Transcript What is the Fugue? - gozips.uakron.edu

Straka
High School
Music Theory
The Fugue
What is the Fugue?
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The fugue is a composition
based on imitative
counterpoints.
It has a fixed number of voices
It is based on the development
of the SUBJECT.
The Character of the Fugue
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A fugue consists of a series of expositions and
developments. A simple fugue might consist
of one exposition followed by optional
development. A more complex fugue might
follow the exposition with a series of
developments, or another exposition followed
by one or more developments. Fugues that are
tonally centered will expose the subject
without venturing out of an initial
tonic/dominant relationship.
The History of the Fugue
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The term fugue was used as far back as
the Middle Ages, but was initially used to
refer to any kind of imitative
counterpoint including canons, which are
now thought of as distinct from fugues.
The fugue arose from the technique of
"imitation", where the same musical
material was repeated starting on a
different note.
The History of the Fugue
cont…
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It was in the Baroque period that the writing
of fugues became central to composition, and
their use became incorporated into a variety
of musical forms.
The 18th century composer Johann Sebastian
Bach is generally regarded as the greatest
composer of fugues.
During the Classical era, the fugue was no
longer a central or even fully natural mode of
musical composition, even though canonic
imitation was part, not only of musical
education, but of the play that composer's
used to search for musical ideas.
The history of the Fugue
cont…
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With the decline in church patronage,
fugue writing changed: from being a
common type of music - much as a late
20th century songwriter might write a
"song" - it became specifically attached
to the norms and styles of the baroque
20th Century fugue writing explored
many of the directions implied by
Beethoven's Grosse Fugue, and what
came to be termed free counterpoint as
well as dissonant counterpoint.
BACH: The master of the
Fugue
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A Bach fugue is an
advanced form of
counterpoint.
Bach's most famous
fugues are those in
the unfinished Art
of Fugue, The WellTempered Clavier
(keyboard), and his
organ fugues, which
are usually preceded
by a prelude or
toccata.
Parts of the
Fugue
Main idea of the fugue
and how it is stated
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Subject: Melody that comprises the
primary melodic/rhythmic material of
the fugue
Answer: Subject imitation which
immediately follows the first statement
of the subject: in a different voice and
usually fifth higher.
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Tonal Answer: An answer that typically
(though not always) stays in the same key
as the subject.
Main idea of the fugue
and how it is stated
Cont…
 Countersubject:
Substantive figure
that sometimes recurs immediately
following the subject or answer (in the
same voice). Countersubjects serve as
counterpoint to subjects (or answers)
sounding simultaneously in a different
voice.
 False Subject: Some people use the
term "false subject" to describe an
entry of the subject (or answer) that
begins but never finishes.
Main Sections of the Fugue
Exposition: Portion of the fugue consisting
of subject with at least one answer, and
possibly countersubject. The subject (or
answer) must appear in all voices and
answers must be in the proper relationship
to subjects
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Re-Exposition: An exposition, following the
initial exposition, in which the voices enter in the
same order as the first exposition
Counter exposition: An exposition following the
initial exposition in which the voices enter in a
different order than they did in the first
exposition, or the subject of the new exposition
Main Sections of the
Fugue Cont…
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Developmental Episode: Section in
which motives from the exposition are
treated in sequence, modulation,
contrary motion, double counterpoint,
stretto, augmentation/diminution,
pedal, etc. Episodes are generally
terminated by a cadence and may follow
one after the other
Main Sections of the
fugue cont…
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Coda or Codetta: Concluding segment
of a section (codetta) or of the entire
fugue (coda). Codas and codettas often
sound as if they are something added
after the structural end of the
section or work. The function of
codettas is often modulatory (to
return the tonality to the key of the
subject after an answer at the
dominant). Not all fugues have these.
Compositional
Techniques
Tonal Variation:
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Modulation: Repetition of a motive in
another key. Bach typically arranges
his fugues around closely related keys
(major and minor keys immediately
adjacent to each other on the circle of
fifths).
Change of mode: Statement of the
subject or answer (or any other
primary material) in the opposing mode
(major or minor)
Compositional
Techniques Cont…
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Contrapuntal Variation :
Stretto: Entry of a motive in a second voice
before the first voice has finished its
statement.
Augmentation/Diminution: Statement of a
motive in rhythmic durations that are
proportionately doubled or halved.
Pedal Point: Suspension of one pitch, often
the bass, in such a manner that it is alternately
consonant then dissonant with the chord
progression.
Contrapuntal Variation Cont…
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Retrograde: (rare) Statement of the
motive's pitches in reverse order.
Melodic Inversion: (Contrary Motion)
Statement of a motive where interval
directions have been made to move in the
opposite direction of the original motive.
Sequence: Repetition of a motive at
another pitch level, usually up or down a
step.
Homework
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Compose a 32 measure, 4
voiced rhythmic fugue.
Due one week from today
Must be hand written.
We will divide into groups
of four and practice
performing the fugues for
the first half of the class,
and perform them for the
last half of the class.
Make sure you have five
copies of your fugue. One
to turn in, and one for