Page:A Dictionary of Music and Musicians vol 3.djvu/755

STRICT COUNTERPOINT. only enforced when the dissonant sounds form the limits of the passage; F, G, A, B, C, is therefore perfectly lawful. Consecutive Fifths, Octaves, and Unisons, are forbidden, between the first and third Crotchets in the bar; between the first or third Crotchets of two successive bars; and, of course, between the last Crotchet of one bar, and the first of the next.

The Cadence will be formed by the Canto fermo either in conjunction with the Part containing the Crotchets, or with one of the Parts written in Semibreves, on the same principle as that recommended in the Second Order. Ex. 6 (k); Ex. 7 (m).

(with Syncopations). In this Order, one Part must be written in syncopated Notes; while the others accompany the Canto fermo in Semibreves.

The first bar must begin with a Minim Rest, followed by a Minim, in Perfect Concord with the Canto fermo; which Minim must be tied to the first Minim in the following bar, which must always form a Concord with the lowest Part. Ex. 8 (r).

The remaining bars (except the last) will each contain two Minims; the first of which must be tied to the second Minim of the preceding bar; and the second, to the first Minim of the bar which follows. The tied Minims, now known as Syncopations, were formerly called Ligatures.

The second, or unaccented Minim, must always form a Concord with the Canto fermo.

The tied, or accented Minim, may form either a Concord, or a Discord, with the Canto fermo. In the first case—Ex. 8 (o); Ex. 9 (s)—it may proceed upwards or downwards, either in Conjunct, or Disjunct Movement. In the second—Ex. 8 (n); Ex. 9 (r)—it must descend one degree upon a Concord, which forms its natural resolution, and may also serve to prepare a Discord in the succeeding bar, as at (p) in Ex. 8. In no case but that of the Ninth is it allowable to let the note into which the Discord is about to resolve be heard simultaneously with the Discord itself in any other Part than the Bass.

Consecutive Fifths, Octaves, and Unisons, are strictly forbidden, between the unaccented Minims of two successive bars, which must here be guarded as strictly as the accented Minims of the Second Order. Indeed, the most severe test that can be applied to this kind of Counterpoint is, the excision of the first Minim of every bar. If this operation should produce good Counterpoint of the First Order, nothing more can be desired.

All the Diatonic Discords may be used by Syncopation. But, a succession of Ninths, resolving into Octaves, or of Sixths, followed by Fifths, is forbidden; because, in these cases, the excision of the accented Minims would produce progressions of real Fifths and Octaves.

The Cadence, formed always by the Canto fermo and the Part containing the Syncopations, will consist, either of a suspended Seventh, resolving into a Major Sixth, and followed by an Octave—Ex. 8 (q); Ex. 9 (t); or, should the Canto fermo be placed above the Syncopations, of a suspended Second, resolving into a Minor Third, and followed by an Unison, or Octave. This Cadence was called, by the Old Masters, the Diminished Cadence; and was used at the close of almost every Polyphonic Composition.

(Florid Counterpoint). In this Order, one Part will contain a judicious mixture of all the preceding Orders; while the other Parts accompany the Canto fermo in consonant Semibreves.

Dotted notes, though forbidden in all other Orders, may here be introduced into the Florid Part, with excellent effect; and Quavers also, if used sparingly, and with discretion, as at Ex. 10 (v). Tied notes are permitted, on condition that the length of the second note does not exceed that of the first. In modern passages, it is sometimes convenient to use a tied note instead of a dotted one.

By a Licence, analogous to that mentioned with regard to the Third Order, a syncopated Discord, suspended by a tied Crotchet, may descend a Third, or a Fifth, and afterwards re-ascend to its Resolution, as at (x), in Ex. 11; or, it may ascend a Fourth, or a Second, and then re-descend to the necessary Concord, as at (v) in Ex. 10.

A Minim, preceded, in the same bar, by two Crotchets, should always be tied to a Minim, or Crotchet, in the succeeding bar. Ex. 10 (u).

The Diminished Cadence—Ex. 10 (w)—is used in this Order, as well as in the Fourth, with many graceful modifications, rendered possible, as in Ex. 11 (z), by the employment of dotted, and tied notes. These modifications form part of a long list of Licences, peculiar to the Fifth Order, and greatly conducing to its beauty, as