What are the characteristics of fugue?
What are the characteristics of fugue?
In music, a fugue is a contrapuntal compositional technique in two or more voices, built on a subject (theme) that is introduced at the beginning in imitation (repetition at different pitches) and recurs frequently in the course of the composition.
How many voices are there in a fugue?
Most fugues are in three or four voices (“à 3” or “à 4”), but not all of these are used at any given moment; it is common for an episode to proceed in as few as two voices.
What is the importance of fugue?
Fugal writing is a very complex form of counterpoint. In the Baroque it could also be considered a genre, as many pieces were composed as stand-alone fugues. The most important thing to remember is the role of the fugue subject as the main melodic idea that is imitated throughout the piece.
What is the most important quality of fugue?
The most significant, characteristic new form of Baroque music. Rooted in systematic use of imitative polyphony. Fugue = polyphonic composition built on a single principal theme (the subject).
What is a simple definition of a fugue?
fugue, in music, a compositional procedure characterized by the systematic imitation of a principal theme (called the subject) in simultaneously sounding melodic lines (counterpoint). The term fugue may also be used to describe a work or part of a work.
What fugue has the most voices?
That 7-voiced Credo fugue in the BMM (BWV 232) is the biggest complete, strict Bach fugue I can think of at the moment (7 strictly fugal parts, equally melodic and sharing musical material all the way through…plus a free bass).
What is the formal structure of a fugue?
The formal structure of any fugue is an alternation of exposition and episode, and an infinite variety of formal scheme is possible. The term fugue designates a contrapuntal texture which may be in any formal design. Imitation as the systematic basis for musical texture was first applied during the generation of Josquin Desprez, Loyset Compère
What is the main theme of a fugue?
In fact, the terminology of the fugue explicitly suggests a narrative: the main theme of the fugue is called its subject, the individual parts are voices, an altered form of the subject presents an answer, and so on.
What does the Name Fugue mean?
A fugue is a piece of music written for a certain number of parts (voices). It is a type of counterpoint with a precisely defined structure. It is based on a tune called the “subject” of the fugue. The word “fugue” comes from the Italian “fuga” meaning “flight”.
What is the final section of a fugue called?
The Coda in a fugue is a final section of music that often includes stretto. Its primary aim is to move the piece to an appropriate conclusion. Here is my completed worked fugue example.
