fugue, in music, a compositional procedure characterized by the systematic imitation of a principal theme (called the subject) in simultaneously sounding melodic lines (counterpoint). The term fugue may also be used to describe a work or part of a work.

What is an example of fugue?

A noteworthy subcategory of fugue is the type based on a cantus firmus. An example is the double fugue at the beginning of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion, already mentioned, which includes widely spaced phrases of the chorale melody “O Lamm Gottes unschuldig” (“Oh, Innocent Lamb of God”).

What is a fugue in poetry?

To compose a fugue is to involve a contrapuntal compositional technique in two or more voices, built on a subject (a musical theme) that is introduced at the beginning in imitation (repetition at different pitches) and which recurs frequently in the course of the composition.

Did Bach create fugues?

Bach brought the fugue to the peak of its development in the hundreds that he composed, and this work represents the apotheosis of the form. The entire work is based on a theme which consists of the two building blocks of Western tonal music: the three notes of a D minor chord and a scale.

What is a dissociative fugue?

Dissociative fugue is a psychiatric disorder characterized by amnesia coupled with sudden unexpected travel away from the individual’s usual surroundings and denial of all memory of his or her whereabouts during the period of wandering. Dissociative fugue is a rare disorder that is infrequently reported.

Is Row Row Row Your Boat a fugue?

Most of us are familiar with how that works in a round like “Row, row, row your boat.” This idea is developed further in the classical-music form known as the fugue. In the beginning (“exposition”) of a typical fugue, the fugue “subject” is introduced by (say) the bass voice.

How do you identify a fugue?

A fugue begins with the exposition of its subject in one of the voices alone in the tonic key. After the statement of the subject, a second voice enters and states the subject with the subject transposed to another key (usually the dominant or subdominant), which is known as the answer.

What is fugue in psychology?

The word fugue comes from the Latin word for “flight.” People with dissociative fugue temporarily lose their sense of personal identity and impulsively wander or travel away from their homes or places of work. They often become confused about who they are and might even create new identities.

Is a fugue a canon?

While canon is not fugue, many fugues contain portions of canonic imitation. There are two clear examples: stretto and canonic episodes.

Is fugue vocal or instrumental?

A fugue is the most complex polyphonic musical form, involving imitation among the parts (called “voices” whether they are vocal or instrumental). The word fugue comes from fuga, meaning to chase since each voice “chases” the previous one.

What is the Tamil meaning of fugue?

a dreamlike state of altered consciousness that may last for hours or days.

What is the opposite of fugue?

Antonyms. elation mental health mental illness depression. serious music classical.

What period does fugue belong?

The fugue became an important form or texture in the Baroque period, reaching its height in the work of J.S. Bach in the first half of the 18th century.

How do you use fugue in a sentence?

Fugue in a Sentence
Composing the fugue was easy for the singer once he had the melody down.Playing the fugue for his family and friends, the musician was proud of this complex piece of composition.Out of all of the musical themed fugues, their voices sounded the best on the first trio.

How many voices are there in a fugue?

Most fugues are in three or four voices (“à 3” or “à 4”), but not all of these are used at any given moment; it is common for an episode to proceed in as few as two voices.

Why was The Art of Fugue written?

This has led some to conclude that the Art of Fugue was intended as an intellectual exercise, meant to be studied more than heard. The renowned keyboardist Gustav Leonhardt argued that the Art of Fugue was intended to be played on a keyboard instrument, and specifically the harpsichord.

What are the three parts 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.