Cours de contrepoint et de fugue

Luigi Cherubini's Cours de contrepoint et de fugue (1835) is a treatise on musical composition focusing on counterpoint and fugue. Counterpoint is the art of combining distinct melodic lines in music, requiring both harmonious relationships between the lines and their individual independence. A fugue is a specific compositional technique within counterpoint where a principal theme (subject) is systematically imitated by simultaneously sounding melodic lines.123

Cherubini's treatise is described as musically conservative, contrasting with his own more progressive musical compositions. The study of counterpoint and fugue has a long history, with composers like Johann Sebastian Bach and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart creating seminal works in these forms. Textbooks on counterpoint often use composers like Palestrina or Bach as models for students.134