Frans AbsilTonal Counterpoint Examples
On this page you will find marked score examples from the Schoenberg book on tonal counterpoint. The examples are provided as pdf-booklets (see the table with links below). The notation is explained on this page.
Introduction
The Schoenberg reference (see at the top of the page) is a book written to teach the fundamentals of Tonal Counterpoint. In the book Schoenberg presents and discusses the rules for writing classical, tonal counterpoint: writing the Cantus Firmus (melodic aspects), and adding the counterpoint voices (species, treatment of non-harmonic tones, melodic formulas, voice leading aspects). The book contains many examples with discussion and explanatory notes.
However, the score examples are written in the old vocal clefs (including alto end tenor clef), and the examples must be carefully studied to see the application of the rules, find strong and weak points, etc. The usage of the old clefs makes reading difficult (I admit) and therefore, when studying the book (quite a while ago) I decided to rewrite them in treble (G) and bass clef (F) and provide marks in the score, to illustrate the aspects discussed in the text. Now, these hand-written notes have been entered in the Finale music notation software and are provided here as free pdf-booklets with score examples.
Use these score examples as additional material, when studying the Schoenberg book. To me it has been most useful in training the reading and writing of counterpoint music and identifying appropriate elements in and between the individual voices.
The table with the counterpoint booklets
See the table below and click on the links (left column) to open the pdf-booklets with the marked examples.
| Subject / Link | Description | Document data |
|---|---|---|
| Part 1: Counterpoint in 2 Voices; 1st and 2nd species | Simple Counterpoint in 2 Voices; first and second species (major). Examples: Ex. 1 to Ex. 18 | pdf, A4, 19 pages, 604 kb |
| Part 2: Counterpoint in 2 Voices; 3rd species | Simple Counterpoint in 2 Voices; third species (major). Examples: Ex. 21 to Ex. 26 | pdf, A4, 26 pages, 1 Mb |
| Part 3: Counterpoint in 2 Voices; 4th and 5th species | Simple Counterpoint in 2 Voices; fourth and fifth species (major). Examples: Ex. 27 to Ex. 31 | pdf, A4, 13 pages, 480 kb |
| Part 4: Counterpoint in 2 Voices: minor keys, all species | Simple Counterpoint in 2 Voices; first, second, third, fourth and fifth species (minor). Examples: Ex. 32 to Ex. 39 | pdf, A4, 10 pages, 360 kb |
| Part 5: Counterpoint in 2 Voices: cadenses and modulations | Simple Counterpoint in 2 Voices; cadenses and modulations (major and minor). Examples: Ex. 40 to Ex. 51 | pdf, A4, 7 pages, 360 kb |
| Part 6: Counterpoint in 3 Voices: 1st, 2nd and 3rd species | Simple Counterpoint in 3 Voices; first, second and third species (major and minor). Examples: Ex. 52 to Ex. 61 | pdf, A4, 12 pages, 476 kb |
| Part 7: Counterpoint in 3 Voices: 4th and 5th species | Simple Counterpoint in 3 Voices; fourth and fifth species. Examples: Ex. 62 to Ex. 68 | pdf, A4, 5 pages, 224 kb |
| (to do) | Simple Counterpoint in 3 Voices; Compositional application (cadences without cantus firmus, modulation). Examples: Ex. 69 to Ex. 90 | pdf, A4, xx pages, xxx kb |
| Part 9: Counterpoint in 4 Voices; 1st, 2nd and 3rd species | Simple Counterpoint in 4 Voices; first, second and third species (major and minor). Examples: Ex. 91 to Ex. 97 | pdf, A4, 16 pages, 608 kb |
| Part 10: Counterpoint in 4 Voices; 4th and 5th species | Simple Counterpoint in 4 Voices; fourth and fifth species (major and minor). Examples: Ex. 98 to Ex. 101 | pdf, A4, 7 pages, 288 kb |
| (to do) | Simple Counterpoint in 4 Voices; Addition of voices. Examples: Ex. 101 to Ex. 110 | pdf, A4, xx pages, xxx kb |
Notation issues
The pdf-booklets have been marked with a set of symbols. These will be described briefly:
- The Cantus Firmus (the starting voice in whole notes) is marked with C.F..
- Above the upper voice the perfect consonant intervals (fifth and octave) between the outer voices have been marked with 5 and 8, respectively. This facilitates the check on the appropriate voice leading into these consonant intervals. Forbidden: open (i.e., parallel) perfect consonants between any two voices. Good: contrary motion leading into perfect consonants. Acceptable: hidden parallel 5ths/8ths, when upper voice moves stepwise and lower voice leapwise; no problem when this happens between inner voices.
- Voice leading into the perfect octave (8) is indicated with a full line between two consecutive notes. Voice leading into the perfect fifth (5) is indicated with a dashed line between two consecutive notes.
- Non-harmonic notes are marked with +. When these occur on a strong beat, and are surrounded by two harmonic notes in stepwise motion there is a full horizontal line with hooks above the notes.
- Below the lowest voice find the harmonic analysis of the example: see the chord symbols. Chord inversions are indicated, e.g.: Am/C.
- In minor keys the melodic tendency of the 6th and 7th step of the scale will be monitored. The upward natural tendency (#6 - #7 - 1) (note the brackets) and the downward natural tendency (b7 - b6 - 5) will be marked in the score.
- Certain melodic formulas (such as the cambiata) will be indicated by labeled horizontal lines with hooks above or below the voice. The same holds for suspensions; these will be marked, e.g., 4 - 3 (where the numbers indicate the chordal functions).
- Additional aspects will be marked with text labels (e.g., OK or Weak) and/or dashed lines with hooks or arrow points (e.g., approaching the tritone, arpeggio) in the score.
However, note that the notation marks have not been used with the utmost consistency. The reader may find aspects that have not been marked in the scores. The booklets are already a great improvement to the printed examples in the book.
