5th species i think i got it

hi i'm a noob to this website, first post this is.

I've written a fifth species composition in three voices, i tried to stick to the rules, but at times i diverged, but it's mostly strict 5th species, I have more examples also, so i might just make this a show my 5th species excercises thread.

I've only really made 2 compositions including this one, but i've been learning this counterpoint thing for awhile, and i think i've gotten a good enough grasp on it, but i still don't want to start composing until i've gotten it to a point where 4 part counterpoint isn't an issue. Thanks for checking it out!

I can add more of some exercises that i've completed also.

I don't know where i should go from here though.

3stringsdmin.pdf

3stringsdmin.mid

Looks pretty good overall.

Here are a few measures to look over - mm 15, mm 11 and 16, and the one beofre the finale measure. Measure 16 is incorrect as the alto line moves to form two dissonances on a strong beat and neither is resolved properly. I understand what you were aiming to do - two escape tones but the way it is handlesd (for both 18th and 16th century styles) is incorrect. Measure 11 is OK for 18th century counterpoint, for 16th century no - skips of the tritone were avoided as much as possible (and often such a skip rarely exceeded a 3rd).

Mm 15 the tritone formed by the outer voices on the strong beat is incorrect. Also mm 24 - the D-A-D diminishes the cadence of the final bar and the C - B in the middle voice is incorrect. I would just have the C in mm 23 top voice 4 beat raised to a C #, and end with all voices on D in mm 23 ( the G in the middle voice would move up to D). MM 25 would be deleted.

Hey thanks!

i was up so late last night that i didnt even notice the bdf tritone! in mm15.

I have two questions:

If the mode doesn't have a leading tone, should i make it so that the penultimate measure has one?

Also, for 5th species, suspension resolutions can be delayed, but, when using the skip away to a conchord idiom, what should be the limit of the skip?

It is OK to make to raise a tone to make it a leading tone in the penultimate measure. As for the limit pf the skip - it depends on the style. For 16th century nothing greater than a 3rd. 18th century a skip of a 5th is usual not more than that in most cases.

I hit a brick wall...how do i do 4th or 5th species in triple time? I can't figure out how i should tie the notes or resolve the suspensions.

Also, i'm planning on getting some books

what do you guys think about this one?

Modal and Tonal Counterpoint: From Josquin to Stravinsky

ISBN-10: 0028721454

For triple time the strong beat will be one. So suspensions would be between a tone on beat three and four and beat six and one in 6/8 as this time measure is two grouping of three eighths OR two dotted quarter notes.

Knud Jeppessen wrote an excellent text on 16th century counterpoint. Kennan wrote a decent text on 18th century counterpoint. For Kennan, the sections on fugal answers, canon, common key areas for fugues is the most helpful part of the Kennan. Jeppesen is great for the fundamentals. See some of my counterpoint threads where I used this text to develop the lessons.

Some people swear by Fux and the text you chose is very good but a bit advanced.

Thanks composerorganist!

Oh, man, i kinda went overboard with the texts,

I have salzers counterpoint in composition, the fux study of counterpoint, the jeppesen 16th century counterpoint and that book that i mentioned.

See, i already know i made a mistake by getting a lot of books on the same subject, i woulda been better off just getting the Modal and Tonal Counterpoint book

What would be a good way to start off this relearning experience? I'm a bit overwhelmed. I figured i'd just jump into Modal and Tonal Counterpoint, and use the others to supplement? Or I was thinking about just doing it, and coming here for help or looking at those texts.

sorry for the length of this post