A fugue is a type of musical composition characterized by its use of imitative counterpoint, usually built around a central theme called the subject. The theme enters in one voice and is gradually taken up by other voices in succession, often at different pitches, creating a complex, interweaving texture. Fugues typically feature a structural plan that includes an exposition (where each voice presents the subject), a development (where the subject and its counterparts are elaborated and transformed), and a final entry or recapitulation in the home key. The technique originated in the Baroque era and is closely associated with composers like Johann Sebastian Bach, though earlier precursors and later variations exist.
Key concepts in a fugue:
- Subject: the main musical idea introduced at the outset.
- Exposition: the initial presentation of the subject by each voice.
- Countersubject: a melodic line that naturally accompanies the subject.
- Episodes: sections that develop material from the subject, often avoiding a full restatement of the subject.
- Stretto: overlapping entries of the subject, increasing contrapuntal density.
Variants and related ideas:
- A fugue can be written for a single instrument or multiple voices, and can be performed vocally or instrumentally.
- The term “fugue” is distinct from a “canon,” though both rely on imitative structures; a fugue typically involves more complex development and modulation of the subject.
- The word fugue also appears in non-musical contexts to describe a state of confusion or a dissociative disorder, though this is a separate sense and usually appears in medical or psychological usage.
If you’d like, I can tailor this with examples from Bach or provide a simple listener’s guide to identifying a fugue’s subject, episodes, and stretto in a specific piece.
