What is taught in an atonal counterpoint course?

Question

One of the main strengths of studying tonal and/or modal (pre-tonal) counterpoint is understanding dissonance treatment within those idioms. Additionally, one learns how to navigate some of the trickier "puzzles" of composition, like creating canons that will sound harmonious and follow specific expectations of consonance and dissonance.

With that said, I have heard of books and courses dedicated to atonal counterpoint (atonal presumably meaning both serial and non-serial atonality). What would these actually teach?

Part of atonality is the "emancipation of the dissonance," in which case I don't see how atonal counterpoint would teach "dissonance treatment" at all if they have been emancipated. Similarly, something like canonic writing seems a bit trivial if the resulting composition doesn't need to follow specific expectations of consonance and dissonance.

So what does atonal counterpoint actually teach?

Answer 1

Have you perused Simple Composition by Charles Wuorinen? While it deals with serialist music, its lessons particularly on structure appertain to tonal music.

Dissonant counterpoint was a legitimate idea, used and taught by some American composers in the early to mid 20th century. In short, Dissonant Counterpoint is counterpoint with the intervallic goals reversed. But you are correct that nobody teaches it today.

The study of atonal music ought not to replace the study of tonal music. Study of atonal music ought to be embarked upon, after study of tonal music. The study of species and tonal counterpoint would be a prerequisite to atonal music, because they all use the same principles of line independence and voice leading.

Serialist music intertwines the notions of harmony and counterpoint, and ought not be studied separately. The vertical and the horizontal are opposite sides of the same coin. Postwar serial music, like Milton Babbitt's, is intended to meld all musical parameters (melody, harmony, rhythm, register, duration, structure, and even dynamics). That kind of rigidity has fallen out of fashion, but they are still interesting notions to contemplate.

Serialist music is wringing as much mileage as possible, out of however teeny germ of an idea. This principle can make tonal music more cohesive. Even if you dislike atonal music for aesthetic reasons, atonal music can still teach lessons well worth learning.