Canonic utilities

[Anders Hedelin]

The harmony of the common practice period is still very much in use today, so we are still in those times and the practice is not quaint, in my opinion. I sing in an amateur chorus and see a lot of dreadful voice leading in contemporary pieces, though, so I'm not sure it's being taught that much.

I think the adage "you need to learn the rules before you can break them" is still a good one.

Did I say anything that contradicted what you are saying?
Because I agree with all that you say. Me neither would stick the label 'quaint' to an understanding of traditional music.

[motet]

I seem to keep misreading you; sorry again.

[BuonTempi]

I sing in an amateur chorus and see a lot of dreadful voice leading in contemporary pieces

Ever sung any of Bach's Tenor lines?

And as I commented elsewhere recently: When I write one parallel fifth; it's a naive mistake. When MacMillan does a whole bunch, it's an 'innovative technique evoking organum'.

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I jest, of course. Though Eric Whitacre is on record as saying as "without consecutives, he'd be out of business".

[Anders Hedelin]

Well, perhaps not that innovative anymore. Ever since Debussy composers have explored the possibilities of consecutive fifths.
Two examples from Debussy's La cathédrale engloutie, the second clearly alluding to parallel organum:

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Debussy 2.JPG (27.27 KiB) Viewed 2510 times

Second movement of Bartók's second piano concerto:

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Would the plugin have spotted these, I wonder?

[BuonTempi]

Well, indeed. Vaughan-Williams is full of them in his Tallis Fantasia; though of course not in his hymn tunes.

Apropos of nothing, I'm currently reading Bernstein's superb analysis of Debussy in his lecture series "The Unanswered Question".

[David Ward]

An interesting example of parallel motion is at the opening of the 5th door in Bartok's Bluebeard's Castle. All the instruments of the huge full orchestra, amplified further by eight extra brass and organ, are moving fff in parallel major triads. This brilliantly evokes the vastly overblown tawdriness (or worse) of Bluebeard's domains as revealed when the door is opened.

[Anders Hedelin]

Apropos of nothing, I'm currently reading Bernstein's superb analysis of Debussy in his lecture series "The Unanswered Question".

Apropos your "apropos of nothing", I watched the fourth of Bernstein's lectures at Harvard on YouTube - The Delights and Dangers of Ambiguity (I'm guessing that's the one you refer to?). Well, who else could have made as brilliant a lecture as that!? The whole series is a treasure, uncannily inspiring.

[BuonTempi]

Yes. I have the book of the text, with musical examples. It's so insightful.

[Anders Hedelin]

Just for the fans of parallel motion, here are two more examples of a slightly obsessive character, the first with major ninths, the second with major sevenths:

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Scriabin 2.JPG (42.78 KiB) Viewed 2455 times

There wouldn't be a plugin to detect these, but there actually exists a utility to create them, transposing a melody, say up a major ninth, and keeping the original pitches as well. Very useful I would say.