Counterpoint Examples: 20th Century Concert

There was a significant swing of the pendulum back to more linear music in the 1900’s, along with more dissonance and experimentation. Bartok, Hindemith, Stravinsky, Schoenberg, and many other composers wrote in an updated contrapuntal style.

Max Reger (1873-1916)

6 Preludes and Fugues, Op. 99, No. 4, Mvt. II. Fuge (1907) (Piano) [PDF] [YouTube]

Ferruccio Busoni (1866-1924)

Fantasia Contrappuntistica, BV 256, Fugue II (Piano) [PDF] [YouTube] begin at 14:17, end at 20:11

Darius Milhaud (1892-1974)

Le Printemps, Book 1, Op. 25 No. 2 Souple (1920) (Piano) [PDF] [YouTube] begin at 2:51, end at 4:09

Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)

Sonata for Violin and Cello, M. 73 Mvt. 3, Lent (fugue) (Violin, Cello) [YouTube] begin at 7:58, end at 14:52

Béla Bartók (1881-1945)

Mikrokosmos, Book 2, No. 60 Canon with Sustained Notes (Piano) [PDF] [YouTube] begin at 39:12, end at 39:56
Mikrokosmos, Book 3, No. 91 Chromatic Invention 1 (Piano) [PDF] [YouTube] begin at 1:05:53, end at 1:07:23
Mikrokosmos, Book 4, No. 101 Diminished Fifth (Piano) [PDF] [YouTube] begin at 1:16:40, end at 1:17:54
Mikrokosmos, Book 6, No. 145a Chromatic Invention 3a (Piano) [PDF] [YouTube] begin at 2:15:50, end at 2:16:59
Mikrokosmos, Book 6, No. 145b Chromatic Invention 3b (Piano) [PDF] [YouTube] begin at 2:17:02, end at 2:19:20
Concerto for Orchestra (brass fugato) (Orchestra) [YouTube] begin at 7:12, end at 8:10

Paul Hindemith (1895-1963)

Fuga 2 in G (Gay) (Piano) [PDF] [YouTube] begin at 9:14, end at 10:48
Fuga 5 in E (Fast) (Piano) [PDF] [YouTube] begin at 21:15, end at 22:35
Six Chansons, A Swan (Choral) [YouTube] begin at 1:22, end at 3:27

Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)

Double Canon for String Quartet (1959) (String Quartet) [PDF] [YouTube]
Symphony of Psalms, Mvt II, (Double Fugue) (Orchestra) [PDF] [YouTube] begin at 3:23, end at 10;04

Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951)

Suite for String Orchestra in G Major, Overture (fugue)(String Orchestra) [YouTube] beginning to 6:06
Pierrot Lunaire No. 18. Der Mondfleck (Chamber Ensemble) [YouTube] begin at 28:54, end at 29:42

Anton Webern (1883-1945)

Variations for Piano, Op. 27, No. 2 (Piano) [PDF] [YouTube]

Ruth Crawford Seeger (1901-1953)

Sonata for Violin and Piano, Mvt. 2 (1926) (Violin/Piano) [YouTube] begin at 5:11, end at 8:20

Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975)

Preludes and Fugues for Piano, Op. 87, Fugue No. 6 in B Minor (1951) (Piano) [YouTube] begin at 9:17, end at 12:55
Preludes and Fugues for Piano, Op. 87, Fugue No. 23 in F (1951) (Piano) [YouTube] begin at 41:50 to end

Benjamin Britten (1913-1976)

The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, Op. 34, Fugue (Orchestra) [YouTube] begin at 14:27 to end

Elliott Carter (1908-2012)

Piano Sonata, Movement II, Allegro giusto (1946) (Piano) [YouTube] begin at 14:14, end at 18:08

Samuel Barber (1910-1981)

Piano Sonata in E-flat minor, Op. 26, Movement IV, Fuga (1949) (Piano) [YouTube]

Gyorgy Ligeti (1923-2006)

Musica ricercata. Number VII, Cantabile, molto legato Piano (Piano) [PDF] [YouTube] begin at 11:39, end at 14:30
Musica ricercata. Number XI, Andante misurato e tranquillo Piano (Piano) [PDF] [YouTube] begin at 18:54 to end

John Cage (1912-1992)

Sonatas and Interludes for Prepared Piano, Sonata V (Piano) [YouTube]
Living Room Music (Assorted Noise Makers) [YouTube]