THE TECHNIQUE OF CANON By HUGO NORDENFORM: THE SILENT LANGUAGE by Hugo Norden This book deals with the creative application of the Dynamic Symmetry principle to all sorts of art forms in ways that most people may never suspect could be either possible or artistically practical. In a sense it opens a door to a kind of "underworld" that lies quite outside the realm of conventional academicism. This is a controversial subject that invariably engenders enthusiastic agreement or violent rejection. Except for some scattered articles in magazines of limited distribution, the publication of FORM: THE SILENT LANGUAGE makes generally available for the first time Dr. Norden's unique and original insights into the infra-audible aspects of both musical and verbal communicative forms. That this volume will prove to be stimulating and enlightening to creative artists is to be expected; that it will be controversial is inevitable. (1131-5 Cloth $15) CONVERTIBLE COUNTERPOINT IN THE STRICT STYLE by Serge Ivanovitch Taneiev A very unique book, available only at Branden Press, it was translated from the Russian by C. Ackley Brower, with Introduction by Serge Koussevitsky. The sole English translation of "the most distinguished treatise ever written on musical composition." "Taneiev's glorious treatise on counterpoint means to musical science as much as Newton's Principia meant to cosmology..." —Lazare Saminsky (1415-2 Large Format Cloth $30)THE TECHNIQUE OF CANON This One C9L5-E4W-6GU3THE TECHNIQUE OF CANON re BY HUGO NORDEN BP. Boston BRANDEN PRESS Publishers© Copyright 1970 BRANDEN PRESS ISBN 0-8283-1028-9 Paperback Edition with ADDENDUM Published by BRANDEN PRESS Box 843 21 Station Street Brookline Village, MA 02147 ©Copyright 1982 Branden Press ISBN 0-8283-1839-5 Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Norden, Hugo, 1909- The Technique of Canon. Reprint of the 1970 ed., with addendum. 1, Canon (Music) I. Title. MT59.N67 1982 781.42 82-9678 ISBN 0-8283-1839-5 (pbk.)To my wife, MaryFOREWORD The present slim volume has a single specific objec- tive: namely, to set forth simply and concisely the prin- ciples of canon writing. The concern is exclusively with the mechanics of this highly specialized branch of musical composition, and not with its historical development. Thus, the few classical examples that are included are examined on this basis. This book is extracted from a much larger and far more comprehensive treatise on canon which remains unpub- lished. Consequently, vastly more can be said about the artistic application of the structural principles of canon than is contained herein, but the principles as such are complete as given. The conventional exercises that usually follow each chapter in most textbooks on music theory are here inten- tionally omitted. It seems more realistic and fruitful for the student or his teacher to set up original problems for each type of canon and thereby employ the principles more creatively. HUGO NORDEN Boston, MassachusettsII tit Iv VI VII VIII IX XI XII XIII XIV XV xI CONTENTS FOREWORD INTRODUCTION The Double Counterpoint Principle Double Counterpoint Canon in Two Parts Invertible Canon in Two Parts The Spiral Canon, Canonic Recurrence Canon in Contrary Motion The Crab Canon Crab Canon in Contrary Motion Canon in Three Parts, I Canon in Three Parts, II Canon in Four and More Parts, Canon with Unequally Spaced Entrances Canon in Augmentation, Canon in Diminution The Round HH EEK Canonic Harmony Embellishment Addendum Index 11 20 30 48 55 74 91 106 112 137 148 178 195 200 207 214 218INTRODUCTION THE DOUBLE COUNTERPOINT PRINCIPLE 1. Canon derives its musical nature as well as its Structural being from the utilization and manipulation of Double Counterpoint. Therefore, before embarking upon the study of Canon itself, it is necessary to understand and master in every detait the whole principle and the practical mechanics of Double Counterpoint. 2. In its most elementary form Double Counterpoint means that two complementary themes that are intended for simultaneous performance are so written that either one can correctly serve as bass to the other. By identifying two such complementary themes as ‘I’ and ‘II’ respective- ly, a Double Counterpoint mechanism can be operative as follows: Ex. 1The method involved is that of vertical displacement. It can be seen at a glance from the following illustration on three staves how II is shifted downward one octave from its position above I to a new relationship below I. Ex. Ex. b) Ex. (a) It can, of course, be argued that II is shifted an octave upward from below I to function above it. 3. Such a double counterpoint structure is always iden- tified according to the interval of the vertical displace- ment; the present case being Double Counterpoint at the 8ve, hereafter to be abbreviated simply as D. C. 8. 4. A practical illustration of an invertible two-part Structure of this type, but in a somewhat more elaborate form, is found at the beginning of Bach's Invention No. 6 in E major. It will be observed that the themes in mea- sures 5-8 are exactly the same as those in measures 1 ~4, except that the vertical arrangement is shifted from | to Hl, iol LRLater in the Invention, measures 21-28, the same themes are used in the same way in the key of B-major, but with the presentation reversed so that M precedes i 2a 3Ex. 3 and 4 operate within D. C. 22, or D. C. 8 expanded by two octaves. 5. In the preceding illustrations the two vertical arrange- ments, I and Mt (vice versa in Ex. 4), appear contiguously and in the same key. This is not always the case. In Ex. 5 (two passages from The Well-Tempered Clavier by Bach), (a), measures 3-4, is in B minor while in (b), measures 22-23, the inversion is in E minor. The following quota- tions are from Fugue X in Vol. 1.Because in a fugue the subject and answer are customarily given more prominence than the countersubject, in the above pair of illustrations the former are designated as ‘I’ and the latter as ‘Il’, However, from the purely mechanical considerations the I and II designations could be reversed with no effect upon the double counterpoint. 6. _ All of the illustrations given above have demonstrated D. C. 8 or its expansion by two additional octaves into D. C. 22. Other intervals of inversion are equally possible and just as useful. They are, however, not so often en- countered. Ex. 6 provides an instance of D. C. 7 and its resulting two-part structures. Ex. 6When the interval of vertical displacement is something other than D. C. 8, the inversion may require accidentals that will put it in a key different from that of the original. Such a tonality change is demonstrated in the I arrange- ment above. 7. It is not necessary for the vertical displacement of one theme to be from above to below the other, or vice versa. That is to say, in a given i contrapuntal structure 1 may be shifted up or down to another pitch above II; or, likewise, If may be shifted up or down to another pitch below I. Ex. 7 illustrates how such a shift can operate. The interval of vertical displacement is a 2nd upward, thereby bringing into play D. C. 2.From analysis of passages such as the above it would be impossible to tell in which direction the shift had been made. While it is stated that the displacement of 1 is upward away from the position closer to Il, it could just as well be interpreted that | is shifted downward from the higher position towards II. Only the composer can be entirely certain as to the direction of the displacement. 8. When the counterpoint and its displacement are both on the same side of the other theme as in the preceding illustration, the closer position of the two themes must be calculated in terms of minus (—) intervals. Minus inter- vals come about when the parts cross. While there appears 18to be not the slightest evidence of any crossing of parts in Ex. 7, the following presentation of D. C. 2 on three staves shows why such a calculation in terms of minus intervals is necessary. 9. These introductory observations demonstrate the Dou- ble Counterpoint principle in its most obvious and elemen- tary form. Actually, its application in the construction of canons is somewhat different and considerably more sophis- ticated. The remainder of the present volume will show these principles in operation in complete detail.CHAPTER I DOUBLE COUNTERPOINT 1. A technique in Double Counterpoint within the dia tonic system requires the mastery of seven basic intervals of inversion: D. C. 8, D. C. 9, D. C. 10, D. C. 11, D. C. 12, D. C.13 and D. C. 14. Any other inversions that are neces- sary for systematic canon construction can be readily formulated by contracting or by expanding the above named inversions by an octave. The following three illustrations show how such adjustments are made. 2. Take, for example, D. C. 10:This is expandable into D. C. 17 (10 + 8) by writing the counterpoint on the uppermost staff one octave higher: Ex. 10 By the opposite method the interval of inversion can be compressed to D. C. 3 (10-8) by writing the counterpoint on the lowest staff of Ex. 9 one octave higher: 21Ex. 11 From the foregoing the following inversion relationships can be developed: BEERS E ES eee + + Sine nh — 4eo2e2ReaAr SSUVOU0U aadadadca vom mow wowFurther octave expansions are likewise possible: D. C. 15 +8 =D. C. 22 (cf. Ex. 3, 4, and 5) D.C. 16 +8 =D. C. 23 D.C. 17+8 =D. C. 24 D.C. 18 +8 =D. C. 25 D.C. 19 +8 =D. C. 26 3. A word of explanation about the apparently strange arithmetic may be in order. Due to our system of numerical identification of intervals, when two intervals are added one note—the upper note of the lower interval and the lower note of the upper interval—is counted twice. And in the process of intervallic subtraction the same note is sub- tracted twice. The following diagram shows how this comes about. = | 4. Each D. C. inversion must be studied separately for the particular concord-discord relationships it contains. What is shown below is in accordance with the traditional tules for correct academic counterpoint. This is provided merely as a frame of reference. Actually, the correctness of the counterpoint as such has nothing whatever to do with the arithmetical calculation of canons should a 23 Ex. 12composer’s artistic intentions call for the construction of contrapuntal combinations quite outside the scope of tradi- tional academic availabilities. 5. In contrapuntal progression a tied note can result in three different situations: (1) a correctly resolved suspension, indicated by S.——> in the Table of Inversions; (2) an incorrect suspension effect, indicated by B.-e-+ >; (3) a tie (i-e., a concord), indicated by T.+***->. Resulting therefrom are nine inversion possibilities as follows: M-Be #e? BE? > o> T.---> —_ so='5) ae > oo? of? OS OFZ Ofer A corresponding set of illustrations in terms of 4th Species Counterpoint will demonstrate how the above combinations might appear in notation. 24Ex. 13 (1) D.C. 8 (2) D.C. 10 (3) D.C. 10 (6) D.C. 8 (5) D.C. 12 S.-=> Ts. +e 2--1") 1--6 sana *) ** I-86 6-7 4--5 ne ts Touts S—> (7) D.C. 9 (8) D.C. 9 (9) D.C. 10*) Does not produce correct academic counterpoint. *#*) Must be a correctly treated discord. #%*) Double ties are not indicated on the Table of Inver- sions since no resolution problem exists. 6. Under certain conditions 3.-.--» can be changed to S.——»when the interval of inversion is expanded by an octave. For instance, by expanding D. C. 8 to D. C. 15 the 2-1 effeet in (4) above would become a correct 9-8 suspension. Ex. 14 The expansion of the inversion does not improve the academically faulty 7—8 effect below the Cantus Firmus. 7. The complete Table of Inversion follows. 26DCR D.C. iO: DCE D.C. 12: D.C. 13: S.—sT-. 5S. Be ae wg $.—9T.-.pS.—sT... 9S. 35> te 7988 °* 35 6 7 8 9 WO TipS—— S—p5.—aT.--d8.-> Ta. —> TABLE OF INVERSIONS — S.—2S. —T..-->S.—> 3.---> fi8 3 SS 2 Ad TF 3 #6 5 © 7 ST -+-98, 6B S.—» SS Sy Baeey #®s &@ i 6 5 #¥ 3S 2d 1 2 3 * 5 6 7 8 9 10 Sie SaaS. Bee | Se a Simp Tints Sip TncpS.p spl ao Sol a Bcoee Be 9 RT a8 7 L 2 3 * 5 6 7 T...5. 91.95.95. of - Si—>» S.—sT..- 2 io 98 1 2 3 * 5 S.—» S.—2S5. z Simp haseeS ae bask shook ag ost ai bk *) S.——»can become T.... » over a free bass. 27r——1 and 1 refer to the 6-5 above and the 5-6 below the Cantus Firmus respectively, since these may be considered either as Ties or Suspensions. In the above table these are listed amongst the Suspensions because of their descending stepwise melodic motion, and not because of any implications of dissonance, although the latter may well be present in a multi-voiced texture. 8. When any of the seven basic inversions given in the above table are reduced by an octave so that minus inter- vals come about due to the inevitable crossing of parts a 4 becomes a —5, and a 5 becomes a —4, thereby changing the status of the interval from discord to concord and vice versa. For instance, in D. C. 9 the following intervals occur. Ex. 15 = 2 But, when D. C. 9 is compressed into D. C. 2 these points in the inversion become 28Ex. 16 9. Before proceeding to the chapters that follow the student must study very carefully the Table of Inversions and experiment extensively with the dissonance resources of each D. C. inversion. 29CHAPTER II CANON IN TWO PARTS 1. In order to qualify as a canon, a two-voice composi- tion must meet three conditions: (1) both voices will have the same melody; (2) the melody will enter at different times; (3) the entire mechanism will repeat without altera- tion, omission, or the addition of free material. Less rigidly constructed music must be relegated to the more general realm of Imitation. Of the three conditions stated above, only the last presents any problems in terms of Double Counterpoint. 2. Before embarking upon the business of canon con- struction it will be helpful to establish a set of seven terms together with suitable abbreviations in order to simplify the identification and explanation of the pro- cesses involved: P = Proposta, the voice that first announces the canon theme; the leader. R = Risposta, the second voice to state the canon theme; the follower. c.u. =canonic unit, the note value in which the canon is calculated. u. upper voice 1. lower voice m. v. = middle voice c m << " uw = interval of the canon melodic interval v = vertical interval No other terms are necessary for the present. 30 '3. Before beginning a canon, the following aspects of the composition must be decided: (1) the initial notes of both P and R; (2) the time span (i.e., the number of c. u.) between the initial notes of P and R; (3) the time span (i.e. the number of c. u.) between the double bars which embrace the repetition of the canon mechanism. Thus, an elementary canon problem could be planned out and stated as follows: Complete the following canon. A technical description of the above problem would be: Canon at the 8ve at I c. u. lead in the P (the c. u. being the whole-note), with P in |. v. and 8 c. u. between the double bars. 4. The canon can be completed systematically by means of a series of six steps carried out in the following order: Step one: Copy in before the second double bar what- ever comes in the P before the first double bar. 31This first step places the beginning of P (i.e., the portion that precedes the entrance of R) between the double bars so that condition (3) as stated in paragraph 1 above will come about automatically when the remaining four steps have been completed. Step two: Block off twice as many c. u. before the sec- ond double bar as have been copied in in the P. (In this case 2 c. u. will be blocked off since 1 c. u. has been copied in.) 32Step three: Continue P and R until the former comes up to the blocked-off portion, and the latter extends into it. (The following solution operates within the vertical and melodic limitations of 1st Species Counterpoint.) Step four: Tie over both P and R to a trial note ‘x’, and add the interval between x and R to the interval between P and x to determine the D. C. inversion within which the repeat will operate. Ex, 21 :Step five: Referring to the D. C. inversion determined by the interval addition in Step four (in this case D. C. 14) in the Table of Inversions in paragraph 7 of Chapter I, select a suitable pair of intervals to substitute for those created by the trial notes (x) in Ex. 21 above, since these do not make correct 1st Species Counterpoint. Ex, 22 : It goes without saying that the sum of the trial note inter- vals and the sum of the intervals that are used to complete the canon must be the same. Now that the canon is com- pleted the trial notes will serve no further purpose and may be erased. However, should the trial notes developed in Step four also produce acceptable counterpoint in whatever idiom is being employed, they may be used for the comple- tion of the canon. 5. For proof that condition (1) in paragraph | is fulfilled, the diagonal intervals throughout the entire canon should be checked. They must all agree. Should it so happen that the diagonal intervals are not all alike, somewhere an error has been made and the resulting structure is in that case not a canon. 346. The abstract canon as developed in paragraph 4 above can be used in all sorts of ways that are limited only by the composer’s imagination and invention. The c. u. may be adjusted to any note value desired. And the canon may be embellished as the composer wishes. Ex. 24 shows two extremely simple treatments. In (b) the notes of the basic abstract canon occur at the beginning of each measure. Ex. 24The numerous techniques of canonic embellishment are treated in more depth and in far greater variety in a later chapter. 7. The five step process demonstrated in paragraph 4 is the same regardless of the interval of the canon and whether P is in 1. v. or u. v. The following problem of a canon at the 7th with P in u. v. and 10 c. u. between the double bars is carried out through the series of steps without comment or explanation. 36Ex. 25 (a) Step one: H R he tt tt 2 (c)_ Step three:(d) Step four: (e) Step five: By means of the suspension resources within D. C. 10, the trial notes in this case could serve to complete the canon in the following manner. Ex. 26 is a reworking of Step five. 8. Ex. 26 Step five reworked:Many contrapuntal situations arise in which Step five be- comes impossible within the 1st Species intervallic restric- tions. When this occurs, correct dissonances provide the only solution. 9. When two or more c. u. in the P precede the entrance of R, Steps four and five must be repeated for each one of these c. u. The problem to be completed is proposed in the usual format: Ex. 27 Since there is no difference between this and the preceding one Cc. u. Canons in carrying out Steps one, two and three, these are now shown simultaneously. Step two Ex. 27 continued fo. eee een ee (a) Steps one, two and three:(b) Step four for 1st c. u.: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 3 é 3 a 3 “= Nn 2 & ® ‘ 3 5 a & o & £ a a gf Ss(e) Step five for 2nd c. u.: The canon is herewith completed, and can be used in any c. u. dimension and omamented as elaborately as may be desired (cf. paragraph 6). The diagonal intervallic check for correctness will now be carried out. as follows (cf. paragraph 5): Ex. 28 10. The method demonstrated above makes certain the successful repeat of any two-part canon regardless of the number of c. u. involved, either before the entrance of the R or between the double bars. 4111. Only one additional observation is in order con- cerning two-part canons with two or more c. u. in the P before the entrance of the R. This has to do with the number of c. u. between the double bars, and has an effect chiefly upon the embellishing of the canon. The number of c. u. between the double bars may be (1) an even multiple of the number of c. u. in the P before the entrance of the R; (2) an odd multiple of the number of c. u. in the : P before the entrance of the R, or less frequently, (3) no multiple of the number of c. u. in the P before the entrance of the R. The canon developed in paragraph 9 is of the first type: 2c. u. before the entrance of the R, and 8 c. u. (4 x 2) between the double bars. An odd multiple would place some number like 10 (5 x 2), 14 (7 x 2), etc. c. u. between the double bars. And, were the canon to be constructed so that no multiple of 2 would be embraced by the double bars, the number of c. u. would then have to be an odd number such as 7, 9, 11, etc. 12. Aside from the embellishment problems that are apt to arise in the second and third types of time span between the double bars (measured in terms of c. u.) mentioned in paragraph 11, a more theoretical difference exists that may pass unnoticed in an analysis of the finished canon. Every canon wherein two or more c. u. precede the entrance of R actually embodies as many one c. u. canons as there are c. u. in the P before R enters. This can be shown by means of the completed canon in Ex. 28 by numbering the two given c. u. in the P before the entrance of R as (1) and (2) respectively and then indicating the two one c. u. canons originating therein by ---~— and -.—-.— as below. 42Ex. 29 pete oe The above diagram shows that when (1) and (2) in P retum before the second double bar they come in the same one c. u. Canons as at the beginning. This would likewise be the case if there were an odd multiple of 2 between the double bars. But, were the number of c. u. between the double bars not a multiple of 2, such as 9, the situation before the second double bar would change since (1) would come in the (2) one c. u. canon and (2) would come in the (1) one c. u. canon. Ex. 30 shows how this operates when the same problem is increased to 9 c. u. between the double bars. Ex. 30The same arithmetical principle of canon dimensions as discussed above is, of course, applicable to whatever number of c. u. there may be either before or between the double bars. Nothing further remains to be said about how a canon repeats. 13. Before ending this chapter it may prove interesting to examine the construction of one canon in The Musical Offering by Bach. Somewhat enigmatic in appearance, it is presented thus: Ex. 31 This is a canon at the 15th, P in u. v. with 4 c. u. (each c. u. being a ) in the P before the entrance of R and with 20 c. u. between the double bars. The obbligato between P and R is a free part and has no bearing on the mechanical structure of the canon. The canon together with the free part is given below in full with each c. u. numbered in both P and R. The free part is written in the treble clef so that it can be read easily at the piano if so desired. 44Ex, 32 (14) (15) (1B) d structure with its trial notes and double counter- Shom of embellishments and without the obbligato, the point calculations appears thus: -note Cc. u. 45@) (0) (1) 12), ay, 15) 6) = See t (27)__(18) (19) _ (20) ie D.C. 11 D.C.9 D.C. 13 D.C. 11 +3 8ves +3 8ves + 2 8ves + 2 8ves Ce 4614. As presented in the printed music the above canon has the double bars come after the first c. u. in the P. Once the canon is completed it is immaterial at what point the double bars are placed since the mechanism repeats automatically. 15. From the principles set forth in this chapter it is possible to reconstruct for analysis purposes any existing two-part canon as well as to solve any repeat problem in an original two-part canon. 47CHAPTER III INVERTIBLE CANON IN TWO PARTS 1. Just as Ex. 1 and Ex. 2 of the Introduction show an invertible two-part counterpoint and illustrate its inter vallic construction, so can an invertible two-part canon be written. Such a mechanism, which yields two two-part canons, involves the simultaneous operation of three D. C. inversions: (1) the interval in which the canon inverts, (2) the inversion within which the upper two-part canon repeats, and (3) the inversion within which the lower two-part canon repeats. For an elementary problem: compose a canon at the 6th, P in 1. v. with 1 c. u. before the entrance of R and 8c. u. between the double bars, invertible in D. C. 12, thereby producing a canon at the 7th with P inu. v. Ex, 34 Inversion at D.C. 122. Ex. 35 shows the usual procedure, as established in paragraph 4 of Chapter II, carried through Step four in both canons at the same time. Ex, 35 Inversion at D.C. 12 In every invertible canon the sum of the D. C. inversions within which the two canons repeat is equal to twice the interval in which the canon is inverted, in the present case 13 + 11 = 12 x2. 3. While intervals within a D. C. inversion are added as shown in paragraph 3 of Chapter I, the D. C. inversions are added according to the usual arithmetic. The two kinds of addition that become an integral element of every inver- tible canon should not be too confusing once the process is understood. 494. Step five can now be carried out to complete the canons. But, before doing so, review the S.——, $.---->, and T.----> resources within the three D. C. inversions involved, as given in the Table of Inversions in paragraph 7 of Chapter I. Ex. 36 shows Step five executed in both canons, that is above and below the P, without further explanation. Ex. 36 Original canon Inversion at D.C. 12 *) See footnote concerningi____ito Table of Inversions in Chapter I. 5. When suitably embellished and performed separately as — perhaps — different sections of a larger composition, the two canons developed above within the Double Counter- point technique might appear as shown below. Although the two canons are worked out simultaneously, the har monic effect can be quite, and even surprisingly, unlike. This can be heard by comparing (a) and (b) of Ex. 37. 50Ex. 376. In a little vocal canon by Haydn the R together with its inversion (or more correctly, displacement) are used at once. The displacement is made in D. C. 3 (D. C. 10-8), so that the R is sung below P in parallel 3rds throughout the entire canon. (See Ex. 7 in paragraph 7 of the introduc- tion.) Technically this can be described as a canon at the 3nd, P in u. v. with 2 c. u. ( 2) before the entrance of R and 24 c. u. between the double bars; and with the R dis- placed in D. C. 3. As is the case in the Bach canon quoted in Ex. 31 in Chapter Il, the double bars for use in perfor- mance are not placed where the double bars for calculating the repeat would normally appear. It is being left to the Student to reconstruct the compositional processes and D. C. calculations through which this canon was evolved. 52“¢Mg $23-gos9 suaq-e7 suas - =f a Hep E. ~ —— | £°D ‘a 8 paomdstp a WW san oun “mg $a3-gou: -— : nd) 219013 seq Ex. 38Upon the completion of the analytical reconstruction, it may be just a trifle disappointing to realize that Haydn seems to avoid any really challenging D. C. problems by means of repeated notes and rests. 7. The above is not a three-part canon! It is a two-part canon with the R doubled through vertical displacement in D.C. 3.CHAPTER IV THE SPIRAL CANON-CANONIC RECURRENCE 1. The so-called Spiral Canon is simply a form of the two-part canon as already discussed in Chapter II. The only difference is that in a Spiral Canon the repeat takes Place at a pitch other than that at which the original entries of P and R occur. There are two general categories of the Spiral Canon: those in which the repeat is (1) on another degree of the scale within the same key, and (2) on the corresponding scale degree in another key. The latter type is the more common. An example of each is shown below. Ex. 39—————EE A-flat maj. = G-sharp maj. In (a) the repeat automatically occurs a 3rd higher for as many times as the canon is continued. In (b) the repeat will be each time in the key a major 3rd higher than ‘the preceding one so long as the canon is carried on; in this case the series being C major, E major, G-sharp (enhar- monically A-flat) major and C major one octave higher than at the beginning. Naturally, the proper accidentals must be inserted to modulate satisfactorily into each subse- quent recurrence of P and R. 2. Thus, by inserting different accidentals, the above canon could be adjusted to modulate upward by minor 3rds from C major through E-flat major, G-flat (enharmonically F-sharp) major, A major and back into C major one octave higher. 56 etc.G-flat maj. = F-sharp maj. The illustrations in Ex. 3b) and Ex. 40 happen to involve major keys. Minor keys are, of course, equally usable. 3. Modulating canons (type (2) mentioned in paragraph 1 above) can spiral in any of the following intervals and return to the original key one octave higher or lower: (1) minor 2nd, up or down (4) major 3rd, up or down (2) major 2nd, up or down (5) augmented 4th, up or down (3) minor 3rd, up or down (6) 8ve, up or down Spiralling by any other interval—the perfect 4th or any interval greater than the augmented 4th, except the Sve—it is impossible to retum to the original key within one, octave above or below. 57 etc.4. When the canon is at some interval other than the octave or unison, the insertion of accidentals to effect a smooth modulation can present problems. In Ex. 41 a canon at the 5th, P in u. v. with 3c. u. before the entrance of R, spirals downward by minor 2nds. etc. By reducing the c. u. from o to @ and grouping them in three-beat measures, the above canon could appear for practical performance purposes thus: 58As a duet for two violins through the entire cycle of 12 keys, it would be expedient to begin an octave higher and end with a short coda thus: Ex. 43 Allegretto ge oT fea Violin I Violin II60F-sharp maj 6162oe C-sharp NS5. Except for Step one, the process for constructing the repeat of the spiral is the same as shown for the two-part canon in Chapter Il. The illustrations that follow show the Steps in the construction of the model in Ex. 39-40. Step one: Copy in at the desired pitch and after the number of c. u. that are required for each section of the spiralling canon mechanism whatever c. u. appear in both the P and the R at the beginning of the canon. Ex, 44 Step two: Block off twice as many c. u. as come in P before the return of R. (cf. Ex. 19 in Chapter Il.) Ex. 45Steps three, four, and five: Ex. 46 9 + 8=D.C. 16 (D.C. 9+8) > : 9 + 5=D.C. 13 The accidentals can now be added, as in Ex. 3b) and Ex. 40, and all subsequent repetitions will occur auto- matically however long the canon may be continued (cf. Ex. 41—43.), 6. A Spiral Canon by Bach in The Musical Offering appears under the title ‘‘Canon a 2. per tonos’’ thus: 65Ex. 47 Written out in full, the above canon together with the obbligato against which it is played appears as follows: Ex. 48ObbligatoThe basic canon, stripped of its embellishments and divorced from its accompanying obbligato, is given with all of the D. C. calculations required for the repeat a major 2nd higher in Ex. 49. To say the least, it is proof of Bach’s uncanny ability that he could embellish such an unlikely looking and intrinsically static canon into such beautiful and artistically successful music. His use of the rest eliminated one D. C. problem at the end. In a few instances the embellishing notes become both harmonically functional and omamental, and are inserted in parenthesis. Ex. 49 —A confusing aspect of this canon in its original printed form is that the R cannot apply the accidentals literally since B-flat must be answered by F-natural and B-natural must be answered by F-sharp if the resulting harmony is to make sense. The entire key sequence is C minor, D minor, E minor, F-sharp minor, G-sharp minor, A-sharp minor (enharmonically B-flat minor) and back to C minor one octave higher than the beginning. The canon operates at the perfect 5th throughout. 69THE CANONIC RECURRENCE 7. The same technical process that makes possible the Spiral Canon also enables a composer to bring in the original canon theme at whatever pitch he may desire at any pre-determined point within the form. One modest illustration will suffice. A typical problem would be to compose a canon with the original P theme brought in at the specific points indicated: Steps two, three, four and five as required to bring in each recurrence of the original theme, indicated by_.—._, are completed in Ex. 51 without further explanation. It will be 70noted that the D. C. calculation process as employed here is exactly the same as that by which a Spiral Canon is solved. Ex. 51 6) ©) 0) ® Q®M ®@ ® 4 P = D.C. 26 (D.C. 1242 Bved) 8 + 10=D Fee sb rote 8. The artistic possibilities of the Canonic Recurrence technique in a systematically planned and well executed form are limited only by the inventive skill and creative 71imagination of the composer. A simple embellishment of the canon developed above may point the way to this kind of musical composition. Ex, 52 Allegretto2BCHAPTER V CANON IN CONTRARY MOTION 1. A canon is in Contrary Motion when the P and R progress by the same melodic intervals, but in the opposite direction. Ex. 53 *) In repeated notes no element of melodic direction in the present sense is involved. 2. An elementary problem could be set up and stated as follows: Complete the following Canon in Contrary Motion. Fx. 54 *) Ina canon in contrary motion the ‘‘c’’ interval is not televant in the same way that it has functioned in the pre- ceding chapters, and will not be indicated in the present chapter. 74To effect a satisfactory repeat, proceed thus: 3. As in step one in paragraph 4 of Chapter Il. Step one: See Ex. 18. Ex. 55 The same as step two in paragraph 4 of Chapter Step two: Il. See Ex. 19. Ex. 56Step three: Continue P and R in contrary motion until the former comes up to the blocked-off portion, and the latter extends into it (cf. Ex. 20). Step four: Tie over both P and R to a trial note x, and place in a vertical alignment the interval between x and R above the interval between P and x. Ex. 58Extend this pair of intervals into a series to the right by reducing each number by 1 until the smaller figures reach 1, and to the left by increasing each number by 1 as far as may be desired. “4B i w98765 4 <— et TT 7 654327 N. B. Such a series of vertically aligned intervals does not represent double counterpoint, and has no relation to the Table of Inversions in Chapter I. Step five: Select a suitable pair of intervals from the above series and complete the canon. 4. When two or more c. u. in the P precede the entrance of R, the five step process as demonstrated above is carried out for each c. u. separately. Without further expla- 71nation steps four and five are shown below in Ex. 60(a) (a) Steps four and five for first c.u.: and (b) as they were applied in the construction of the canon in Ex. 53 in paragraph 1. Ex. 60 (b) Steps four and five for second’c. u.:5. Under Step four in paragraph 3 the instructions say that the pair of vertically aligned intervals resulting from the trial notes (x) are to become part of a series that is to be extended ‘‘to the right by reducing each number by 1 until the smaller figures reach 1.’? In most cases this is quite sufficient. But, in a close canon it may become necessary to continue the series beyond 1 into minus (-) intervals. In Ex. 6] the trial notes (x) produce minus (—) intervals so that the series must be extended right to give additional minus intervals and left in order to arrive at 1. The following shows only the canon as completed with Step five. 7996. Embellishments for a canon in contrary motion will, as is the canon itself, likewise be in contrary motion. This applies to chromaticized notes as well as to diatonic ones. Ex. 62 provides an extremely simple treatment of the canon in Ex. 59. Ex. 62It may be very difficult, if not outright impossible, to say with any degree of certainty what the duration of the original c. u. is once a canon is embellished. It could be argued quite convincingly that in the above canon the cu = , with 4c. u. in the P before the entrance of R in the event that Ex. 59 were not in existence to support the fact that structurally the canon operates by | c. u. per measure. 7. A rather interesting canon in contrary motion by exact intervallic imitation appears in The Musical Offering by Bach under the caption, ‘CANON a 2. Quaerando in- venietis.’’, with no point indicated for the entrance of R: Ex. 63 Bach 8. The canon is calculated in the key of F major. It does not follow that it ‘‘sounds” in F major. Nor does it follow that it ‘‘looks’’ like F major. By aligning vertically the F major scale against itself in contrary motion, taking the 2nd degree of the scale as the originating point, it can be seen how the corresponding notes in P and R are derived. That is, the notes that are vertically aligned in the following diagram provide the corresponding notes that will occur diagonally in P and R in the canon. Chro- maticized notes used in the canon have black noteheads. 81Ex. 65The relationship of the above canon to the diagram in Ex. 64 will be seen at a glance when the R is placed directly below the P so that the corresponding notes are aligned vertically. The notes so aligned vertically will correspond without exception to those in Ex. 64. Ex. 66 9. In order to reconstruct the repeat calculations a slightly different format will be helpful (cf. Ex. 31-33 in Chapter Il). When the first double bar is placed immediately before the entrance of R in the usual way, it becomes clear that 10 c. u. come in the P before R enters, and 60 c. u. separate the double bars. The c. u.= @ » and all c. u. in P and R are numbered so that they may be readily matched with the diagram in Ex. 64. Ex. 67 shows the completed canon with steps four and five carried out for each of the 10 c. u. without further explanation or comment. Half-notes are rewritten as tied quarter-notes for c. u. identification. 84From the numerical information contained in the preceding diagram the reconstructing of the repeat through the 10 c. u. should present no problem. However, two ef the series combinations may seem a bit confusing because of ‘the embellishments until they are thought out completely: (36) _ (6) and (57) _ (7) ( 56) (47), (57) 10. The Bach canon examined in Ex. 63-67 is in exact contrary motion in one key with odd-numbered diagonal intervals. On the other hand, the little canon developed in Ex. 54—59 is in exact contrary motion in one key with even-numbered diagonal intervals, operating diatonically in the key of C major. This possibility exists when the major scale is set against itself in contrary motion with the two lines originating on the fifth and sixth degrees of the scale respectively. Ex. 68 demonstrates how this situation comes about. Ex. 68 SSS VI v LEE When the P and R in Ex. 59 are aligned vertically as in Ex. 66 it will be seen at a glance how this principle works to generate the melodic lines. ll. The chromaticized notes in Ex. 68 correspond to those suggested in Ex. 62, being simply an embellished version of the canon in Ex. 59. The student may wish to experiment with still more extensive and imaginative use of accidentals in this otherwise extremely simple canon. 8612. A Canon in exact contrary motion can be constructed with even more interest when the P and R are calculated in two different keys. The final canon in The Musical Offering by Bach, No. 6 captioned ‘‘Canon perpetuus,”” is so written. The P, assigned to the flute, is calculated in D-flat major while the R, given to the violin, is struc- turally derived from the key of D major. The beginning of the composition, which has a subjoined continuo part (not included herewith), appears thus: Ex. 69 By aligning vertically in contrary motion the scales of D-flat and D with the intervening chromaticized notes, beginning on the second degree of the scale (cf. Ex. 64), and then aligning the P and R likewise (cf. Ex. 66), the entire bi-tonal concept becomes apparent at once. Both of these theoretical structural alignments are given with no further comment in Ex. 70, but in the latter the chro- maticized notes are indicated by ‘‘x.’’ The music, despite its bi-tonal origin, ‘‘sounds’”’ in C minor with numerous and varied transient modulatory effects. 871) 8ve higher than in above diagram 2) 8ve lower than in above diagram This closing movement of The Musical Offering is not, strictly speaking, a canon because the normal repeat pro- cess is not present. More correctly, it consists of two different canons so smoothly spliced together at measures 18 and 20, and again at the repeat, that it would take a keen listener to notice what actually takes place. The second canon reassigns the P and R themes and is calcu- lated in the keys of A-flat and A major respectively. In the most rigid sense of the word, this movement can be thought of as a very skillfully wrought canonic fraud. 13. Contrary motion canons can be developed in this way from any desired pair of major keys. Contrary motion canons in exact intervallic imitation cannot originate in minor keys, but can easily be made to ‘‘sound”’ in a minor key resulting from the fusion of two major keys. 88