Counterpoint; Based on Eighteenth-Century Practice

This was my main textbook for my first tonal counterpoint course, and is probably the one I still refer to most - clearly explains contrapuntal rules in composition, starting from basic polyphony to four-voice fugal writing. The emphasis is on tonal counterpoint, rather than specie counterpoint, and most of the examples cite Bach works, though Kennan provides a variety of them, for the student to have as reference. I remember his tonal and structural outlines of a fugue's organization and explanation of tonal and exact answers to be especially helpful. Also recommended: the Counterpoint exercise book by Kennan, which I found particularly useful, the two counterpoint books by Gauldin, and for historical significance, Fux's Study of Counterpoint.

The first musical example for Chapter 3 should be an excerpt from Bach's Two-Part Invention, No.11. It is not, as the reader will quickly discover when the text talks about a "lower voice" that simply doesn't exist! This is not a huge problem, since the correct measures are shown soon after (in Example 5). But it could be confusing at first.

George Oldroyd's book The Technique and Spirit of Fugue is the best book on fugue composition but it's out of print and VERY expensive. So, by default, Kent Kennan's book is the best reference book a composer can buy for a basic overview of counterpoint. If you already have a year or two of music theory (you know about modulations, sonata forms, and basic part-writing) you can,literally, just start working from this book with Bach as a companion text and start teaching yourself how to write fugues. Kennan's book is helpful because while mostly covering Baroque counterpoint he covers the topic in a way that lets a student expand on the contrapuntal principles into other styles. If you're going to get just one book on counterpoint make this the book.

This is the most practical and efficient counterpoint textbook for class room use, the textbook I would use if I were to teach counterpoint in the class room. It is clear and concise and to the point. To gain a broader understanding of counterpoint, I recommend this work be supplemented with Walter Piston's COUNTERPOINT. I also recommend PENTATONIC SCALES FOR THE JAZZ-ROCK KEYBOARDIST by Jeff Burns.