All Questions
Tagged with counterpoint harmony
63
questions
1
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2
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140
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Is there a way to recognize the canonic (or generally imitative) potential in a given harmonic progression?
Suppose given a bass melody with either thoroughbass figuring or Roman numeral analysis. Is there a way to quasi-instantly recognize whether this bass melody admits of a canonic (or more generally, ...
- 2,347
5
votes
3
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701
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Is there a rational method to find out which minor scale sounds best in a given situation?
By rational I mean a method that doesn't entirely depend on one's subjective aesthetics, but rather one that has some kind of system behind it.
The obvious rule that you should use the ascending ...
- 2,347
6
votes
1
answer
1k
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Counterpoint with more than 4 parts
In Rachmaninoff Prelude in B Minor Op. 32 No. 10 I've noticed that not all voices are 4 parts. In fact I've noticed that in 19th century and 20th century music there's more than 4 parts in a harmony. ...
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1
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2
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229
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How did counterpoint, harmonic rhythm, and thoroughbass interact in the late-Baroque instrumental fugal style?
It may be considered common knowledge that frequent root changes, i.e., a fast harmonic rhythm, usually cause a piece to be perceived as being more purely "harmonic" and less polyphonic in nature. (...
- 2,347
4
votes
1
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What are the characteristics of Late Romantic Russian Music?
I've been recently listening to some late Romantic Russian music (Lyapunov, Kalinnikov, Tchaikovsky, etc.) and was wondering how best to mimic this style. So far, I've observed a handful of shared ...
- 437
1
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3
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139
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Constraints for doubling upper voices in 4-part harmony
What are some guidelines for doubling the same tone in the upper voices (tenor, alto, soprano) on the same pitch, as well as in different octaves? I am specifically talking about doubling in upper ...
- 1,151
7
votes
2
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788
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Why does the leading tone (G#) go to E rather than A in this example?
Why does the leading tone (G#) go to E rather than A in this example?
user20754
3
votes
2
answers
309
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Dissonances with bass versus in upper voices. 4-part harmony
Working through "Guide to practical harmony" of Tchaikovsky in chapter 9 about the inversions of diminished and augmented triads, we read that the first inversion of the diminished triad is consonant ...
- 1,151
5
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2
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1k
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How to realize a figured bass
I am arranging a Bach piece. I know, what the challenge it is to do it. But I have been able to successfully arrange Mozart and later, Beethoven, so I think I'm ready.
But here is the challenge I am ...
- 6,614
5
votes
1
answer
405
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Hidden fifths between tenor and soprano in Tchaikovsky's "Guide to harmony"
I have been working through Tchaikovsky's "Guide to practical harmony" and found the following example quite early in the book:
I am talking about the first measure. To me it seems that soprano and ...
- 1,151
7
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3
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5k
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Can the leading note resolve down?
Would like to ask if the leading tone in chord V (G) could resolve downwards to Eb (fifth of chord I)?
I’ve somehow recall reading that the rule (leading note MUST resolve to tonic) only applies to ...
- 71
1
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1
answer
665
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Melodic lines are diatonic, harmony doesn't seem to be
Okay so this is something that I came across as I was writing my canons and analyzing the harmony to try to figure out which canon is best for my symphony. There is a section in one of my canons where ...
- 6,614
3
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2
answers
496
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How to realize the figured bass of the second movement of BWV 1014?
I am planning a performance of the second movement of Bach's violin sonata BWV 1014 in B Minor. The beginning of second mvt, Allegro is shown below.
As you can see there are some figured bass below ...
- 1,200
1
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0
answers
162
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How to go about writing a second countersubject?
I have written a subject and countersubject. Here is how I went about writing the countersubject:
1st iteration: Restricted to D, G, and A(answer is is D major), all quarter notes
2nd iteration: A ...
- 6,614
2
votes
1
answer
127
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Gradus ad parnassum: what does "seven must be set with third" mean?
So I came around this example in Fux's Gradus ad Parnassum (p.98)
The purple dot marks bar 6. Joseph considers it an error, as explained here:
What does "the seventh must be set with the third" ...
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