How to Compose Suspensions || Tonal Voice Leading 5
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 16 окт 2024
- In this video we learn how to compose a syncopated countermelody against a given melody, also known as Fourth Species counterpoint, and we encounter the third of the fundamental voice leading dissonances: the dissonant suspension.
Syncopation and Suspension 0:25
Beethoven learns from Haydn 9:08
Exercises at Home 13:49
Tonal Voice Leading Playlist:
• Tonal Voice Leading
My new counterpoint course on Teach:able
jacobgranmusic...
/ jacobgran
A link to a PDF with 53 Cantus Firmi by famous musicians:
48a396c9-e039-...
#musictheory #composition #Beethoven #Haydn
Thanks for these dude, I'm binge watching all of your videos right now.
I'm also working my way through them.
THe 7-8 suspension in the lower register that sounds "harsh" and should be "avoided" is the one I like the sound of most :)
I don't know. I think it sounds fine in the context of a chord or harmony, but in two-voice writing I'm siding with the old-timers.
6:44 - After putting it into a sequencer and messing around with it. The problem seems to be the quarter note "8" at the end sounds characteristically rythmically unexpected in a beginning measure and it's arguably better to not play the note there given the specific example and what you play before it actually doesn't matter. You can get away with it as a mostly repeating variation on the 3rd measure or make it work some within a more complicated context. The idea here is to establish a basic framework to follow so that you can then go on to expand on it. From a harmonic standpoint, there are actually multiple factors that cause it to "not work." The example sounds like it's trying to be Phrygian, and the accent is getting put on beats 2, 4, and the & of 4 because the note is very polarizing... Really, the "7" is the "harsh" and angry sounding note to the "8" because it's being looked at inside out... 8 is 1, and 7 is a b2. By chopping off the Fmaj at the begining and moving it to the end of the measure. The Melody now makes sense rythmically, but the standard Counter point logic doesn't follow along with it the same as far as I have figured out. All in all, it should just go without saying that nothing is ever exactly specific rules you should always follow along with...
Hello Jacob, many thanks for your efforts making us to understand better the music world. I have some music knowedge and playing and enjoying music for 40 years but know trying to learnt how to create music. Your material is fantastic. Thank you very much.
This is amazing, thank you for taking the time to make these
This is such an awesome channel and series. Thank you for taking the time to teach this in a digestible way. I've learned much since starting and I look forward to continuing on. Thank you also for the homework. It is a beneficial exercise and greately appreciated.
Thank you very much for your video. I'm watching all your videos and enjoying all of them.
thank you for sharing this great classes.
Hello Mr. Gran, in gradus ad parnassum, fux teaches to resolve suspension downward, but when asked whether suspensions can be resolved upward he simply advises joseph to take his advice because the question he brings up is a difficult one. But I would like to know the full fleshed out reason for why suspensions are generally resolved downward and would greatly appreciate any insight or resources that you could give me to further my understanding. Thanks
Edit: I have another question if you don't mind :). Fux teaches that suspensions are to be thought of as retardations of the notes following. So I was wondering what if you extend the retardations to such an extreme that the suspension resolves on the next downbeat(for example, the standard suspension is delayed by a half note, but we can extend it to 3 quarters, and so on until the delay is so extreme and jagged that the resolution practically occurs on the next downbeat.) As I considered this theory I thought, what if you chain extreme suspensions? Then it is possible to chain parallel fourths and sevenths as long as both voices move in the same direction stepwise. This is probably not acceptable in strict counterpoint but was this idea ever used in free counterpoint by composer during that era? If not, was this theory ever conceptualized by anyone other than me and utilized? Thanks
Great questions. Some of these topics are covered in my other video from later on in this playlist, called "How to Compose Suspension Chords."
As for upward resolving suspensions, I agree with Felix Salzer, who says that the main reason they don't show up in strict counterpoint is because it makes the pedagogical system neater. Downward resolving suspensions are thought of as the prototype, and the upward resolving suspensions are viewed as variations of the basic type that the student will learn about later on. Another way of saying it is that only downward resolving suspensions belong to strict counterpoint ("strenge" or "reine Satz"), while the upward resolving variations occur in free composition ("freie Satz").
Also, upward resolving suspensions, especially 9-10 and 7-8, occur very frequently at cadences in classical instrumental music of the latter half of the 18th century, but they did not occur so often in the vocal music of Palestrina, whom Fux takes as his model while writing in the 1720s. So there is an historical reason why they did not make it into the strict system of counterpoint.
Hello Jacob. Excellent content throughout. Congratulations.
Thank you for these great lessons! This really helped to improve my writing a lot!!! Would you cover free counterpoint in the future?:)
Glad you like it. It depends on what you mean by free counterpoint. Do you mean analyzing counterpoint in real music, or counterpoint taught by a different system than the Fuxian species?
@@JacobGran the original poster hasn't replied, but I'd personally love to see counterpoint analysis in real music!
I think Bellermann's exercise is the weakest. Not fond of the hidden parallel fifths in measure 2-3 (fa-do & mi-si) and also the c natural underplays the c# leading tone in the penultimate measure. Thank you so much for these lessons :)
i think the 7 8 suspension sounds cool as hell
Hello Dr. Gran,
I have a question concerning "boarding the train down to the cadence" in Beethoven's exercise. You say that the note f could not be accessed, as it can't be prepared as a consonance over e. However, couldn't we avoid the f by breaking the syncopation and writing a third h over g on the down beat?
This means, that instead of
d-d f-f e-e d-
e g f
we could have written
d-d c h e-e d-
e g f
replacing the suspended f by c and h, resulting in a fourth leap.
Thank you very much for your lessons!
If I understand what you’re saying, then yes, that would also have been an excellent option. In either case, the switching of suspension lines was only possible with the help of breaking the syncopation. There seems to be no way to get there using a consonant suspension, which would be preferred since it allows the syncopation to continue through the whole exercise.
@@JacobGran Thank you very much! This made your point quite clear.
Thanks Jacob, I've learned a lot from your videos. I do wish you put more focus on composing a counterpoint line for the lower voice. That seems to trip me up a bit.
This species is incredibly frustrating! So easy to write yourself into a hole. But it's very satisfying when you do write a fluent counterpoint melody.
I agree. Unlike the others, 4th species actually sounds nice when it's done well!
Notes:
- Tied notes create new intervals called suspensions. Can be consonant or dissonant 1:04
- Syncopation, lengthening, or repetitions are all suspensions 1:27
- Suspensions weaken the downbeat's accent, allowing parallel 5ths 2:21
- Sussies can obscure parallel motion of parallel perfect intervals, but are unideal 3:01
- Dissonant suspensions must be prepped by consonance before and must resolved by downward step to consonance 4:34
- 4-3, 7-6 and 11-10 suspensions are best dissonant suspensions 5:03
- Consecutive octaves with a dissonant sus are bad 5:48
- 7-8 in lower voice is bad 6:55
- *Cadences* 7:09
- Dissonant suspensions motivate difficult voice leading 7:52
- Use a variety of dissonances and avoid using the same in succession 10:50
What if the counterpoint was not syncopated by a half note, for example if you syncopate by three quarter notes you can have a scenario where dissonance is formed for three quarters of a measure but the resolution only takes up a quarter of the measure. Usually this sounds like the rhythm keeps on jerking you but I’m asking in the context of a four voice exercise where each higher voice is syncopated by as extra 1/4 note so the rhythm stays even.
That sounds interesting; go ahead and try it! For these strict exercises, Fux and the others wanted to use the simplest form of suspension possible, not to confuse the student. But all kinds of other forms of suspension and syncopation are possible in real music.
The Jeppesen is certainly the best of the 6 example counter-melodies to the Fux (he manages a nice mix of 7-6 and 4-3 suspensions, but what sells me is his being the only effective harmonic use of a Bb leading down to A), and the Bellermann is the weakest (no dissonant suspensions until bar 6, and an overuse of the perfect consonance of the 5th). Special mention should go to Salzer for producing an almost identical solution to Fux's Aloys version, with only two differences, both of which make it *weaker* . If the unison A which forced the minor 6th leap to get the 7-6 suspensions going again was seen as essential, then the B in bars 4 to 5 should have remained flat to lead down to it (I'm calling the D an escape tone). Otherwise just sharpen Fux's Bb so that it leads up to the following C (with the D still in between) and call it a day 😁
Another curious example of parallel intervals, this time hidden parallel 5ths...Handel's famous Passacaglia in G minor. Bar 37-38 we have C minor going to F major. The outer voices move in similar motion towards a perfect 5th - a descending minor third (E flat to C) in the soprano, and a descending perfect fifth in the bass (C to F). I'm aware of numerous exceptions to approaching perfect intervals by similar motion, usually involving the upper part moving by step whilst the bass leaps, but I was under the assumption that if both parts are leaping in similar motion toward a perfect interval it is regarded as a faulty progression. Another exception perhaps?
Thank you
what about 6-5 suspensions Jacob? I keep using them in my own composition but cannot find music theory regarding them. They are consonant suspensions so how do they fit in with all of this?
In two voice counterpoint, the tied sixth is just like any other consonant suspension in that it has a freedom in how it moves into the weak beat. The fact that it can descend by step to a consonance (just as a tied fifth can ascend to a sixth) instead of needing to leap like the other consonant intervals is basically just an interesting coincidence in terms of counterpoint.
In four voice counterpoint, where there are chords, we can imagine a situation where a sixth behaves as a dissonant non-chord tone to a 5/3 triad. But there is a rule with chordal suspensions that we should not double the tone of resolution between upper parts (see the video on Suspension Chords), so this would never actually occur; we would always get a 6/3 chord on the down beat moving to a 5/3 on the weak beat.
@@JacobGran I was asking in the second case scenario with full chords because I sing and play guitar and sometimes I notice my vocal melodies sing a 6th which seems to resolve to the 5. This is especially common over the IV chord. If I had to part write this, what you are saying then is that the IV chord with the 6th would actually make it a ii63 chord which resolves to a IV chord?
Basically yes, but I wouldn't use the word "resolve," since its just one consonant chord moving to another. What might also be going on is a ii6/5 chord, in which case ^1 and ^2 are both chord tones and the stepwise motion of the melody is actually an arpeggiation (!). The fact that this is happening between voice and guitar might also be pulling our modern popular music ears into play, in which case the ii6/5 option is entirely plausible, but would not be idiomatic in the strict style.
@@JacobGran I thought about that but discarded the idea because the progression is plagal in that it goes back to I and also the "6 - 5" suspension forms the end of a phrase with the melody ending on ^1 over the IV chord. And in a ii65 that 5th would resolve to the leading tone and probably sound odd going back to I. The progression definitely sounds like a IV I progression to my ears and the 6 like a decoration coming in on the IV chord but then resolving on the more stable 5th of the chord
Was the preceding chord a V chord?
hello! I'm writing a lower suspension exercise to a given melody (key of C) where the last three notes are F D C. In attempting to use the suggested lower voice cadence of a 2-3 suspension (C-B) I notice that the C cannot be prepared as a consonance below the given F. What are my other options in this situation?
That's a great question. There seem to me to be two options:
A) You could break the chain of suspensions in the penultimate measure, composing a whole note B against the D in the CF (just like in first species). This is the option I recommend; or
B) If you want to get adventurous: prepare F as a consonant suspension into the penultimate measure, step from F to G in the penultimate measure and then leap to C (either up a fourth or down a fifth) on the downbeat of the final measure. This is really weak in two-voice counterpoint because the fifth G-D moving to the octave C-C is two consecutive perfect consonances, the latter of which is approached by direct motion, but it is an idiomatic bass cadence in three- and four-voice second species counterpoint that strikes me as a tolerable solution given that the normal stuff won't work.
@@JacobGran thank you so much! I really appreciate all the time you take to educate all of us and how quick your response time is! One more question: do you have a recommendation for where I can find a large collection of cantus firmi to practice writing all these exercises against?
@@JacobGran also theoretically speaking why do suspensions in the lower voice need to be resolved down? I have a solution to the same CF where I prepare A as a consonant 6th under the F, then use A-B (3-4 suspension) under the given D in the penultimate measure, leading up to unison Cs. It feels like the upward resolution in this placement creates desirable tension heading into the downbeat of the last measure. Sorry if I'm asking too many questions I just have so much fun thinking about this!
@@jeffreykelley8611 Thank you! I have a PDF of 53 CFs by various composers and theorists available for download on my Patreon page (link in the description). As for upward resolving suspensions, that is a tricky question. Clearly upward resolving suspensions do occur in real music (especially 7-8 and 2-3 suspensions in Galant cadences). But they occur much less often in the strict style of Palestrina and 16th century vocal polyphony, so they don't make it into Fux's species. It's just part of the rules of the game, to an extent.
I tried writing my own CP for Fux' CF and ended up with the same thing as Aloys! Who is he? Google doesn't give me any result.
Gradus ad Parnassum was written as a dialogue between two fictional characters. "Aloysius" was the teacher character who represented the older generation and "Josephus" was the student who represented the younger generation. So strictly speaking all of their examples were written by Fux, but he often allowed his characters to "agree to disagree" on minor issues of compositional style.
@@JacobGran That makes a lot of sense, since it's easy to write the same thing if you follow a very strict set rules, which I did and I assume the teacher character did too.
Was not considered the "falsa relazione di tritono" ,when syncopation breaks, an error? Maybe not because of the modal treatment of the melody?
I'm not sure what you mean. Are you referring to a moment in the video?
@@JacobGran yes, between 3 and 3
I am currently beginning lessons for Suspensions. My question is in regards to the C.F. being on top with C.P. on bottom. I will sound like a broken record, but please forgive me.
I asked a similar question in regards to 3rd species and am curious if it is still relevant for 4th species. Is it ok to use the octave in the first measure for the C.P., as in 3rd species, on bottom or must we use the Unison due to the nature of the exercise?
Also, this is my first exercise in D, with C.F. on bottom, would it be considered a suitable C.P.?
5|3 8|9-6|7-6|3 5|6 8|6 5|6 8|9-6|7-6| 8
Great question. We may begin any exercise written below the cantus firmus on either the octave or unison, but never a fifth because that would imply the wrong key. The only time that beginning on a unison would be impossible would be if the CF descends from the first to the second note, which would make it difficult for the parts not to cross.
For the exercise, are you using Fux's Dorian CF, or Haydn's CF from this video? I notice some possible errors, but I may just be reading the notation incorrectly. Would you mind rewriting it lined up with the notes of the CF, in this kind of format:
CP: - 8 | 7 - 6 | 5 6 | 8 10 |
CF: D | E | F | D | etc.
@@JacobGranThank you for your reply and am happy we can use Octaves in this exercise as well. I am using Fux's C.F.
C.P| -5|3-8|9-6|7-6|3-5|6-8|6-5|6-8|9-6|7-6|8
C.F|D. |F. |E. |D. |G. |F. |A. |G. |F. |E. |D
Now that I see it like this, would you say that the 8 going to 9 twice is one of the errors in measure 2-3 and measure 8-9?
Actually I wasn't sure about the 9-6 figures. Dissonant suspensions must always resolve down by step, so that succession of intervals within a measure shouldn't work. The other possible error had to do with how some of the dissonant suspensions are prepared (the 7-6 of measure 3 specifically), but I would have to know more about the CF to understand how that was working.
@@JacobGran I see what you mean and I reworked it to negate the 9-6, I was mistaken about early statement I made. It is Fux C.F. I am using.
C.P| 5|3 6|7-6|7-6|3 5|6 5|3 6|7-6|7-6|7-6|8
C.F|D. |F. |E. |D. |G. |F. |A. |G. |F. |E. |D
Can you please recommend any books on composition
Great video.
Just after 3 minutes in you talk about avoiding parallel octaves with consonant suspensions. Slightly off topic but perhaps related; I was recently playing the Chaconne in D minor by Pachelbel, which has a simple repeating rising bass theme D E F G A, and one of the variations contains a moment like this which made me wonder...
The thematic material is a fanfare-type figure which follows the bass rather closely, so much so that an E is stated by both bass and soprano simultaneously on the final beat of the bar. However, on the first beat of the next bar both parts progress to an F, which would immediately scream 'consecutive octaves!' only here the soprano F is delayed by a quaver rest. (Interesting that in a different edition the soprano E falls to a D instead, which was previously the middle voice.)
In the previous bar something similar occurs only this time between the bass and middle part - both bass and middle part have D progressing to E, except the middle part E is delayed by a quaver rest.
Does the seemingly oblique motion here by way of an intervening rest (rather than an actual suspension) make the progressions acceptable in terms of avoiding parallel octaves?
Many thanks in advance.
Great question. I looked up this piece on IMSLP and if I am guessing that passage you are referring to correctly it would be measures 66-67? If so I would guess that the edition where the top voice has F in m.67 is a misprint and that the unison Ds that you mention is the correct version. It is a lot less noticeable between the inner voice and bass in the previous measure, partly because it is an inner voice, but also because as you mentioned there is a big pause where only the bass progresses. The inner voice sounds clearly subordinate to upper voice, coupled in thirds like that, which I think is the main "excuse." But it is unusual to find a baroque contrapuntal composition like a Chaconne that has parallel octaves in it; thank you for bringing that example to my attention!
@@JacobGran Thanks very much for your reply. Yes, I did indeed mean bb. 65-67. I understand your point about the middle part being excused as they are less conspicuous and the 'fault' is somewhat hidden. But the outer parts... are we saying then that the 'misprinted' version which has E to F in both bass and soprano is an unacceptable progresson? Of course, if these notes occurred simultaneously if would be a definite no because that would a blatant parallel octave. However, does the quaver rest absolve the sin, so to speak, since that means the notes are staggered?
Wonderful videos! At 6:20, what is the problem with a 4-3 suspension, or a 2-1 suspension?
Sorry for the stupid question! Suspensions always resolve downward.
No such thing!
Not sure I'm buying into this suspension business. It seems to me in this frame it's more of an error correction technique, as the tones hardly literally carry over just because you keep holding the key. It's more like a very slow arpeggiated chord. 10:38. as you point out 14:32
I think it's important to remember what kind of instrument strict counterpoint taught by fux and co. was originally designed for; the human voice. In vocal music a suspended note would continue to be prominent until the end of the note. There's also not really such a thing as a chord in strict counterpoint, chords are just a result of the consonance between multiple lines rather the other way around.
Good point on voice and chords. But prominent or not, it's basically an anticipated harmony, instead of 'suspended'. Which is also how I later noted suspensions are used in classical music, the suspended note starts on a dissonance but carries over into a harmonic relation, so really anticipation.
6:24 mozart - leck mich im arsch
Writing suspensions while maintaining contrary motion is difficult so I’m not going to