"So You Want to Write a Canon?" An Historically-Informed New Approach for the Modern Theory Class

A study is presented that seeks to establish principles of two-part canonic writing that may inform pedagogical strategies in a present-day tertiary-level course in modal counterpoint. In different ways, 16th-century theorists Gioseffo Zarlino, William Bathe, and Thomas Morley articulated a method for composing canons based on the regulation of the melodic and harmonic intervallic choices of the "dux" according to the interval of imitation between the "dux" and "comes." A new method of teaching canon draws upon the two rule classes for canonic writing found in these 16th-century treatises. The first focus is on two-part canonic writing at short time intervals followed by a consideration of cantus firmus-based canon. Zarlino's detailed voice-leading rules offer a set of useful case studies.