals may only be approached through contrary/oblique motion.

6. Other forbidden successions involving perfect consonances:

a) Anti-parallels (e.g. a fifth moving to a twelfth or U-8ve in contrary motion).

b) The octava-battuta and the quinta-battuta , in which the perfect consonance is

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approached by a leap of a 4th or more in the upper part vs. a step in the lower.

7. Avoid more than three parallel imperfect consonances in succession.

8. Avoid more than one instance of oblique motion (created by tying a note in thecounterpoint) per exercise. Two instances would be the limit for a longer cf.

9. Overlapping is prohibited . Occurs when, without crossing parts, the lower voicemoves to a tone higher than the preceding tone of the upper voice, or the upper voicedescends to a tone lower than the previous one of the lower voice.

10. At this stage, avoid crossing parts .

11. Spacing : Should not exceed a tenth. Rule may be temporarily relaxed for the sake of a climax approached in contrary motion.

12. Avoid simultaneous leaps , especially similar motion involving melodic intervalslarger than a fourth.

13. Beginning : Use only 1, 8, or 5 between cantus and upper counterpoint, 1 or 8 for lower counterpoint.

14. Ending : On unison or octave only. The next to last bar must contain the ascendingleading tone in one part and the descending leading tone (scale degree 2) in the other. If the mode is minor, Dorian or Mixolydian, the ascending leading tone must be raised. If inminor, and scale degree 7 is preceded by scale degree 6, then scale degree 6 must be

raised.

15. Melodic aspects of the first species line:

The rules of cantus firmus construction still apply in principle. In practice, however,a first species line would rarely make a good cantus firmus. The restrictions on outliningchords or dissonant intervals are more relaxed in counterpoints. One may occasionally

sacrifice a climax to smoothness, and the lower counterpoint may posess a climactic lowpoint. More stepwise motion is permissable in the first species line than would be in a c.f.

Nonetheless, the counterpoint should still possess a coherent contour with a single

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highest or lowest point. Leaps should be handled carefully, especially large ones.Excessive unidirectional motion, isolated figures, and erratic leaps should be avoided.

16. Altered notes :

The sixth and seventh degrees will occasionally have to be raised (see rule 14). Insetting the Dorian cantus firmi, either B or Bb may be used. All other things being equal,Bb will normally be used in descending lines.