Composition, like many skills in life is, by and large, a craft. Good news, because that means it can be studied, practised and mastered. This also presupposes an understanding and familiarity its associated traditions; the (assumed) increasing sophistication of problem solving, the evolution of the language and gradual widening of the range of expression. To rely solely on imagination would result in chaos. Ideas can only come to fruition when nourished on the fertile grounds of knowledge and technique. Conversely, just as in the playng of an instrument, a lack of facility and the want of technique are immediately apparent and painfully obvious.
To reinforce the point with an analogy, if someone wished to design a new type of airplane, would he start by drawing up fanciful plans based on superficial knowledge? Or would he embark on a rigorous study of engineering and aerodynamics, based on what had been successful in the past? The answers are obvious.
Although there are other essential skills, such as instrumentation, orchestration and the managemant of form, once one has a grounding in Rudiments and simple melody construction, it is time to address the complementary skills of Harmony and Counterpoint.
In order to show what results may reasonably be expected from the study of composition, and to provide actual worked examples to guide anyone interested, I have presented my own versions of workings of some of the classic texts on the subject. Thes range from a “Day One Beginner”, as at the start of First Year Harmony, to a qualified and professional standard of accomplishment. Naturally, my solutions are only one of myriad possibilities, but they may be useful as a comparison or to suggest ideas for anyone who is “stuck”. Bear in mind that even quite simple exercises can be made to sound musically valid and effective if one always bears in mind voice leading and melodic contour, especially in outer parts.
The texts I use are as follows:-
First Year Harmony, Second Year Harmony, Third Year Harmony and Free Counterpoint, all by Willam Lovelock. These books are terse and always go straight to the point, so they are ideal for the serious student who needs no pampering or padding to progress.
Gradus Ad Parnassum by Johann Fux. This is the Classic Text, first published in 1725, on Strict (or “Species”) Counterpoint, used by countless masters, including Mozart and Beethoven. In order to make full use of this invaluable resource, I suggest the translation by Alfred Mann (Norton, 1971). By itself, however, this book is not enough for a full revelation of the subject, so I wamly recommend Counterpoint: The Polyphonic Vocal Style of the Sixteenth Century by Knud Jeppesen (trans. Alfred Mann. Dover, 1992) and Preliminary Exercises In Counterpoint by Arnold Schoenberg (St Martin’s Press, 1970). Polyphonic Composition by Owen Swindale (OUP, 1962) is best begun after completing Gradus Ad Parnassum, as it progresses to rapidly otherwise. It is easy to obtain either digital or paper copies of all these excellent books.
My workings of the exercises are in two colours. Notes in red are those provoded by the author, to constitue the exercise, and notes in black are those I have added to complete the workings. Additionally, piano performances of all First Year Harmony exercises may be heard by clicking on the audio widget above each chapter’s score. Other performances are in preparation.