'Counterpoint in Composition' began life not as a book, but as a collection of examples from the literature. Dr. Salzer and Dr. Schachter assembled it to show the connections between the simple procedures of species counterpoint and the complexities of composition, an approach to counterpoint deriving from the work of Heinrich Schenker.

IntroductionPart 1. The Techniques of Elementary Counterpoint 1. Cantus Firmus and First Species1. Cantus Firmus2. Two-part Counterpoint, First Species3. Three-part Counterpoint, First Species2. Second Species1. Two-part Counterpoint2. Three-point Counterpoint3. Third Species1. Two-part Counterpoint2. Three-part Counterpoint3. Three Notes against One4. Fourth Species1. Two-part Counterpoint2. Three-part Counterpoint5. Fifth Species1. Two-part Counterpoint2. Three-part CounterpointPart 2. The Techniques of Prolonged Counterpoint 6. Counterpoint in Composition, I1. The Direct Application of Species Counterpoint2. Two Major Influences on Contrapuntal Texture7. Counterpoint in Composition, II1. Melodic-contrapuntal Prolongations2. Counterpoint within Prolonged Chords3. The Evolution of Dissonance4. Repetition and Articulation5. Harmonic Influences on Voice Leading6. Chromaticism; Contrapuntal Leading-tone Chords7. Octaves and Fifths8. The Chorale1. The Elements of Chorale Writing2. Setting a Single Phrase3. Setting Groups of Two or More Phrases4. The Complete Chorale9. Combined Species1. Combination of Two Second Species2. Combination of Second and Third Species3. Combination of Second and Fourth Species4. Combination of Third and Fourth Species5. Combination of Two Fifth Species6. Progressions from Combined Species in Composition10. Voice-Leading Techniques in Historical Perspective (ca. 1450-ca. 1900)