[Smt-talk] I - II- IV as a progression (counterpoint)

[jcovach]

I realize that counterpoint/voiceleading was raised in the context of classical
music examples, and this is appropriate and in keeping with traditional
approaches, given the importance of attending to such matters in that repertory
(this is an informal and oversimplifying formulation, I know, but please stick
with me).

But in styles where counterpoint and voiceleading are not central features, are
they still operative, and/or should they still be operative, in defining the
musical structures that emerge?  Or to put a little less abstractly: if somebody
is strumming away on the guitar, playing a chord sequence using the conventional
voicings and with no regard to traditional voiceleading--or at least, no
*conscious* regard--is it helpful to account for the resultant music in terms
strongly directed by voiceleading or contrapuntal concerns and practices?  Or
(and I hope I'm not leading the witness here) does appealing to counterpoint
risk reading the practices of one musical style onto the other, overdetermining
and perhaps distorting our interpretation of the strummy guitar progression?

Reading this over again, this looks like a PhD prelim question.  Sorry about
that!

John Covach
Professor of Music and Chair, Music Department, University of Rochester
Professor of Theory, Eastman School of Music