Study Guide for Fux Gradus ad Parnassum

T. Scott

T. S McGill 18.12.16

Cantus Firmi:

D:

E:

F:

G:

A:

C:
 Two Part Composition

First Species:

Perfect consonances motion-contrary or oblique

Mixed consonance-any motion
Major sixth melodic leap prohibited
Battua 12 or Thesis 13 probably stops the flow of the music. Big intervals--10th to an octave
distances
Imperfect consonance into an octave or unison by skip to be avoided
Avoid F to B melodically

Second Species:

Downbeat always consonant

Upbeat can be dissonant only if resolution is stepwise into consonance
All skips must be consonance
Dissonances "fill out" thirds melodic motion
Next to last measure is a 5th followed by a major 6th (harmony) CF lower voice
CF upper voice: 5th followed by minor 3rd (inv. of maj 6th) harmony
Write ending first perhaps in this species
Hidden 5ths and Octaves to be avoided. A melodic skip of a fourth, fifth, or sixth as an
intervening note can help.
Imperfect to Perfect consonance rule can be broken if intervening interval is a melodic skip of
a fourth, fifth, or sixth
Half rest can be used in place of first note
Melodic skip of an octave or minor sixth can be used to free up tight intervallic writing

Ternary Time Example:

Middle note may be dissonant because all three notes move stepwise
If one or the other (first or third tones) skips, all three notes must be consonant
Third Species:

Five in a row scenario: First and Third notes consonant, Second and Fourth dissonant provided
Fifth arrival note is consonant
Second scenario: If Second and Fourth notes are consonant, third note may be dissonant and
can act as a filling out of a third distance. This is tones 1 and 2 being consonant, 3 is
dissonant, 4 is consonant
Exception is here: tonal "dominant 7th cadence. Harmonic intervals 6 b5 4 3
Cambiata or changing note: Second note, a dissonance, goes to a consonance by skip. Usually
first note to second note skips a third melodic interval
CF in the lower part-cadence must be a leading tone as note 4 on the penultimate measure
approached by step (harmonic intervals 8 7 5 6/3 4 5 6)
CF in the upper part-cadence must be a leading tone as note 4 on the penultimate measure
approached by step (harmonic intervals 3 5 4 3)
Rest may be use in place of first note
use sharps and flats to avoid "mi/si against fa

Fourth Species:

Consonant Ligature-both tones are consonant

Dissonant Ligature: upbeat is consonant, tied to downbeat dissonance
Dissonances resolve downwards stepwise
CF in lower voice resolutions:
2nd to unison
4th to 3rd
7th to 6th
9th to octave

CF in upper voice resolutions:

2nd to 3rd
4th to 5th
9th to 10th

Resolutions:
7th to 6th in next to last measure if CF is in Lower part
2nd to 3rd and then unison if CF is in Upper part
Two eight notes may be used in next species (5th) on the 2nd and 4th beats only
Fifth Species:

Avoid two quarters followed by a half note with no ligature as melodic line can "lag".
Desirable rhythmic formulas for the melodic line are:

Half and two quarters

Four quarters
Two quarters followed by a half with Ligature
Quarter (from Ligature) followed by two eights and then a half with ligature or another
quarter. In general, eight notes used on second beat in place of a quarter

Three Part Composition

First Species:

Two upper notes consonant with the lowest. Harmonic Triad in every measure unless special
circumstances
Use Harmonic Interval chords 138 and 168 when a triad cannot be used because of melodic
reasons and avoidance of consecutive perfect consonances
Continue to strive to go from an imperfect to a perfect consonance by contrary motion if
possible. Watch outside voices for parallels and watch for tritone use in melodic and harmonic
areas
Continue to watch melodic skip of a major sixth
No Minor Triad to end in a Minor Mode. Octaves, Unisons, Fifth, and Major Third acceptable
watching voice leading into the final cadence
Major modes used (use alterations such as Bb in F mode, F# in G Mode etc.)
Minor Modes can use Harmonic form or Melodic Form

Second Species:

Occasionally Parallel Fifths in outer voices acceptable for the sake of the harmonic triad if half
note voice skips by a melodic third
Two whole notes voices against one in half notes. The half notes must always be concordant
with the two whole notes. Melodic stepwise dissonances only on weak beat resolving into
consonances on strong beat
Ligature for third to last bar in half notes voice only
Consider one or two measures in advance when writing

Third Species:

Pay attention that all previous rules in Third Species Two Part Writing apply to two whole note
lines in Three Part Writing
If Harmonic Triad cannot appear on the first beat, ensure it occurs within the remaining beats
Melodic Minor and Dorian melodic lines can be used as well as Harmonic Minor in Minor
Mode
Fourth Species:

Write as though no ligatures exist to resolve in beats 3 and 4. The Ligature is a delay of the
correct consonances as in two-part writing.
Ligatures into parallel unisons and octaves forbidden, but some instances of parallel fifths
ligature resolution acceptable--lowest voices preferable and for a limited time. Parallels more
noticeable in the upper register. The more perfect the consonance, the lesser the harmony.

Fifth Species:

Oblique Motion helps within a measure. All other species rules apply in general from Two-
Voice Writing

Four Part Writing

First Species:

Most desirable sonority in four parts is two roots followed by two thirds then two fifths
Sometimes hidden fifths and octaves are tolerated for good doubling and melodic/voice
leading motion
Proper place of Consonances is the voicing Root, Fifth, Octave, Third from bottom to top.
Good introductory sonority. Fifth better in the lower register than the third
E Mode may begin with a Major type chord

Second Species:

General rules for three-part writing in this species apply to four

D Mode may contain Bb or B natural and C sharp

Third Species:

Four Quarter notes must now be concordant with three whole notes as in two and three-part
composition
Try to ensure the third is in another voice besides the moving voice to enrich the harmony if
possible. Watch unisons and fifths only on downbeats if possible. Strive for complete
harmonic triad on first beat
Avoid two perfect consonances in a row by similar motion. More easily tolerated in inner
voices rather than outer

Fourth Species:

Ligature must sound well with three whole notes for the duration of the measure. Common
instance where this cannot happen is when the seventh is used with a fifth in the ligature.
Sometimes other divisions of the whole note need to be made to observe the rules strictly in
this species
V7 to I cadence allowed when using ligature
Fifth Species:

Keep whole notes where possible outside of the florid line in this species
Begin to write in all combinations in this species. Keep CF in whole notes. Example: CF in one
voice, one voice in half notes, one voice in half note ligatures, one voice in quarter notes for
the greatest variety
Additional C.F. Examples for work: