Fugue

Definition
Fugue:
-a compositional technique (recipe for a piece of music)

-polyphonic

-based on a main theme, called the Subject

-can be written as an independent work
-OR- single movement in a larger composition
 History

--Most popular in
Baroque era (1600-
1750)

--Heavily used and made

popular by J.S. Bach

--Originated from latin

words fugere to flee
and fugare to chase
 Elements
Subject
o the main theme
Answer
o played directly after the subject, imitating it, but in a different pitch
Countersubject
o occurs simultaneously with the second and often the subsequent themes of the main
(the something else part that the first voice plays while the next voice, the answer,
comes in with the main theme in a different pitch).
Episode
o transition between presentations of the subject
Pedal point (or organ point)
o a long held tone(usually bass) that underlies the other voices
 Variations of a Subject

Inversion
o The intervals of a subject are reversed in direction
o (i.e if the subject moves down, the inversion will move up)
Retrograde
o occurs when the subject is played backwards
Augmentation
o the time values of the subject are lengthened
Diminution
o the time values of the subject are shortened
 Example Videos
Bach
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddbxFi3-UO4

Lady GaGa

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bYBJAQ-_24