Torres Digital Corpus – The 25 Counterpoint Examples from Melchor de Torres (1544/1566)
Abstract
Description This dataset presents a modern digital corpus of the twenty-five solo counterpoint examples transmitted in Melchor de Torres’s Arte ingeniosa de música (Alcalá de Henares, 1566 [1544]). The material is offered in two PDF editions, a clean version and an analytical version with interval labelling, together with MusicXML, MIDI, and optional MP3 files. The dataset is intended to support research, teaching, and performance practice in Renaissance improvised counterpoint. A companion GitHub repository documents the editorial workflow, source files, and version history associated with the preparation of the corpus:https://github.com/vparrilla/torres-digital-corpus The transcriptions and editorial documentation were prepared by Vicente Parrilla (2025) as part of the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO)-funded doctoral project Renaissance Improvised Counterpoint: Rethinking Concept, Cognition, and Aural Foundations (project no. 11A9922N), conducted at KU Leuven, LUCA School of Arts, and docARTES. Editorial approach Accidentals have been preserved as in the original source, with a small number of clearly signposted editorial musica fictaadditions. Modern clefs are used for ease of reading, while original rhythmic values have been retained. The clean edition presents the material in an unobtrusive layout, and the analytical version supports methodological aims related to aural and procedural training, intervallic awareness, and stylistic understanding. Examples in this edition are identified using two numbering schemes: a sequential numbering (1–25), reflecting their order in the sixteenth-century print, and an analytical code grouping examples by technique. In the analytical edition, both identifiers appear together. Relationship to other datasets This dataset forms part of the Improvised Counterpoint Sources and Corpora community on Zenodo, which brings together digital corpora of primary sources and the multi-volume Corpus of Recorded Counterpoint Examples (CRCE). The CRCE currently comprises 420 historically informed instrumental recordings of counterpoint examples transmitted in Renaissance music theory treatises, including the present source. While the digital corpora provide edited transcriptions, navigational tools, and analytical metadata, the CRCE volumes document performative realisations of the same repertory. Further contextual materials are available through the project website:https://improvisedcounterpoint.com Funding Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO), doctoral fellowship no. 11A9922N.
Full text
• • • Melchor de Torres The 25 Solo Counterpoint Examples from Arte ingeniosa de musica (Alcalá de Henares, 1544/1566) Version 1: Clean Edition Modern edition and transcriptions by Vicente Parrilla (2025) Prepared as part of the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO)-funded doctoral project Renaissance Improvised Counterpoint: Rethinking Concept, Cognition, and Aural Foundations (FWO Project no. 11A9922N ), conducted at KU Leuven, LUCA School of Arts, and docARTES. Dataset DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17828789 Project website: https://improvisedcounterpoint.com Author’s website: https://vicenteparrilla.com Licensed under CC BY 4.0
Editorial note Source The twenty-five counterpoint examples transcribed in this edition are transmitted in Arte ingeniosa de musica, a treatise on musica practica by Melchor de Torres, printed in Alcalá de Henares in 1566, in a version revised and corrected by the author. Two earlier editions had appeared in 1544 and 1559. The 1566 print, written in Spanish and devoted to canto llano, canto de órgano, and contrapunto, presents de Torres’s rules in a concise and systematic format, providing the context for the twenty-five solo counterpoint settings edited here. A high-resolution facsimile of the 1566 edition is available online through the Library of Congress: https://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/muspre1800.101577 Name of the Author The author’s name appears as Melchior de Torres in the original source; the modern Spanish form Melchor is also used in current scholarship. Complete Title Arte ingeniosa de musica, con nueva manera de auisos breves y compe[n]diosos sobre toda la facultad della. Agora nueuamente reformada y corregida por su mesmo autor. Assi para canto llano y canto de órgano, como para contrapunto: donde se hallara[n] reglas en breue co[m]prehendidas y declaradas por Melchior de Torres. rAlcala: P. de Robles y I. de Villanueua, Vendese en casa de L. Gutierrez, 1566. Numbering System Each example carries two identifiers: a sequential number in this edition ( 1–25 ), corresponding to its order in the sixteenth-century print, and an analytical code (1a–7b ) designating its technical family. On the music examples, both identifiers appear together (from 1 1a to 25 7b ). i
Table 1. Technical Families and Descriptive Parameters in de Torres’s Twenty-Five Solo Counterpoint Examples Ex. no. Ex. family Folio Mode Voice Original heading 1 1a 28v 1 tiple 1 sobre 1 2 1b 28v 1 alta 1 sobre 1 3 1c 28v 1 tenor 1 sobre 1 4 1d 28v 1 contrabaxa 1 sobre 1 5 2a 29r 1 tiple 2 sobre 1 6 2b 29r 1 alta 2 sobre 1 7 2c 29v 8 tenor 2 sobre 1 8 2d 29v 8 contrabaxa 2 sobre 1 9 3a 29v 8 tiple 3 sobre 1 10 3b 29v 8 alta 3 sobre 1 11 3c 30r 8 tenor 3 sobre 1 12 3d 30r 8 contrabaxa 3 sobre 1 13 4a 30r 8 tiple & alta 4 sobre 1 14 4b 30v 8 tenor 4 sobre 1 15 4c 30v 8 contrabaxa 4 sobre 1 16 5a 31v 8 tiple 8 sobre 1 17 5b 31v 8 alta 8 sobre 1 18 5c 32r 8 tenor 8 sobre 1 19 5d 32r 8 contrabaxa 8 sobre 1 20 6a 32v 1 tiple contrapunto mezclado 21 6b 33r 1 alta contrapunto mezclado 22 6c 33r 1 tenor contrapunto mezclado 23 6d 33r 1 contrabaxa contrapunto mezclado 24 7a 34r 1 tiple ligaduras 25 7b 34r 1 baxa ligaduras ii
! " Contrapunto [C1] Canto llano [F3] 1# $ 2# $ 3# $ 4# $ 5# $ 6# $ 7# % $ 8# $ 9# $ 10# $ 11# $ 12# $ 13# $ 14 # % $ 15# $ 16# $ 17# $ 18# $ 19# $ 20 # % $ 21& ' $ Melchor de Torres Arte ingeniosa de música, 1566, fol. 28v Exemplo 01 1a - La primera manera de contrapunto de vn mouimiento (esto es) vn breue sobre otro Contrapunto llano para tiples sobre este canto llano Tiple. 1 Transcription by Vicente Parrilla (2025). Created as part of the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO)-funded doctoral project “Renaissance Improvised Counterpoint: Rethinking Concept, Cognition, and Aural Foundations” (FWO Project no. 11A9922N, conducted at KU Leuven, LUCA School of Arts, and docARTES). https://improvisedcounterpoint.com DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17828789 | Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
! " Contra alta. [C3] Canto llano [F3] 1 # $ 2 # $ 3 # $ 4 # $ 5 # $ 6 # $ 7# $ 8 # $ 9 # $ 10 # $ 11# $ 12 # $ 13# $ 14# $ 15# $ 16 # $ 17 # $ 18 # $ 19 # $ 20 # % $ 21 & ' $ Melchor de Torres Arte ingeniosa de música, 1566, fol. 28v Exemplo 02 1b - La primera manera de contrapunto de vn mouimiento (esto es) vn breue sobre otro Contrapunto llano para contras altas sobre el mesmo canto llano. Contra alta. 2 Transcription by Vicente Parrilla (2025). Created as part of the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO)-funded doctoral project “Renaissance Improvised Counterpoint: Rethinking Concept, Cognition, and Aural Foundations” (FWO Project no. 11A9922N, conducted at KU Leuven, LUCA School of Arts, and docARTES). https://improvisedcounterpoint.com DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17828789 | Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
! " Tenor [C4] Canto llano [F3] 1# $ 2# $ 3# $ 4# $ 5# $ 6# $ 7# $ 8# $ 9# $ 10 # $ 11# $ 12# $ 13# $ 14# $ 15# $ 16# $ 17# $ 18# $ 19# $ 20 # $ 21% & $ Melchor de Torres Arte ingeniosa de música, 1566, fol. 28v Exemplo 03 1c - La primera manera de contrapunto de vn mouimiento (esto es) vn breue sobre otro Contrapunto para tenores sobre el mesmo canto llano. Tenor. 3 Transcription by Vicente Parrilla (2025). Created as part of the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO)-funded doctoral project “Renaissance Improvised Counterpoint: Rethinking Concept, Cognition, and Aural Foundations” (FWO Project no. 11A9922N, conducted at KU Leuven, LUCA School of Arts, and docARTES). https://improvisedcounterpoint.com DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17828789 | Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
! ! Canto llano [F3] Contrabaxa [F4] 1 " # 2 " # 3" # 4" # 5 " # 6" # 7 " # 8 " # 9" # 10 " # 11" # 12" # 13" # 14" # 15 " # 16 " # 17 " # 18 " # 19 " # 20 " # 21 " $ % Melchor de Torres Arte ingeniosa de música, 1566, fol. 28v Exemplo 04 1d - La primera manera de contrapunto de vn mouimiento (esto es) vn breue sobre otro Contrapunto para contrabaxas sobre el mesmo canto llano. Contrabaxa. 4 Transcription by Vicente Parrilla (2025). Created as part of the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO)-funded doctoral project “Renaissance Improvised Counterpoint: Rethinking Concept, Cognition, and Aural Foundations” (FWO Project no. 11A9922N, conducted at KU Leuven, LUCA School of Arts, and docARTES). https://improvisedcounterpoint.com DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17828789 | Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
! " # [Contrapunto C1] Canto llano [F3] 1$$ % 2$$ % 3$$ % 4$$ % 5$$ % 6$$ % 7$$ % 8$$ % 9 $$ % 10 $$ % ! " 11 $$ % 12 $$ % 13 $$ % 14 $$ % 15 $$ % 16 $$ % 17 $$& % 18 $$ % 19 $$ % 20 $$ ' % 21 ( % Melchor de Torres Arte ingeniosa de música, 1566, fol. 29r Exemplo 05 2a La segunda manera de contrapunto, es de dos mouimientos (esto es) dos semibreues sobre cada punto llano. Contrapunto de dos mouimientos sobre el mesmo canto llano. Tiple. 5 Transcription by Vicente Parrilla (2025). Created as part of the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO)-funded doctoral project “Renaissance Improvised Counterpoint: Rethinking Concept, Cognition, and Aural Foundations” (FWO Project no. 11A9922N, conducted at KU Leuven, LUCA School of Arts, and docARTES). https://improvisedcounterpoint.com DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17828789 | Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
! " # [Contrapunto C2] Canto llano [F3] 1$$ % 2$$ % 3 $$ % 4 $$ % 5 $$ % 6$$ % 7 $$ % 8 $$ % 9 $$ % 10 $$ % ! " 11 $$ % 12 $$ % 13 $$ % 14 $$ % 15 $$ % 16 $$ % 17 $$ % 18 $$ % 19 $$ % 20 $$ & % 21 ' % Melchor de Torres Arte ingeniosa de música, 1566, fol. 29r Exemplo 06 2b La segunda manera de contrapunto, es de dos mouimientos (esto es) dos semibreues sobre cada punto llano. Contrapunto de dos mouimientos sobre el mesmo canto llano. Contra alta. 6 Transcription by Vicente Parrilla (2025). Created as part of the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO)-funded doctoral project “Renaissance Improvised Counterpoint: Rethinking Concept, Cognition, and Aural Foundations” (FWO Project no. 11A9922N, conducted at KU Leuven, LUCA School of Arts, and docARTES). https://improvisedcounterpoint.com DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17828789 | Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
! " # [Contrapunto C2] Canto llano [C3] 1$$$$ % 2 $$$$& % 3$$$$ % 4 $$$$ % 5$$$$ % 6$$$$ % 7 $$$$ % 8 $$$$ % 9 $$$$' % 10 ( % Melchor de Torres Arte ingeniosa de música, 1566, fol. 30r Exemplo 13 4a La quarta manera de contrapunto es de quatro mouimientos (esto es) quatro mininas sobre cada punto llano. Contrapunto de quatro mouimientos sobre el mesmo canto llano. Tiple o contra alta. 13 Transcription by Vicente Parrilla (2025). Created as part of the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO)-funded doctoral project “Renaissance Improvised Counterpoint: Rethinking Concept, Cognition, and Aural Foundations” (FWO Project no. 11A9922N, conducted at KU Leuven, LUCA School of Arts, and docARTES). https://improvisedcounterpoint.com DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17828789 | Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
! ! " [Contrapunto C3] Canto llano [C3] 1#### $ 2#### $ 3#### $ 4#### $ 5#### $ 6#### $ 7#### $ 8#### $ 9#### % $ 10 & $ Melchor de Torres Arte ingeniosa de música, 1566, fol. 30v Exemplo 14 4b La quarta manera de contrapunto es de quatro mouimientos (esto es) quatro mininas sobre cada punto llano. Contrapunto de quatro mouimientos sobre el mesmo canto llano. Tenor. 14 Transcription by Vicente Parrilla (2025). Created as part of the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO)-funded doctoral project “Renaissance Improvised Counterpoint: Rethinking Concept, Cognition, and Aural Foundations” (FWO Project no. 11A9922N, conducted at KU Leuven, LUCA School of Arts, and docARTES). https://improvisedcounterpoint.com DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17828789 | Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
! "# Canto llano [C4] Contrabaxa [F4] 1$ %%%% 2$ %%%% 3 $ %%%% 4 $ %%%% 5 $ %%%% 6 $ %%%& % 7$ %%%% 8$ %%%% 9$ %%%% 10 $ ' ( Melchor de Torres Arte ingeniosa de música, 1566, fol. 30v Exemplo 15 4c La tercera manera de contrapunto es de tres mouimientos (esto es) tres semibreues, o tres minimas sobre cada puntollano Contrapunto de quatro mouimientos sobre el mesmo canto llano. Contrabaxa. 15 Transcription by Vicente Parrilla (2025). Created as part of the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO)-funded doctoral project “Renaissance Improvised Counterpoint: Rethinking Concept, Cognition, and Aural Foundations” (FWO Project no. 11A9922N, conducted at KU Leuven, LUCA School of Arts, and docARTES). https://improvisedcounterpoint.com DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17828789 | Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
! " # [Contrapunto C1] Canto llano [C3] 1 $$$$$$$$ % 2 $$$$$$$$ % 3 $$$$$$$$ % 4 $$$$$$$$ % 5 $$$$$$$$ % ! " 6 $$$$$$$$ % 7 $$$$$$$$ % 8 $$$$$$$$ % 9 $$$$$&$$$& % 10 ' % Melchor de Torres Arte ingeniosa de música, 1566, fol. 31v Exemplo 16 5a La quinta manera de contrapunto, es de ocho mouimientos (esto es) ocho seminimas sobrecada punto llano. Contrapunto de ocho mouimientos sobre el canto llano presente. Tiple 16 Transcription by Vicente Parrilla (2025). Created as part of the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO)-funded doctoral project “Renaissance Improvised Counterpoint: Rethinking Concept, Cognition, and Aural Foundations” (FWO Project no. 11A9922N, conducted at KU Leuven, LUCA School of Arts, and docARTES). https://improvisedcounterpoint.com DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17828789 | Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
! " # [Contrapunto C2] Canto llano [C3] 1 $$$$$$$$ % 2 $$$$$$$$ % 3 $$$$$$$$ % 4 $$$$$$$$ % 5 $$$$$$$$ % ! " 6 $$$$$$$$ % 7 $$$$$$$$ % 8 $$$$$$$$ % 9 $$$$$&$$$& % 10 ' % Melchor de Torres Arte ingeniosa de música, 1566, fol. 31v Exemplo 17 5b La quinta manera de contrapunto, es de ocho mouimientos (esto es) ocho seminimas sobrecada punto llano. Contrapunto de ocho mouimientos sobre el canto llano presente. Contra alta. 17 Transcription by Vicente Parrilla (2025). Created as part of the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO)-funded doctoral project “Renaissance Improvised Counterpoint: Rethinking Concept, Cognition, and Aural Foundations” (FWO Project no. 11A9922N, conducted at KU Leuven, LUCA School of Arts, and docARTES). https://improvisedcounterpoint.com DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17828789 | Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
! ! " [Contrapunto C3] Canto llano [C3] 1 ######## $ 2 ######## $ 3 ######## $ 4 ######## $ 5 ######## $ ! ! 6 ######## $ 7 ######## $ 8 ######## $ 9 ######## $ 10 % $ Melchor de Torres Arte ingeniosa de música, 1566, fol. 32r Exemplo 18 5c La quinta manera de contrapunto, es de ocho mouimientos (esto es) ocho seminimas sobrecada punto llano. Contrapunto de ocho mouimientos sobre el presente canto llano. Tenor 18 Transcription by Vicente Parrilla (2025). Created as part of the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO)-funded doctoral project “Renaissance Improvised Counterpoint: Rethinking Concept, Cognition, and Aural Foundations” (FWO Project no. 11A9922N, conducted at KU Leuven, LUCA School of Arts, and docARTES). https://improvisedcounterpoint.com DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17828789 | Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
! "# Canto llano [C4] Contrabaxa [F4] 1 $ %%%%%%%% 2 $ %%%%%%%% 3 $ %%%%%%%% 4 $ %%%%%%%% 5 $ %%%%%%%% ! " 6 $ %%%%%%%% 7 $ %%%%%%%% 8 $ %%%%%%%% 9 $ %%%%% &%%% & 10 $ ' ( Melchor de Torres Arte ingeniosa de música, 1566, fol. 32r Exemplo 19 5d La quinta manera de contrapunto, es de ocho mouimientos (esto es) ocho seminimas sobrecada punto llano. Contrapunto de ocho mouimientos sobre el presente canto llano. Contrabaxa. 19 Transcription by Vicente Parrilla (2025). Created as part of the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO)-funded doctoral project “Renaissance Improvised Counterpoint: Rethinking Concept, Cognition, and Aural Foundations” (FWO Project no. 11A9922N, conducted at KU Leuven, LUCA School of Arts, and docARTES). https://improvisedcounterpoint.com DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17828789 | Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
! " # [Contrapunto C1] Canto llano [F3] 1 $% $&' ( 2&&$% $ ( 3&&&$' ( 4&&' ( 5')% $ ( 6&% $&&& ( 7 $$ $ $ ( ! " 8 $% $&&& ( 9 $$ $ $ ( * 10 $% $&&& ( 11 $$$% $ ( 12 &&&&&&& ( 13 $'$+ ( 14 , - ( Melchor de Torres Arte ingeniosa de música, 1566, fol. 32v Exemplo 20 6a Contrapunto mezclado: esto es contrapunto de toda manera de figuras: lo qual es mas subtil y perfecto y mas difficultoso de entender por razon de las ligaduras, y porque a vezes se hazen sobre vn punto llano tres movimentos, y otras vezes quatro, o cinco, o seys, o mas, o menos Contrapunto mezclado de todas figuras sobre el presente canto llano Tiple 20 Transcription by Vicente Parrilla (2025). Created as part of the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO)-funded doctoral project “Renaissance Improvised Counterpoint: Rethinking Concept, Cognition, and Aural Foundations” (FWO Project no. 11A9922N, conducted at KU Leuven, LUCA School of Arts, and docARTES). https://improvisedcounterpoint.com DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17828789 | Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
! " # [Contrapunto C2] Canto llano [F3] 1 $$ % 2 &' &((( % 3 &' &((( % 4' &) ((((( % 5 &&&' & % 6(' &((( % 7 $*' & % + ! " 8 ((((($ % 9(($ % , 10 &&&& % 11 &' &((( % 12 &&&$ % 13 ( - ($ - % 14 . / % Melchor de Torres Arte ingeniosa de música, 1566, fol. 33r Exemplo 21 6b Contrapunto mezclado: esto es contrapunto de toda manera de figuras: lo qual es mas subtil y perfecto y mas difficultoso de entender por razon de las ligaduras, y porque a vezes se hazen sobre vn punto llano tres movimentos, y otras vezes quatro, o cinco, o seys, o mas, o menos Contrapunto mezclado sobre el mesmo canto llano. Contraalta *: Dot missing in the source 21 Transcription by Vicente Parrilla (2025). Created as part of the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO)-funded doctoral project “Renaissance Improvised Counterpoint: Rethinking Concept, Cognition, and Aural Foundations” (FWO Project no. 11A9922N, conducted at KU Leuven, LUCA School of Arts, and docARTES). https://improvisedcounterpoint.com DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17828789 | Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
! " # [Contrapunto C4] Canto llano [F3] 1$ %&%' ( ) 2&&%$ % ) 3&&&%$ % ) 4&&&&&% ) 5 %%( ) 6 (*$ % ) 7&&&&&% ) ! " 8 %%( ) 9 %$ %&&& ) + 10 &&&&&&% ) 11 %%%$ % ) 12 &&&%( ) 13 &,&( , ) 14 - . ) Melchor de Torres Arte ingeniosa de música, 1566, fol. 33r Exemplo 22 6c Contrapunto mezclado: esto es contrapunto de toda manera de figuras: lo qual es mas subtil y perfecto y mas difficultoso de entender por razon de las ligaduras, y porque a vezes se hazen sobre vn punto llano tres movimentos, y otras vezes quatro, o cinco, o seys, o mas, o menos Contrapunto mezclado sobre el mesmo canto llano. Tenor. 22 Transcription by Vicente Parrilla (2025). Created as part of the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO)-funded doctoral project “Renaissance Improvised Counterpoint: Rethinking Concept, Cognition, and Aural Foundations” (FWO Project no. 11A9922N, conducted at KU Leuven, LUCA School of Arts, and docARTES). https://improvisedcounterpoint.com DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17828789 | Licensed under CC BY 4.0.