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A large encyclopedic dictionary of what counterpoint is, what it means and how to spell it correctly. Meaning of the word counterpoint In screen arts

A large encyclopedic dictionary of what counterpoint is, what it means and how to spell it correctly. Meaning of the word counterpoint In screen arts

17.07.2019

What is "COUNTERPOINT"? What is the correct spelling of this word. Concept and interpretation.

COUNTERPOINT the art of simultaneously combining several melodic lines. In the history of music, the term "counterpoint" is applied in a special sense to a style that arose in the 14th century. and who replaced the so-called. treble 13th c. In a broader and generally accepted sense, the term counterpoint is used in characterizing the music of all subsequent eras. The term "polyphony" is largely synonymous with the term "counterpoint", it is also often characterized by musical compositions written using counterpoint. The first flowering of the contrapuntal style falls on the 16th century. The choral compositions of Palestrina (c. 1525-1594) are considered to be its peak, although in Palestrina and even earlier one can see (taking into account the so-called passing notes) elements of harmonic writing. When composing in a contrapuntal style, the composer faces the problem of combining individual voices (vocal or instrumental parts) so that they contrast rhythmically with each other and that each of them has its own melodic appearance. Thus, if each voice is melodically interesting, none of them can be dominant, as opposed to a "solo" voice in a homophonic style. Although Palestrina's skill in composing unaccompanied contrapuntal works for choir remained unsurpassed, the mastery of counterpoint reached the second peak in the instrumental and choral works of J.S. Bach (1685-1750). Bach's counterpoint relies on a more developed harmonic system and is distinguished by greater freedom of melodic lines. In Bach, the harmonic framework of counterpoint is especially noticeable in the part of the "figured bass" (basso continuo), performed on the organ or on the clavier. Counterpoint in the 20th century P. Hindemith (1895-1963) came to the conclusion that counterpoint in the previous three and a half centuries turned out to be too closely connected with the harmonic basis, which prevented the development and individualization of individual voices. Hindemith's "Linear Counterpoint" is in a certain sense a return to the pre-Palestrian style, although in terms of the use of dissonances this style is quite modern. According to Hindemith, the dissonant, conflicting correlation of parts makes the listener perceive them as independent lines - in contrast to counterpoint, which is based on traditional harmony. This theory is contradicted by the fact that, abandoning traditional harmony, the composer builds his style not on arbitrarily chosen interval relationships, but on his own system of dissonant harmony. Consequently, the listener's perception still turns out to be tied to the harmonic basis. types of counterpoint. The doctrine of counterpoint is an important branch of music theory. When teaching this art, separate types of counterpoint are distinguished. According to the classification of I.J. Fuks (1660-1741), the difficulties of composing and combining independent melodic lines are overcome in five stages. The first is "note against note" (lat. punctum contra punctum, from which the word "counterpoint" comes from): here the rhythm of the "added voice" (counterposition) is identical to the rhythm of the main voice (cantus firmus). The second stage consists in composing two notes of opposition to one note of the canthus; the third stage is in composing four notes for one note of the canthus. At the fourth stage, syncopations are introduced (usually these are detentions); at the fifth stage, the composition becomes freer. In so-called. strict counterpoint, an attempt to compose according to the norms of the 16th century. often combined with the use of old church modes. Free contrapuntal writing is based more on the patterns of major-minor than on modes, and unlike strict counterpoint, there are modulations, a developed harmonic basis and more dissonant passing notes. LITERATURE Kurt E. Fundamentals of linear counterpoint. M., 1931 Protopopov V.V. A History of Polyphony, vol. 1-5. M., 1962-1987

COUNTERPOINT- COUNTERPOINT, Tsa, m. In music: the simultaneous movement of several independent melodies, voices, about ... Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary

COUNTERPOINT- (it. Contrapunto, German Contrapunkt, French Contrepoint) - a combination of several melodic self ... Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron

COUNTERPOINT- (German Kontrapunkt, from Latin punctum contra punctum, literally - dot against dot) in music ...

punctum contra punctum, punctus contra punctum- note against note, literally - dot vs dot listen)) - originally in music: the simultaneous combination of two or more independent melodic voices. The musical term "counterpoint" (metonymically) is now also used by literary critics, art critics and journalists to define two or more simultaneously occurring events.

Music

Counterpoint is the simultaneous combination of two or more independent melodic voices. counterpoint also called the musical-theoretical discipline concerned with the study of contrapuntal compositions, now polyphony. Counterpoint was created as a pedagogical tool with which students could compose musical compositions with a gradual increase in complexity. Part of these compositions was the unchangeable cantus firmus(literally "hard" chant). The idea appeared no later than 1532, when Giovanni Maria Lanfranco described a similar concept in his work Scintilla di Musica(Brescia, 1533). In the 16th century, the Venetian theorist Josephfo Zarlino developed the ideas of counterpoint in his composition "Le institutioni harmoniche", and the first detailed description of counterpoint appeared in 1619 in the work Ludovica Zacconi "Prattica di Musica". Zacconi supplemented counterpoint with several techniques, such as "counterpoint inversion" [ ] .

In 1725, the Austrian composer Johann Joseph Fuchs published a theoretical work Gradus ad Parnassum("Steps to Parnassus"), where he described five types of counterpoint:

note against note;
two notes against one;
four notes against one;
notes are offset relative to each other (syncoping);
a mixture of the previous four approaches.

The contrapuntal style in music is most clearly represented in the choral works of Palestrina (c. 1525-1594) and in the instrumental and choral works of J. S. Bach (1685-1750).

In screen arts

In film, television, counterpoint- meaningful opposition or comparison of sound and image. Opposite synchronous- varieties of video material, where the image and sound correspond to one spatio-temporal situation (most often an interview episode - the viewer sees a person and hears noises and speech synchronized with the image, recorded in the same place and at the same time when the conversation takes place). Counterpoint can create image and noise, image and music. Especially striking is the counterpoint, in which one semantic layer (image) contrasts with another (sound). An example is a video image of a military parade followed by a comical circus march.

In popular culture

Can musical counterpoint make you laugh?

There are many ways to save a joke. Let's say your irreplaceable actor doesn't demonstrate his humorous potential, so the witticism he delivers seems unbearable. What to do? Life hack: change the rhythm of the cue - the faster, the funnier. If this does not help, then chop, shred, cut the material on the installation in all possible ways. So you give one joke lightness.

Or turn up the music like James Gunn does in Guardians of the Galaxy.

What did the creators of "Guardians" (which should include the authors of the comics Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning) do? They took the canon and turned it inside out. Here the background music does not dramatize, but on the contrary, mocks the rules. Remember beginning of the first part: the death of Peter Quill's mother, the near future, a gloomy planet, pathos music by Tyler Bates. A dark character in a scary helmet makes his way along the paths. Everything seems to be going as expected, according to Hollywood clichés. And even when we find out that this is a grown up Quill, we are not ready for the fact that he will turn on his Walkman and dance "Come and Get Your Love" to Redbone.

This is usually how villains behave. But the simpleton played by Chris Pratt does not fit the mold of an antagonist. It is worth adding here that in the Guardians of the Galaxy universe there is not a single unambiguously positive character, but this is so, by the way.

Under Blue Swede "Hooked on a Feeling" the main characters get acquainted with the delights of prison life. James Gunn, as a "watched" and "heard" director, could not help but know that the same song sounds in Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs. Because of this, in this case, it gives the story an even more criminal coloring and once again adds parody and absurdity. This is again about the important role of context.

In the second part, Gunn went into all serious trouble with his hands untied, abandoning the composer in principle (where he was lacking, he wrote the music himself and even created a separate track for the credits). The very first battle "for batteries" takes place under the frivolous song of the Electric Light Orchestra "Mr. Blue Sky".

ELO original composition "Mr. blue sky"

As the heroes fly to the living planet Ego, we hear George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord". "Well, Harrison and Harrison, what's wrong with that?" - an unprepared viewer can say. But you and I know that the deceased ex-Beatle and the concept of "ego" are incompatible things. Therefore, we can prepare for the fact that it will not be easy for everyone in the new place. This is no longer just musical counterpoint, but something associative.

Is there visual counterpoint?

Of course it does. Only James Gunn uses it in a completely hooligan way. There is such an exercise for students of editing directors (or just directors) - "Event in the background." The bottom line is to capture an event that occurs at a distance from the shooting point. Now remember the first part of "Guardians", namely the scene in which the characters discuss the escape plan. Groot moves out of focus into the background and does what others are only talking about. Funny? I think there is a humorous element. Can this be included in the concept of "counterpoint"? It seems so, but how to call such an opposition of talking heroes and one smart tree that has gone out of focus?

Let's go back to the first battle in the new Guardians of the Galaxy, during which the opening credits roll on top of everything. The battle is epic, but it takes place in the background out of focus, because we are constantly looking at Baby Groot, who, instead of taking at least some part in the fight, connects the player to the speakers and starts dancing. Funny? At least it's more than witty.

The thing is that the whole, absolutely the whole world of "Guardians of the Galaxy" is built on counterpoints. On musical, audiovisual, visual, moral, physical - whatever. Everything goes ahead of expectations and against generally accepted morality. You can’t, for example, a guy beat a girl (Peter Quill does exactly this with Gamora in the first part), you can’t throw raccoons, you can’t “stroke a dog”, you can’t let Stallone into the frame even for a minute of screen time. Inside each of the characters sits a small counterpoint, with which the characters fight, which creates an element of comedy. This is especially evident in the sequel, which is loaded with ambiguities to the eyeballs. Even the funeral of one of the heroes here is accompanied by fireworks and fireworks.

Another example of counterpoint in Guardians of the Galaxy

As a result, from such escapes beyond the boundaries of the outlined circle that film experts (or simply the history of cinema) drew, specific humor is born, which, judging by the second week of rental in the United States, the audience is ready to accept and want to see. The main thing is that the template break does not become the template itself, otherwise it will not be funny.

punctum contra punctum, punctus contra punctum - note against note, literally - dot vs dot) - a simultaneous combination of two or more independent melodic voices. "Counterpoint" was also called the musical-theoretical discipline that deals with the study of contrapuntal compositions (now polyphony). The musical term "counterpoint" (metonymically) is now used by literary critics, art critics and journalists.

In screen arts

In cinema, television - a meaningful opposition or comparison of sound and image. Opposite synchronous- varieties of video material, where the image and sound correspond to one spatio-temporal situation (most often an interview episode - the viewer sees a person and hears noises and speech synchronized with the image, recorded in the same place and at the same time when the conversation takes place). Counterpoint can create image and noise, image and music. Especially striking is the counterpoint, in which one semantic layer (image) contrasts with another (sound). An example is a video image of a military parade followed by a comical circus march.

In literature

In literature - the opposition of several storylines.

Counterpoint in the 20th century

P. Hindemith (1895-1963) came to the conclusion that counterpoint in the previous three and a half centuries turned out to be too closely connected with the harmonic basis, which prevented the development and individualization of individual voices. Hindemith's "linear counterpoint" is in a certain sense a return to the pre-Palestrian style, although in terms of the use of dissonances this style is quite modern. According to Hindemith, the dissonant, conflicting correlation of parts makes the listener perceive them as independent lines - in contrast to counterpoint, which is based on traditional harmony. This theory is contradicted by the fact that, abandoning traditional harmony, the composer builds his style not on arbitrarily chosen interval relationships, but on his own system of dissonant harmony. Consequently, the listener's perception still turns out to be tied to the harmonic basis.

types of counterpoint.

The doctrine of counterpoint is an important branch of music theory. When teaching this art, separate types of counterpoint are distinguished. According to the classification of I.J. Fuks (1660–1741), the difficulties of composing and combining independent melodic lines are overcome in five stages. The first is “note against note” (lat. punctum contra punctum, from which the word “counterpoint” comes from): here the rhythm of the “added voice” (counterposition) is identical to the rhythm of the main voice (cantus firmus) . The second stage consists in composing two notes of opposition to one note of the canthus; the third stage is in composing four notes for one note of the canthus. At the fourth stage, syncopations are introduced (usually these are detentions); at the fifth stage, the composition becomes freer.

In the so-called. strict counterpoint, an attempt to compose according to the norms of the 16th century. often combined with the use of old church modes. Free contrapuntal writing is based more on the patterns of major-minor than on modes, and unlike strict counterpoint, there are modulations, a developed harmonic basis and more dissonant passing notes.