Scan 18
Musical Courier 1901-04-24: Vol 42 Iss 1100, 1901
42 lines. Read by computer on 21 September 2026. Printed page 19. See the scan on archive.org.
1Old and New Counterpoint.
3I.
5In pursuing a regular music course it is well known that harmony precedes counterpoint. And in truth, no student could comprehend the intricacies of real counterpoint until the principles of harmony had been mastered. Yet the writer has been led by chronological data to remark the seeming paradox that counterpoint antedates harmony by about two centuries.
7It is not difficult to account for this strange fact. In the time of Okeghem and Des Pres, human voices were equal, if not superior, to those of the present day; and since those composers wrote almost exclusively for voices, it is evident that their sonant means of expression were fully equal to the end in view. The mechanical implements of music were mostly crude fabrications, and instrumental virtuosi were unknown. Hence it was a matter of necessity, as well as choice, which compelled those early masters to write vocal music, and it was this custom of writing for voices which led to the inception of counterpoint. The first attempt at canon (which is independent of harmony) was, therefore, nascent fugal composition, le premier pas. The fugue form was of course then unknown, but the contrapuntal style, based upon some form of canonic imitation, was thus evolved by those preemial masters, Dufay, Okeghem, Des Pres, Gombert and their disciples, 1350 to 1520 A. D. Some of the masses and motets by Des Pres and Gombert contain fairly good examples of contrapuntal writing, because they rest upon a solid foundation—canonic imitation.
9Unfortunately their classification of intervals was acoustical rather than aesthetic, more scientific than artistic, and this influence prevailed even in the time of Bach and Händel.
11The lack of what we would term a definite tonal system did not militate so much against counterpoint as against harmony. But the inexorable rules and ascetic formulas acted as non-conductors to the current of musical inspiration and excluded all natural charm of expression.
13Undue prominence was given the perfect fifth and its natural inversion. This and the first harmonic we find in Hucbald's "Organum." The same intervals were exploited by the great Italian theorist, Zarlino, and by the most eminent composers of the fourteenth, fifteenth, sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The basic idea rests almost entirely upon acoustics, certainly not upon aesthetics. Zarlino, in confirmation of his theory (as old as Pythagoras), pointed to the harmonic series, and there, without doubt, the octave and fifth are most prominent. To prove that Atlas was turned into a mountain by Perseus, mythological chroniclers were wont to say, "And there stands the mountain to this day." But when we read that Venus metamorphosed Pygmalion's carved figure into living beauty, 'tis surely a prettier story. And so if the acousticians would eliminate from their harmonic series its impracticable dissonances and immutable fifths and evolve therefrom a rival to the Fifth Symphony or to Siegfried's "Rhine Journey," then we might be expected to bow down and worship their metaphysical god. But it is the old story of Science vs. Art, which I have already discussed in THE MUSICAL COURIER. I will therefore direct attention to another curious fact, namely, that theorists have continued to preach the same doctrine, which was enunciated by Des Pres and his disciples 500 years ago! Yet the intervening centuries must have wrought some progressive changes and development in the art of counterpoint, an art so complex that only a few musicians understand its intricacies. From the famous "Gradus ad Parnassum," by J. J. Fux (coveted by the boy Haydn) down to the present time, the counterpoint manuals have slavishly accepted and prescribed anew the old rules, known to Orlando Lassus and Palestrina. Marpurg added nothing new, except more elaborate examples; Albrechtsberger was so dogmatic that the young Beethoven protested; Cherubini wrote his book under the influence of Marpurg, Padre Martini and Sarti, yet threw considerable light upon disputed points. Hauptmann, Haupt and Bussler made no material progress except in phraseology and illustration. (The work of mere compilers is not mentioned, because it has no claim to serious notice.) The more modern and ponderous work, by E. Prout, is undoubtedly an advance upon previous manuals of counterpoint. The well-known English pedagogue has industriously collated a great variety of examples, and he has endeavored to elucidate these in the verbal text. The work of classifying and systemizing the material must have required considerable time and attention.
15But, while one praises the laborious care and eminent scholarship which Mr. Prout bestowed upon these volumes, it must be said that they are in several important respects illusive and disappointing. All that part devoted to simple counterpoint (and this in itself would make a medium sized volume) is comparatively worthless, and would better have been omitted. But all the other books give these useless exercises, and Mr. Prout merely followed precedent. Yet the truth is that students pass many months, and sometimes years, in working these examples to their solutions, and when this is done the student has no better understanding of the art of counterpoint than he has of phrenoscopy. Much time and patience are thus wasted, because the examples are essentially harmonic and do not in any sense illustrate the basic principle of counterpoint. This statement is apparently so radical that it will be disputed by many who read this disquisition. Therefore I quote one of these so-called contrapuntal exercises:
17Subject.
19The upper part forms the alleged counterpoint, and this is given as a model. It is merely an uninteresting exercise in duophonic harmony. There is neither design nor consistency in the theme; nor is there any rhythmic arrangement or melodic outline. Hence, there is no inciting motive, and without motive all artistic labors prove nugatory.
21I also quote one example in three parts:
23This is harmony—all harmony; very simple, if not very good. It is manifestly improper to dignify this with the name of counterpoint, though three hundred years ago it might have passed as such.
25Great numbers of these harmonic exercises are prescribed in the text books, and after the student has memorized the "rules" which enable him to solve the problem he is but little nearer to the goal than when he began the journey. Every wrong road is, at best, longer and more circuitous that the right road. Nay, a false premise, a superficial basis, is usually a sure omen of fruitless endeavor. Successful attainment requires that the main object shall be constantly retained in view, and if the student is to become a contrapuntist he must first of all be made to understand the underlying principles of pure counterpoint and what distinguishes it from harmonic chord progression. The distinctions are indeed so marked that frequently they appear in direct opposition to each other. While harmony presents a classification and elucidation of tonal material as exhibited in chord formations, and shows how this material moves in masses, it recognizes these masses only as harmonic units resting upon the law of accord. The so-called discord of the dominant seventh is componently a harmonious unit composed of three duophonic accords. Hence it is no discord in the strict sense of that word.
27But counterpoint does not rest upon the conditioned principle of accord. In fact counterpoint is the musical expression of opposing forces, and therefore its chief weapon is dissonance. Consonance is merely its shield in combat. Two opposing themes must be individualized by means of (1) dissonance, (2) opposite movements, (3) rhythmic contrast, dual measure sometimes being employed, as where Wagner sets the Siegfried motive in two-four against the Mime motive in six-eight time. I will cite a simple illustration from Mendelssohn, an accomplished contrapuntist. In the Duetto, op. 38, XVIII., there are two leading voice parts, representing a somewhat courtly lover and his lass. At first the voices are heard separately, in antiphonal style; earnest confession from the man answered by coquetish badinage from the woman. Finally when the two themes are combined in counterpoint they naturally dissonate, and thus preserve their distinct individuality. After the lady is persuaded from her disputations expressions, and both voices unite in singing the masculine theme (unisono) there is no counterpoint. When opposition is withdrawn and variance ceases the counterpoint also ceases, at least so far as the voice parts are concerned.
29Every good listener who has heard Wagner's music dramas will remember the numerous combinations of motives proceeding simultaneously. Almost all these instances (except where a certain motive is applied as a premonstrator) illustrate the spirit of counterpoint. Siegfried's "Rhine Journey" and the final death pageant in "Die Walküre" may be mentioned as notable examples, but too extended to be quoted here.
31Richter, in his work on counterpoint, attempts to reduce nearly all examples to a harmonic basis, and Prout devotes much space to the same purpose. This might be expected in view of the fact that both authors (and many before them) define counterpoint as "the art of combining melodies so that they will form correct harmony." This is worse than illusive; it is false doctrine, and thus their didactic structures rest upon superficial, insecure foundations. That part which treats of simple counterpoint, with the various numerical "species," is particularly uninteresting and unsatisfactory.
33Prout's canon and fugue are much more commendable. In fact the smaller work on fugue by James Higgs is excellent. But the extended treatise on convertible counterpoint is almost interminable, especially since the theory of double counterpoint based upon inverted rows of figures is too conventional and musty to serve as an inspiration for the weary student. This, however, cannot be discussed at present.
35A. J. GOODRICH.
37Huhn Concert To-night.
39BRUNO HUHN begs to announce a recital of vocal and chamber music, to take place at the Gerrit Smith Studio, 142 East Thirty-third street, this evening, April 24, at 8:30.
41The program will consist largely of works not previously heard here, and includes the G minor Piano Trio of Villiers Stanford, and the F. minor Piano Quartet of Hubert Parry; also vocal numbers from the pens of Edward Elgar, Coleridge-Taylor, A. C. Mackenzie and Walford Davies. The artists who will appear are Miss Marguerite Hall, contralto; Mackenzie Gordon, tenor; Heinrich Meyn, baritone; Franz Wilczek, violin; Jacob Altschuler, viola, and Karl Grienauer, violoncello.
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