Fugues
What is a Fugue?
A fugue is a type of musical composition that begins by introducing a main theme, the ‘subject’, which is played unaccompanied, by a single part. Following this, a different part plays the ‘answer’ (a reproduction of the subject but transposed to the domin ant). The answer can be ‘real’ – an exact transposition of the subject, or ‘tonal’ – a slightly altered transposition of it. This pattern repeats until every part has been introduced, see Figure 1. This is known as the ‘Exposition’ section.
Figure 1: General structure of the Exposition section
After this is completed, the fugue enters the ‘Development’ section. Although there are no strict rules for how this development should be executed, 11 many composers use similar means. One common feature of development is the ‘counter - subject’. This is a motif played by a part after completing its subject. The purpose of a counter-subject is to harmonize with the answer, played by a different part, at the same time (but it can only be called a counter-subject if it re-occurs throughout the piece to accompany future subjects and answers). Another common method of development is a ‘second subject’. This is another theme introduced during the development. Often, this is of dramatic contrast to the original subject. This results in the creation of rich and interesting harmonies when it eventually comes into contact with that subject.
Finally, when all the development has been played, the subject then returns in the tonic key, ending the piece as it began. Some fugues end using a third section, the ‘Recapitulation’. This is where the piece ends by re-capping the material from the Exposition, sometimes adding a short coda to conclude.
Analysis: comparing structures
Is the structure of a fugue fixed? Bach tends to use the Exposition-Development-Recapitulation structure and, very often, included a short coda at the end. A good example is Bach’s ‘Fugue in C
11 Inside the Score, 2018 (n.17).
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