The 20th century counterpoint — the Open System

Abstract

Counterpoint in the music of the twentieth century has acquired a whole range  of new properties. The qualitative transformation of counterpoint in the music of  the twentieth century is based on one of the general laws of modern harmony — the principle of free dissonance. The article discusses the history and essence of  the “dissonant counterpoint” concept. Free dissonance in counterpoint is explored  as a new expressive resource of polyphony, which can possess different semantic  interpretations and compositional functions. The qualitative characteristics  of the modern counterpoint depends on a wide range of sound parameters:  timbre, dynamics, agogics, texture, tempo (in contrast to classical counterpoint).  The author defines the general properties of counterpoint in the music of  the twentieth century, the most important of which is the subordination of  counterpoint in a particular work to the author’s method of composition (newly  invented or formed from an arsenal of available techniques). In the conclusion,  the article touches upon the issue of the widespread use of the counterpoint logic  in various arts and the inclusion of non-musical components in musical works.  The basic foundation of such syntheses is the principle of montage.