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Fux, Gradus ad Parnassum in English

Johann Joseph Fux · section 11 of 32

Florid counterpoint in three voices

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Fifth lesson

On florid counterpoint

Aloysius. I suppose that what this species is, and its nature, are clear to you from what we said about it in two voices: namely that it is a combination of all five species, arranged in a beautiful and graceful melodic manner. I do not doubt in the least that, from the exercises in three voices discussed thus far, you now understand how the concordances of the other two parts, consisting of semibreves, must be arranged. Thus I think it superfluous to dwell here on explaining them further. Let us therefore proceed without delay to the examples.

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Aloysius. Let these examples suffice for now. If you pursue the exercises in the remaining four modes in private study and with equal diligence, you will readily acquire a complete understanding of how to construct this species. Note that oblique motion, used for the most part in each measure, makes this work much easier. Now let us turn to four-voice composition.