The art of counterpoint is the art of combining melodic lines. The essence of counterpoint, however, is something deeper than a process of manipulation. It is an ingredient of the inner vitality of music and is found in nearly all music. It is to an understanding of counterpoint as such that this book is directed. This book, in contrast to most traditional studies, states principles and gives rules that are based on actual observations of the practice of composers rather than those invented by the theorist. It offers examples drawn from the works of standard composers rather than those constructed by the author. The literature of the last three hundred years is examined to form the logical basis for this study. Throughout the book, exercises are provided that call for the writing of music and that are intended to clarify the principles under discussion.
Fine Arts
在西方传统学术领域，艺术学（fine arts）旨在借技巧、意愿、想象力、经验等综合人为因素的融合与平衡，以创作隐含美学的器物、环境、影像、动作或声音的表达模式，来提升审美和美学修养。 艺术学专业，对应国外的Fine Arts，常设在College of Fine Arts学院之下，在国内经常被译为精致艺术或美术。但其囊括了很多传统认知中的艺术专业，西方传统主要可概括为五个主要专业方向：绘画、雕塑、建筑、音乐和诗歌。在国内，被划分为：文学艺术（诗歌、戏剧、小说等）、视觉艺术（绘画、素描、雕塑等）、图文设计、造型艺术（雕塑、造型等）、装饰艺术（马赛克等）和表演艺术（戏剧、音乐、舞蹈、歌剧等）、电影摄影艺术。以学域的涵容度而言，上述的艺术门类的知识，都足以单独成立对应的学系。
