Posted February 2002; updated 13 July 2010; latest update 2 August 2010.
The exam is designed to test knowledge and skills in undergraduate counterpoint, equivalent to University of Texas-Austin courses MUS 325L (16th century counterpoint) and MUS 325M (18th century counterpoint). The syllabus for 325L, fall 2009, is available at 325L syllabus. The syllabus for 325M, spring 2006, is available at 325M syllabus.
The exam has been completely rewritten as of July 2010, but the content tested remains the same. The exam lasts an hour (though most students should be able to finish it in much less time than that). There are two sections: 16th century counterpoint (18 points); 18th century counterpoint (10 points). Each section is graded separately. Questions are all in true/false, multiple choice, or short answer format.
For the 16th-century section, the best preparation is a review of the rules of strict counterpoint (principally those for two voices but also those for three and four) or a review of the basic rules for counterpoint as presented in textbooks that do not use the species approach. The textbook normally used in MUS 325L is Robert Gauldin, A Practical Approach to Sixteenth-Century Counterpoint (Waveland Press). ISBN: 0881338524 (paper). In 2009, we used Peter Schubert, Modal Counterpoint, Renaissance Style (Oxford University Press), second edition (2008).
Questions 1-4 are error detection for two voice counterpoint in open notes (second and fourth species). 5-10 are about suspensions (fourth species). 11-12 are about correct cadences in the modes. 13-18 are about stylistic features in the Sanctus movement from Victoria, Missa O Magnum Mysterium, including (but not limited to) treatment of black notes, voice entries, and direct fifths and octaves.
Here are links to summaries of rules (these were originally class handouts):
The Wikipedia article on counterpoint is also useful. It includes a brief summary of the five species of strict counterpoint and links to other sites with additional information.
For the 18th-century section, the best preparation is a review of tonal and real answers, the components of the fugue (exposition, subject, answer, countersubject, bridge, episode, later entries, stretto, invertible counterpoint) based on the fugues of J. S. Bach: Well-Tempered Clavier, vol. 1; Well-Tempered Clavier, vol. 2. Questions 1-3 ask you to identify the correct answer for fugue subjects. 4-10 are concerned with components of the fugue.
Here is a link to a page with further information and links for fugue terminology, analyses of Bach fugues, et al: Go to fugue page.
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