4pecies Counterpoint

01gina 2 de 3

Go to Table of Contents

The Bach Vocal Style

Exercises in realizing harmony from Roman numerals or from figured bass will be evaluated according to the principles defined as the "Bach vocal" style one of the style sets built into Counterpointer! Bach"s chorale harmonizations are often used as a model of #$part tonal writing for voices! The below rules offer a technical approximation of his style in the chorales!

Rhythm
%ovement will be primarily in &uarter notes with added eighths and some halves! 'ess fre&uently you can use sixteenths usually in pairs but sometimes as dotted eighth$sixteenth groups!

Dissonance Handling
The fourth is treated as a dissonance if formed with the bass! (ugmented #ths and diminished )ths not involving the bass are treated as consonant if both notes are "essential" *i!e! part of the chord+! ,issonance should not be approached by leap except for (n unaccented leap to an anticipation ( leap in a cambiata figure ( leap between essential tones *and that leap must be downward+ ( leap in an appogiatura figure either accented or not (void accented dissonances except in these casesThe suspension! The suspension"s preparation tone must be unaccented and you should avoid using the note of resolution in the dissonant sonority! The suspension"s normal tie can be omitted *a repeated$note suspension+ and it can in rare cases resolve upward! (ccented passing or neighboring tones (n accented seventh should resolve downward whether inverted to a second or not! ,issonance should be resolved immediately by step except in these casesThe cambiata and double auxiliary figures The escape tone *which must be downward+ (n essential tone may rarely intervene between a dissonance and its resolution! Two successive dissonances may be allowed if they are &uic. stepwise in the same direction and the first one is unaccented! %inor and diminished sevenths will be considered essential dissonances if part of a chord!

Independence of voices
(void parallel fifths and octaves between ad/acent notes except They can be allowed sometimes if syncopated! 0arallel fifths may be allowed if they are contrary *one fifth moving to another in contrary motion+ and one voice is inner!

file-555C-50rogram8369iles836*x:;+5Counterpointer83638369older5C0%anual5bac!!!

2252253627

*pecies $ounterpoint

,-gina & de &

Avoid parallel fifths and octaves between notes on adjacent accents, except They are allowed if the faster leaps by more than a third from the first perfect interval. Avoid direct fifths or octaves, except The are allowed if one voice is inner and the exposed voice moves by step. They are allowed at a cadence. A direct 5th or 8va may be allowed in the outer parts in 4 voice writing if the upper voice moves by step. Avoid parallel fourths, except hen combined with !ths to form first inversion triads hey may be allowed if one of the two notes is unessential

Harmony
"ach chord should include a third, except An #empty fifth# is allowed if the third appears in the same beat. Avoid doubling the seventh of a chord. Avoid doubling the leading tone in a dominant harmony. Table of $ontents %&'(( Ars )ova *oftware, ++$

file0...$0.,rogram1&'2iles1&'3x8!4.$ounterpointer1&'&1&'2older.$,5anual.bac...

((.((.&'(/