Classical Harmony and Counterpoint: Intermediate Music Theory

To truly understand the depth of classical music composition, you must look beyond basic major and minor chords. This text-based course guides you through the intricate harmonic and melodic techniques that defined the Classical era of music theory. You will build a strong foundation in advanced voice leading and chromatic harmony, enabling you to analyze masterworks and write your own classical-style themes and variations. What you'll learn: - Understand the foundational voice-leading rules and part-writing conventions of the Classical style. - Analyze chromatic chords, including the Neapolitan sixth and various augmented sixth chords. - Master the mechanics of chromatic modulation to transition smoothly between distant keys. - Apply counterpoint principles to create engaging, independent melodic lines. - Structure a complete theme and variations project using traditional formal designs. - Analyze historical musical scores to identify harmonic progressions and formal structures. The course begins with a review of diatonic harmony and voice-leading fundamentals before introducing advanced chromatic structures and modulatory techniques. You will progress from analyzing written chord progressions to drafting a complete classical theme with variations through step-by-step written exercises. This course is designed for musicians, students, and aspiring composers who have a basic grasp of music theory and want to expand their harmonic vocabulary. Start your journey into classical composition and deepen your musical understanding today.