740-264 Music Techniques 2-1

740-141 Music Techniques 1-1

Students will be expected to have a sound understanding of the elements and processes of voice leading and prolongation techniques within the Western musical tradition, and to be able to write fluent three-part contrapuntal textures and short contrapuntal compositions.

This subject is a continuation of 740-141 Music Techniques 1-1, which introduced the elements and processes of voice leading, prevalent particularly during the period of triadic tonality (circa 1450-1900).

Students will undertake the writing of instrumental textures in three parts, analyse various compositions from the Western musical tradition in which simple counterpoint has formed an underlying basis, and progress on to the writing of short contrapuntal compositions using the techniques of canon, invention and fugue.

Contrapuntal techniques will be introduced in successive lectures, and the course will unfold in an accumulative manner.

Regular written assignments (50%); 2-hour end-of-semester examination (40%); listening test (10%). Note: A pass must be obtained in each section of the assessment.

• Felix Salzer & Carl Schachter, Counterpoint in Composition. 2nd ed., Columbia University Press, 1989.
• Kent Kennan, Counterpoint. 3rd ed., Prentice-Hall, 1987.