Counterpoint

I have several classic books on counterpoint. I like the Piston book quite a lot for these reasons: -- the teaching is given by musical example. This has the huge benefit of seeing what fine composers have actually done, rather than postulating abstract rules about how counterpoint should be done. -- the examples are taken from Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn and others -- great composers, and composers as much from eras known as contrapuntal and eras known as more "harmonic." The breadth of examples shows that counterpoint is indeed a general musical practice even during periods of more harmonic focus. -- the teaching-by-example is also a great illustration of how to study masterworks. Piston looks at passages and comments on the techniques found therein. With some practice, a student may also gain this ability to start to identify the techniques used in various passages. In this way, Piston's work is a model of technical and analytical reading of masterworks, and is very valuable in that respect. -- drawing from masterworks, Piston's presentation avoids dogmas such as "always avoid parallel octaves" and other such rules. Instead, he notes that doubling by octaves is a very common practice, but that when independence of voices is desired, then so should such doublings. Thus, the Piston work has the benefit of being more empirical -- hewing to actual historical compositional practices -- and more open minded, allowing that the application or avoidance of certain techniques comes down to the intention and topical details of each case in question. -- the style is direct, accessible, serious, yet pragmatic, and reminds me of other fine scholarship I have read from the same era. I wish more authors still wrote this way. I find this book one of the more pleasurable and faster reads of any music books I have, though the value of the text is not decreased by its accessibility. -- the author was not only a composer in his own rights, but a respected teacher at Harvard for many decades, with students including Leonard Bernstein and other notable mid-20th-century composers. So for me, he passes the credibility test of "can do, can teach." A few cons and caveats: -- the book is more exemplary than exhaustive. As such, I would say it is an excellent complement to other counterpoint books, but not a replacement for the more formulaic ones, such as Fux's classic, or Hindemith's superb Craft of Composition Book II. -- each topic is treated fairly lightly -- an example or two given, then moving on. -- the book is largely focused on counterpoint as appearing in the well known works of roughly 1700-1900. Hence those looking for earlier or later (e.g. modern) counterpoint will find little here. Net net, for me this is a great book on counterpoint. I did not look for it to be self-standing, but appreciate its difference from and complement to the more standard books (Fux etc.) on counterpoint. Piston, along with Hindemith, would argue that nearly all music is contrapuntal in some manner or degree. I agree with this point, and have, for the time being, placed counterpoint at the center of my ongoing compositional studies. If you are also a serious student of counterpoint, then the Piston book will likely be a strong addition to your musical library.

Walter Piston is an amazing author, and theorist in CLASSICAL music theory. This book is a must have for classical theorists, and students. As well as jazz musicians. Classical theory is also a huge help in the jazz world, since a lot of our theory is the same, just as well we get our theory from theirs, so it only makes sense to know a part of the other world. Counterpoint is extremely helpful in comping, as well as when composing, arranging, etc. . . I strongly recommend his Harmony book. A tad expensive, but worth it!! Me and a graduate student at my college, Five Towns College, in Dix Hills, LI, NY love it. I bought the older edition to save money. No edits made, just different reprints of the same text. Everything being the same, so why not find an old copy with no writting, and just worn pages?!

I really like this authors approach on teaching this subject. So often pompous music professors and musicians think that they KNOW all the rules and how these things are done. This author just shows examples of what other composers did. I like the exercises he assigns you, they help increase your knowledge, and give you some hands on. Like most other music text books it's pretty technical and boring as hell to read. I can only handle half a chapter at a time. My university does not offer a counterpoint class so I bought this book in hopes of educating myself on the matter. I am sure if this is the required text for a class it would be much more interesting with the proper instruction.

I only give this book 4 stars because I find the Fux narrative Gradas Ad Parnassum to be the definitive on the subject.It's better written and more concise. That said, this book is a great companion book to Piston's Harmony. The two go hand in hand in my eyes (or ears as it were) It can be a bit difficult to wade through however. It is a textbook first and foremost and thus is very technical. If you are studying counterpoint with someone, this can be extremely useful. Being a great reader is paramount to this book as the examples given are much more involved than the Fux book. Good content abounds but you have to sift thru it to "get" it.

Never before have I learned so much in a such a brief moment of time. After 20 years as a composer in several genres of music, I have achieved a new level of understanding music and the DNA of pure divinity. This brilliant reading is a must-have for all composers and arrangers - of any age, level or background. Yes, it is classic - and there is a reason for it continuing being refered to as one. Geir F. Happy composer and joyfully eternal student of music

Walter Piston is the leading authority on music composition. It is a book I use frequently for examples and explanations.

Magnificent music theory book Walter Piston is a great teacher I have his Harmony book every musician ca use these bools

Book's condition was not good at all had extensive mold. Not worth 50 cents.

Ho acquistato questi libri per un amico è arrivato nei tempi previsti anzi con gg di anticipo e i buone condizioni