What Is The Exposition Of A Fugue?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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(Fugal) Exposition : The first part of a fugue,

during which each of the voices enter with the subject or answer

. Note the similarities and differences between this use of the term ‘exposition’ and the equivalent in sonata form. Basically, they both refer to a first section setting out the main material.

What is the structure of a fugue?

A fugue usually has three sections:

an exposition, a development, and finally

, a recapitulation that contains the return of the subject in the fugue’s tonic key, though not all fugues have a recapitulation.

Where is the exposition in a fugue?


The first section of the fugue is

the exposition. The exposition begins with one of the voices presenting the subject or theme of the fugue. A second voice follows with the answer (we will discuss later what makes an answer different to the subject). The other voices continue presenting subjects and answers.

How long is the exposition of a fugue?

A fugue is a contrapuntal composition whose form features sections called expositions and episodes. A fugue exposition is a section that contains

at least one full statement

of the subject of the fugue. The fugue subject is the primary melodic idea and is stated by each voice in turn in the first exposition.

How do you write a fugue exposition?

  1. The exposition begins the fugue and a single voice plays the subject establishing the tonic key. …
  2. The middle section consists of entries of subject and answer in keys other than the tonic separated by episodes. …
  3. The final section begins where the subject or answer returns in the tonic key.

What is an example of a fugue?

Two excellent examples of triple fugue (i.e., having three subjects) are Bach’s The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1, No. 4, and

his Fugue in E-flat Major for organ, BWV 552

, called the St. … A fughetta is a short fugue, with exposition plus only a few restatements of the subject.

What are the rules of a fugue?

Most fugues open with a short main theme,

the subject, which then sounds successively in each voice

(after the first voice is finished stating the subject, a second voice repeats the subject at a different pitch, and other voices repeat in the same way); when each voice has completed the subject, the exposition is …

What is Baroque period?

The Baroque period refers to

an era that started around 1600 and ended around 1750

, and included composers like Bach, Vivaldi and Handel, who pioneered new styles like the concerto and the sonata. The Baroque period saw an explosion of new musical styles with the introduction of the concerto, the sonata and the opera.

What is first section of a fugue called?

Because a fugue is a piece which puts several lines of melody together it is a form of contrapuntal music. A fugue usually has three sections: the first section is called the “

exposition”

.

What is a triple fugue?

: a musical fugue (see fugue entry 1 sense 1b) in which three subjects

(see subject entry 1 sense 3f) are treated both separately and simultaneously

.

What is the counter subject in a fugue?

In a fugue, a countersubject is

“the continuation of counterpoint in the voice that began with the subject”

, occurring against the answer. It is not usually regarded as an essential feature of fugue, however.

What is a motive in a fugue?

In fugue, motives are

chiefly used to weave strands of connective tissue between subject entries known as episodes

. … Like their larger counterparts, subjects and themes, they are often subjected to transformations such as inversion, augmentation and dimimution.

Is a fugue a form?

A fugue is

a multi-voice musical form that hinges on counterpoint between voices

. Composers can write fugues for a single instrument (most notably a piano or other keyboard instrument), or they can write them for several individual players.

Is a fugue homophonic?

Although in music instruction certain styles or repertoires of music are often identified with one of these descriptions this is basically added music (for example, Gregorian chant is described as monophonic, Bach Chorales are described as homophonic and fugues as

polyphonic

), many composers use more than one type of …

How do you teach a fugue?

  1. Play through the entire fugue at the first sitting. That’s right. …
  2. Spend more time learning fingerings, articulations, division of the hands, and getting fluent. …
  3. Learn each voice individually. …
  4. Learn each combination of voices. …
  5. Put the entire fugue together again.
Jasmine Sibley
Author
Jasmine Sibley
Jasmine is a DIY enthusiast with a passion for crafting and design. She has written several blog posts on crafting and has been featured in various DIY websites. Jasmine's expertise in sewing, knitting, and woodworking will help you create beautiful and unique projects.