fifth species

noun

variants or fifth-species counterpoint

: species counterpoint in which the added voice may employ all the resources of the first four species (see species entry 1 sense 1f)

… the fifth species integrates the possibilities of the preceding species.

—David Damschroder and David Russell Williams, Music Theory from Zarlino to Schenker, 1990

called also florid counterpoint

see species counterpoint compare first species, second species, third species, fourth species

Word History

First Known Use

1834, in the meaning defined above

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