Publisher's Synopsis
From the INTRODUCTION.
Those who propose to study Double Counterpoint and Canon should already have acquired the art of writing the various species of Simple Counterpoint in four or five parts, together with a good knowledge of harmony. There seems no reason why the student who has been through this preliminary work, should be debarred the use of the resources of modern harmony when writing his examples. If he has diligently worked at Simple Counterpoint, with its restricted progressions of melody and harmony, he will not fail to feel its good influence, and to apply, as far as is consistent with the greater freedom he now enjoys, its many valuable precepts.
The application of Double Counterpoint and Canon to fugal writing will, in all probability, be the direction in which the student will make the first use of his knowledge of this branch of the art. With this in view the Author has thought it well to choose many of his examples from works of a fugal character. Although it is in this style of composition that Double Counterpoint is most used and most necessary, yet it has often been employed in music not of a fugal character, examples of and references to which are given in the course of this work, and An effort has been made to avoid all useless and pedantic rules; but at the same time, for the student, rules are absolutely necessary, until he zhas acquired the knowledge which will justify him in departing from the strict letter while he is observing the spirit.
The Author's best thanks are due to Miss Smart, for kindly allowing him to insert the interesting canon by Mendelssohn, hitherto unpublished (No. 10 of Appendix); to F. Locker, Esq., for bringing to his notice and permitting him to copy from the original MS., the canon by J. S. Bach (No. 9 of Appendix); to Dr. Gladstone for Example 128, together with many valuable suggestions; and to James Higgs, Esq., Mus. Bac, for kind assistance and most useful advice which his well-known acquirement and special studies in this branch of the musical art have rendered invaluable.
