SECOND SPECIES OF COUNTERPOINT. CHAP. VI. CHAPTER VI.

SECOND
SPECIES OF COUNTERPOINT. 117. ALL the fuur Species of Counterpoint,
other than the First or Simple, are often ca11e(l Florid Counterpoint.
According to the rules of each, the notes of the Counterpoint are various in
length from those of the fixed song or Subject. In each Species in major or
minor keys, the harmonies are entirely chosen from the chords described in
Sects. 65 to 77, and 91 to 100, and the florid part is woven upon these. Hence,
the :First Species is the basis of all the others. In the four Species of florid
Counterpoint, the repetition of a note without one or more intervening notes is
always objectionable; this prohibition is often disregarded, even with good
effect, in practical composition; but punetual regard to it in exercises is
urgently enjoined as an invaluable means of acquiring fluency, freedom, and
grace in the art of constructing melody llS. The Second. consists of two notes
in the Counterpoint against one of the Subject. 119. The first note of each bar
must be a concord, that is, an essential or elemental note of the prevailing
chord. 120. The second note of each bar may be a concord. or a discortl. 121.
If a concord (that is, a of the prevailing harmony), the second note must be
approached. by leap, the chord being thus spread in arpeggio, and then the
rules in Sects. 33, 34, 35 are to be regarded. It may be quitted either by leap
or by step of a 2nd; -0--s--?;T a leap, however, is better between the two notes
of a bar than betw"ecn the last note of one bar and the first note of the next
bar. 7::::r 122. "Vhen the Counterpoint is the bass, there must be no leap to a
second note, which though elemental in the chord, and thus available in upper
parts, is unallowable for a bass note. These notes are the 4th, the dimini:5hed
5th, and the 5th below the leading-note. If, however, the note be absent from
all upper parts with which the bass would form one of these objectionable
intervals, then the bass is free to leap to any note of the harmony, because its
discorJance would be caused by a note that was sounded, and not by one that
is only implied . t-i!":j H ?;;)-I":) lL .u.~ (a) See footnote to Sect. 131. 8th is
bad only between outside parts, but not so between an inner part and either of
the others. 104. In three-part counterpoint, the bass and one part must begin
with a perfect concord, and the other part mayor may not have the 3rd of the
chord. ~#-==-e~8_e-:= = ~#--,....,--01'--8-__ ~_'_L_ --o-H-• ----0-0--105. In
three-part counterpoint, two parts may occasionally have the 1st or Unison m
the course of an Exercise, while the other part makes harmony with them.
~~cc-~l~-:~ffi 106. In three-part counterpoint, variety may sufficiently be
preserved by the changeful harmony, though two of the parts proceed in 3rdil
or 6ths with one another far longer than is desirable in two-part writing. 107.
In three-part counterpoint, the repetition or continuance of a note in one part,
while other parts move, is less objectionable than in two-part writing. 108. As
three contrarieties are impossible, the recommendation of contrary motion
between the parts applies not to three-part writing, but variety between the
melodies should be sought by other means; for instance, moving by larger or
smaller intervals when proceeding in the same direction. 109. In counterpoint
of more than two parts, a full close (Sects. 84, 85) must either have the do-
minant chord with its root in the bass for the penultimate harmony, or must
else have the inversion of the diminished triad with the supertonic in the bass
(Sect. 68). On this account a Subject for contrapuntal Exercises has always
the super-tonic for its penultimate note, \vhich may serve for the highest, an
inner, or the lowest part. {~-S-~--~-'-j--~--~----e----,....,------. --,....,-------~=.n
-----!.L__ --e----'-"---e----!.L=u-==== ==== -S -o~ --6;-_=1:2= --e -.: ~a..-t-~
-El--CL:-f=--'-:=~-~ §~~= !2~ -== =1:2=H-==== =1:2== =--.!? --=-
~1:2=--:::' -: --e----------------------------{j--t-~ =g= -e-: \Vhereas, to end