Most impressive passages of counterpoint?

[greg]

Rondo Burleske from Mahler 9th symphony is another great contender.

That's the first thing that came to mind for me. 

[Anne]

There are 2 or 3 instances in Mahler 2nd symphony that I think are very pretty.

[ChamberNut]

I have no idea what counterpoint is or how to detect it, so I'm stumped.   

[71 dB]

For example Ricercar a 6 from The Musical Offering.

[(poco) Sforzando]

I have no idea what counterpoint is or how to detect it, so I'm stumped.   

You know what it is. You hear it in any string quartet. Two or more identifiable musical lines sounding simultaneously = counterpoint. Tell me one of your favorite pieces and I'll point out an example of counterpoint. It is everywhere.

[greg]

You know what it is. You hear it in any string quartet. Two or more identifiable musical lines sounding simultaneously = counterpoint. Tell me one of your favorite pieces and I'll point out an example of counterpoint. It is everywhere.

or:

row, row, row your boat 

[PerfectWagnerite]

or:

row, row, row your boat 

That's not counterpoint. There is only one melodic line in Row Row Row.

[lukeottevanger]

You know what it is. You hear it in any string quartet.

Any quartet? You forget that iconoclastic work of genius by Rod Corkin...

[greg]

That's not counterpoint. There is only one melodic line in Row Row Row.

Counterpoint.

V1: row row row your boat gently down the stream, merrily merrily merrily life is a $#@$ing nightmare
V2:                                       row row row your boat gently down the stream, merrily merrily merrily   
       life is a $#@$ing nightmare....

[Don]

Counterpoint.

V1: row row row your boat gently down the stream, merrily merrily merrily life is a $#@$ing nightmare
V2:                                       row row row your boat gently down the stream, merrily merrily merrily   
       life is a $#@$ing nightmare....

Do I hear "stretto"?

[greg]

Do I hear "stretto"?

It's just a canon......

[Don]

It's just a canon......

Would you say that stretto is not involved?

[greg]

Would you say that stretto is not involved?

hmmmmmmm yes sir, i detect a stretto which is really ghetto. 

[(poco) Sforzando]

That's not counterpoint. There is only one melodic line in Row Row Row.

Since multiple voices take up the melodic line in succession, there most certainly is counterpoint. What you see (notated) is not what you get.

It's a true piece of row music.

[(poco) Sforzando]

Any quartet? You forget that iconoclastic work of genius by Rod Corkin...

I dispute the use of the word "quartet" when applied to that quartet.

[Chrone]

The triple quodlibet "I Am So Proud" from The Mikado. 

[12tone.]

Most impressive passage of counterpoint is:


Now audience, I want you to be very quiet while Becky hands me the ballot.....





And it is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:



































































































































"Im so pretty"  0:)

[jochanaan]

It's just a canon......

"A canon is like a round, only louder." --Victor Borge

Agree about Bruckner 5; but there's also Bruckner 8's end, where the themes from all the movements are played together.  I would also add the fugato from the first movement of Shostakovich's Fourth Symphony.  And there are some very impressive fugatos in the last movement of Beethoven's Ninth, most particularly the 6/4 section marked Allegro energico, sempre ben marcato.

Also, I'm just reading through the score for Mahler's Ninth, and I'm impressed anew with his contrapuntal skill; every instrument has something important, nothing is "harmonic filling." And I'm only on the first movement!

[Opus106]

Could someone tell me what "contrapuntal imitation" means, in simple, layman terms?

Soon enough, this disorienting Adagio gives way to the first movement's bright, Allegro main matter. The first violin sings out the short-phrased principal theme, which the other instruments soon pick up in contrapuntal imitation.

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=42:26362

Thanks

[not edward]

I would also add the fugato from the first movement of Shostakovich's Fourth Symphony.

Yes, that's one of the most effectively placed fugati I know.

I'd also add the closing canon from the second Webern cantata, and the finale of Hartmann's 6th symphony in its entirety: its three fugues create unstoppable momentum.