BAIN MUSC 215 Music Theory III
University of South Carolina
School of Music

BAIN MUSC 529
Eighteenth-Century Counterpoint

Fall 2023


MUSC 529 | Blackboard


C O U R S E   M O D U L E S
1. Introduction (Ch. 1-3)
2. Two-Voice Analysis &
Writing (Ch. 4-8)
3. Imitation & Canon
(Ch. 9-10)
4. Three-Voice Analysis &
Writing (Ch. 11-14)
5. Fugue
(Ch. 17 & Ch. 20)
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Quotable

Left quote
In its mathematical intricacy, formality, symmetry, and variety, the fugue holds the interest of composers, performers, and listeners of Western art music in much the same way as the sonnet engages English-language poets and their readers.
Right quote

Mark DeVoto

Course Description

Analysis and writing in the contrapuntal forms with emphasis on the style of J.S. Bach.

Prerequisite: Undergraduate tonal harmony and voice leading

Required Textbook

Robert Gauldin, A Practical Approach to 18th Century Counterpoint (Long Grove, IL: Waveland Press, 2013/1995). {Table of Contents}

Course Documents

  1. Syllabus (pdf)
  2. Listening/Analysis
  3. Projects Updated icon
  4. Study Guides
  5. Terms & Concepts
  6. Activities & Special Topics
  7. Bibliography

Online Resources
  1. Algomus {Algomus.fr}
  2. Alvira, Teoria
  3. Bruhn, J. S. Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier: In-depth Analysis and Interpretation {Edition Gorz}
  4. Byros, PoetryOfTone {YouTube Channel}
  5. Christiansen, "48 Jewels" {Earsense} (Bruhn 1993)
  6. Dahn, The Four-Part Chorales of J.S. Bach {Bach-chorales.com}
  7. Du Sautoy, Music & Mathematics: Baroque & Beyond (Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra) {YouTube}
  8. Edwards, Puzzle Canon {PuzzleCanon.com}
  9. Gjerdingen
  10. Gran, Counterpoint Tutorials {YouTube Channel}
  11. Gotham et al., Open Music Theory, II. Counterpoint and Galant Schemas {OMT2} (Gotham et al. 2020)
  12. Hansen, Counterpoint {HansenMedia.net}
  13. Hogan, The Nikhil Hogan Show {Listen Notes}
  14. Ishizaka
  15. Kerman, The Art of Fugue: Bach Fugues for Keyboard, 1715-1750 {Open JSTOR; Luminos} (Kerman 2015)
  16. Lawrence, Bach and Friends (Lawrence 2010)
  17. Malinowski, Music Animation Machine {YouTube Channel}
  18. Remeš
  19. Rotem, Early Music Sources (EMS) {Website; YouTube Channel}
  20. Smith, The Canons and Fugues of J.S. Bach
  21. Thomas

Research Tools
  1. FindIt @ USC
  2. WorldCat
  3. Dictionaries: Harvard Dictionary | Grove/Oxford
  4. Articles: JSTOR
  5. E-books: Ebook Central | EBSCOhost | Hathi Trust
  6. Scores: CPDL; IMSLP; See also: Alexander Street
  7. Recordings: Naxos | Spotify | YouTube


Main References

See also: BAIN MUSC 529 Bibliography

Benjamin, Thomas.  2003. The Craft of Tonal Counterpoint, 2nd ed. New York: Routledge. {GB; Full text: Ebook Central}

Davidian, Teresa. 2015. Tonal Counterpoint for the 21st-Century Musician: An Introduction. New York: Rowan & Littlefield. {GB}

Gauldin, Robert. A Practical Approach to 18th Century Counterpoint. Long Grove, IL: Waveland Press, 2013/1995). {GB1; GB2}

_____________. 2004. “An Introduction to Species Counterpoint,” in Harmonic Practice in Tonal Music, 2nd ed. New York: Norton, pp. A14-25.

Kennan, Kent. 1998. Counterpoint, 4th ed. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. {GB}

Schubert, Peter and Christoph Neidhöfer. 2023/2006. Baroque Counterpoint. Expanded Edition. Buffalo, NY: State University of New York Press. {GB; 1/e: GB}




Updated: December 14, 2023

Reginald Bain | University of South Carolina | School of Music
https://reginaldbain.com/vc/musc529/