counterpoint

Originally notes were called ‘“‘points’’; the literal meaning of counterpoint is therefore “note against (or in accompaniment with) note”’; it is loosely used of the combination of independent voices as in a uartet. It is more strictly used (a)of the art of writing simultaneous melodies or (b) of the melodic part added to a given part called the cantus firm us (q.v.). The contrapuntal style differs from the harmonic in that while the latter consists of melody accompanied by chords, the former is a combination of melodic parts. The supreme contrapuntal forms are Canon and Fugue. Of counterpoint there are five species: 1. Note against against a semibreve. note—a semibreve 2. Two notes against one. 3. Four notes against one. 4. Syncopation. 5. Florid counterpoint—a mixture of the preceding species. Counterpoint is also Simple and Double. In the latter, the parts are invertible, i. e., may be transposed an octave, or ninth, tenth, twelfth, etc., above or below one another. Counterpoint is triple (or quadruple) when 3 or 4 parts are mutually invertible. (See article, page 727.) t counterynge ye songe (kown’-tér-ing the séng) (old £.). Descant.