Free MIT Courses on Harmony and Counterpoint

For those of you wanting to learn more about the complexities of harmony and counterpoint, from the basics of melodies and harmonies, through to much more advanced harmonic theory, you might like to check this out.

The MIT is offering a full undergraduate level course on Harmony and Counterpoint theory for free. The course is dated Spring 2005, and naturally many of these sort of musical fundamentals date back to the days of yore! (You'll notice the course home page features a picture of Ludwig van Beethoven - a man ever so slightly skilled in this particular field!)

The subject material in a course such as this is obviously very broad ranging, and the course is split in two - the first covering the basics, the second taking a much further in depth look at classical harmony and melody etc.

Harmony and Counterpoint I - MIT Course Description:

In this subject we will study the basic harmonic, melodic, and formal practices of western music, principally the classical music of central Europe during the eighteenth century. Topics will include diatonic harmony, simple counterpoint in two parts, and tones of figuration. The coursework will combine composition, listening, analysis, and work in sight-singing and keyboard musicianship.

Harmony and Counterpoint II - MIT Course Description:

In this subject, we explore the harmonic, melodic, and formal practices of western music, principally the so-called "Classical" idiom of central Europe, ca. 1750-1825. Topics include a quick review of material covered in 21M.301, chromatic harmony (vII, bII, and chords of the augmented sixth), and chromatic modulation; lecture study and discussion are complemented by work in the keyboard laboratory and sight-singing laboratory. All areas of study will be integrated in a semester-long project of composing a theme and two variations in Classical style.

Harmony and Counterpoint I
Harmony and Counterpoint II