II. Counterpoint and Galant Schemas
Third-Species Counterpoint
Kris Shaffer and Mark Gotham
Key Takeaways
The third species of species counterpoint sees the counterpoint line move four times as fast as the cantus firmus. This introduces:
- a further metrical level (strong, weak, medium, weak)
- a neighbor tone and other new dissonance types so that the total includes:
- The dissonant passing tone: fills in the space of a melodic third via stepwise motion.
- The dissonant neighbor tone: a step away from and back to the same consonant tone.
- The double neighbor: both the higher and lower neighbour tones together (e.g., C–D–B–C or C–B–D–C).
- The nota cambiata (changing tone) is special five-note figure that highly unusually includes a leap from a dissonance.
In third-species counterpoint, the counterpoint line moves in quarter notes against a cantus firmus in whole notes. This 4:1 rhythmic ratio creates a still greater differentiation between beats than in second species: strong beats (downbeats), moderately strong beats (the third quarter note of each bar), and weak beats (the second and fourth quarter notes of each bar). Third species also introduces the neighbor-tone dissonance and two related figures in which dissonances can participate in leaps.
Gradus ad Parnassum Exercises.
provides the examples of third-species counterpoint from Part I of Gradus ad Parnassum, annotated (as before) with the interval that the counterpoint line makes with the cantus firmus. For the complete examples from Gradus ad Parnassum as exercises, solutions, and annotations, see
The Counterpoint Line
As in first and second species, the counterpoint line should be singable and have a good shape, with a single climax that does not coincide with the climax of the cantus firmus, and primarily stepwise motion (with some small leaps and an occasional large leap for variety). Like second species, a third-species counterpoint should be dominated by stepwise motion, more so than in first species, because there are fewer sticky situations that would require a leap. If the counterpoint must leap, it is preferable to do so within the bar rather than across the bar line. Also like second species, there should usually be one or two secondary climaxes—notes lower than the overall climax that serve as “local” climaxes for portions of the line.
Beginning and Ending
Beginning a third-species counterpoint
Begin a third-species counterpoint above the cantus firmus with do ([latex]\hat1[/latex]) or sol ([latex]\hat5[/latex]). Begin a third-species counterpoint below the cantus firmus with do ([latex]\hat1[/latex]).
A third-species line can begin with four quarter notes in the first bar, or a quarter rest followed by three quarter notes. Regardless of rhythm, the first pitch in the counterpoint should follow the intervallic rules above.
Ending a third-species counterpoint
As in other species, end with a clausula vera. The final pitch of the counterpoint must always be do ([latex]\hat1[/late