domenico scarlatti was the master of counterpoint and of the baroque musical style.
master of counterpoint and of the baroque musical style?
domenico scarlatti
italy's musical contributions in the 17th century were amongst its greatest, including the invention of the piano in 1700, creation of new forms of the violin, and great contributions to opera, invented in italy (florence) in the 16th century, and the beginning of baroque music in the country. during the 17th century, both opera and baroque musical styles were developed. church music was popular in this time, especially sponsored by the religiously-run musical academies and conservatories in naples, the main centre of musical education along the peninsula. opera composers at the time include claudio monteverdi. in the late-17th century, cremona-based luthier antonio stradivari developed the classical violin, then called the stradivarius after his name, and in 1700, bartolomeo cristofori invented the piano in florence, tuscany.
seicento
as in his other works, schenker is highly critical in "counterpoint" of many of his theoretical predecessors, and of pedagogical methods then (and still) prevalent. in particular, he opposes the idea (promulgated by riemann and others) that the purpose of contrapuntal studies is to acquire the skill of creating polyphonic textures in works of free composition (e.g. the writing of inventions and fugues). rather, on schenker's view, counterpoint (the "pure theory of voice-leading") is entirely distinct from the "theory of composition", just as it is also distinct from the theory of scale-steps, or harmony. it is of interest to note that, although many of schenker's ideas have had a widespread influence on present-day music theorists, his views on pedagogy and the nature of contrapuntal studes have not prevailed: the word "counterpoint", as used in most universities and conservatories, continues to refer to courses that teach the student to imitate renaissance or baroque musical surfaces, and "harmony" courses continue to be concerned with exercises in voice-leading.
counterpoint (schenker)