Fugue is a musical form characterized by systematic imitation and interweaving of a main theme across multiple voices. Key points:
- Origin and concept: A fugue is a highly structured piece built on a single or a few themes (the subject) that enter successively in different voices, creating intricate counterpoint. The term comes from Latin fuga meaning “flight” or “escape,” reflecting the way the subject “flees” among voices.
- Formal structure: Typical fugue sections include an exposition (where each voice enters with the subject), a development, and a final entry in the original key. Many fugues also feature episodes (episodes develop material from the subject) and a stretto (overlapping entries of the subject).
- Texture and technique: Fugues rely on counterpoint, with multiple melodic lines interweaving while maintaining harmonic coherence. The texture can be dense, especially in later Baroque examples, but always centers on the interaction of the voices around the subject.
- Repertoire and purpose: The form reached its apex in the Baroque era, notably in works by Johann Sebastian Bach, who wrote numerous fugues for organ, keyboard, and ensemble. Fugues remain a central study in music theory for exploring imitation, voice leading, and tonal relationships.
- Related terms: A fugue is often distinguished from a canon (which also involves imitation) by its regular, structured entries of the subject in different voices and its development of a tonal argument through counterpoint. It is also distinct from a fuguing tune, a term used in early American sacred music.
If you’d like, I can tailor this to a specific composer, era, or provide a simple example of a short fugue subject and its possible entries to illustrate how the technique works.
