AP Music Theory Tuesday, November 12, 2019

The Fugue Project


AP Music Theory Tuesday, November 12, 2019

PROJECT TIMELINE
1st Draft
First Exposition Complete. Remaining sections sketched.
Due on Thursday, December 5, 2019 

(80 points for 1st exposition, 5 points for remaining sections—graded on completion only)

2nd Draft
All Sections Roughly Complete
Due on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2020 (20 points/section—graded on completion + a bit of quality)

Completed Fugue
All Sections Complete and Polished
Due by your Presentation Time (20 points/section—graded on completion + quality)

Fugue Project Presentations (Ten minutes are allotted for each presentation.)
Thursday, February 20, 2020
Monday, February 24, 2020
Tuesday, February 25, 2020
Thursday, February 27, 2020

PROJECT CHECKLIST

Use project template in Noteflight for all project work and post link in Google
Classroom project assignment. It’s very important that you use the project template.
Set your fugue in any major or minor key up to 3 sharps or 3 flats.
Fugue must have these components at a minimum (see “Typical Fugue Form”):
first exposition in the tonic key (the voices may enter in any order)
episode
second exposition in a closely related key (the voices may enter in any order)
episode
a coda (or a codetta) in the tonic key
The writing must be idiomatic to the keyboard. In other words, it must be playable by a
human being.
The sections of the finished fugue must be labeled.
 The Fugue
A fugue is a contrapuntal composition in which the theme or subject pervades the entire fabric. It is
based on the principle of imitation. The subject constitutes the unifying idea. Fugues range from a mini-
mum of two voices to four or more voices (instrumental or vocal).
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The subject (a short melody) is stated alone at the onset in one of the voices (soprano, alto, tenor, or
bass). Then it is imitated by another voice: this is called the answer. The first voice continues with the
countersubject (material performed while the answer is stated). The countersubject can occur above or be-
low the subject.
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The overall structure is an alternation between expositions and episodes. A fugue may have three, four or
more expositions each followed by an episode and ending with a coda. Middle expositions may modulate
to the dominant, subdominant or relative major/minor keys.
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EXPOSITION
Statement of subject and/or answer in all voices.
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Once the subject is introduced (exposed) in all voices, the exposition has ended and an episode follows.
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Some points:
• The subject is stated in the home key. The answer is usually given in the dominant key.
• Modulation to foreign keys is common during the course of a fugue.
• Compositional devices include
• Imitation
• Augmentation/diminution
• Inversion
• Modulation
• Stretto (in which the theme is imitated in close succession with the subject entering in one voice
before it is completed by another voice)
• Pedal point (usually tonic or dominant) is sustained, usually in the bass, while the harmonies
change in other parts – generally found at the end of a fugue
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TYPICAL FUGUE FORM
EXPOSITION 1 EPISODE EXPOSITION 2 EPISODE CODA

S X X

A X X

T X X

B X X
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 The Anatomy of a Fugue
I. Definition of a Fugue
Polyphonic procedure in which a motive (the subject) is exposed in an initial tonic/dominant rela-
tionship, then developed by contrapuntal means.

II. The “Form” of a Fugue

A fugue generally consists of a series of expositions and developments with no fixed number of either.
At its simplest, a fugue might consist of one exposition followed by optional development. A
more complex fugue might follow the exposition with a series of developments, or another expo-
sition followed by one or more developments. Fugues that are tonally centered will expose the
subject without venturing out of an initial tonic/dominant constellation.

III. Parts of a Fugue

A. Main Idea of the Fugue and How It Is Stated
1. Subject
Melody that comprises the primary melodic/rhythmic material of the fugue. Subjects
typically have two parts: the “head” is calculated to attract attention either by unusual
rhythmic or intervallic emphasis while the “tail” is typically more conjunct, rhythmically
uniform, and sometimes modulatory. The head and/or tail itself may employ variation of
one or two smaller motives or figures each comprised of a characteristic rhythm and/or in-
terval.
2. Answer
Subject imitation which immediately follows the first statement of the subject: in a differ-
ent voice and usually fifth higher. Answers are a subclass of subjects which bear certain
interval characteristics in relationship to the subject as it was originally stated.
a. Tonal Answer
An answer that typically (though not always) stays in the same key as the subject. To
do this it is necessary for the intervals of the subject to change somewhat. In a tonal
answer “do” and “sol” switch places: The position occupied by “do” in the subject
becomes “sol” in the answer and vice versa. Analytical technique: Subjects having many skips
(disjunct) that focus upon the tonic and dominant scale degrees lend themselves to a tonal answer.
b. Real Answer
An answer that is a transposition of the subject to another key, usually the dominant.
Analytical technique: Subjects having mostly steps (conjunct) that don’t focus upon “do” and “sol”
lend themselves to a real answer.
3. Countersubject
Substantive figure that sometimes recurs immediately following the subject or answer (in
the same voice). Countersubjects serve as counterpoint to subjects (or answers) sounding
simultaneously in a different voice. Not every fugue will have a countersubject. Some
fugues may have more than one countersubject.
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 4. False Subject
Some people use the term “false subject” to describe an entry of the subject (or answer)
that begins but never finishes. This term should be reserved for instances where the sub-
ject appears to enter, breaks off, then follows immediately with a complete statement.
Most other instances of incomplete subjects are developmental and should be termed
“imitation.”
B. Main Sections of the Fugue
1. Exposition
Portion(s) of the fugue consisting of subject(s) with at least one answer, and possibly coun-
tersubject(s). To qualify as an exposition, the subject (or answer) must appear in all voices
and answers must be in the proper relationship (tonal or real) to subjects. The exposition
normally concludes immediately after the subject (or answer) appears in the last voice.
Expositions may defer the cadence until after a codetta. Differentiation between exposition
subtypes is based upon the order in which voices enter (as compared to the first exposi-
tion) and whether or not the subject has changed.
a. Re-Exposition
An exposition, following the initial exposition, in which the voices enter in the same
order as the first exposition.
b. Counter-exposition
An exposition following the initial exposition in which the voices enter in a different
order than they did in the first exposition, or the subject of the new exposition is a
contrapuntal variation of the original.
c. Double Exposition
Exposition utilizing a brand new subject (i.e. not contrapuntally derived from the
first). If the new subject is unique, then the fugue is a double fugue (or, in the case of
three subjects, triple fugue).
2. Developmental Episode
Section in which motives from the exposition are treated in sequence, modulation, contrary mo-
tion, double counterpoint, stretto, augmentation/diminution, pedal, etc. Episodes are generally ter-
minated by a cadence and may follow one after the other. Developmental episodes char-
acteristically begin by departing from the subject, to fragment or vary it in some way, but
gradually building up to a restatement of the subject in at least one voice. These state-
ments of the subject are typically not in the tonic/dominant relationship of the exposition
and are called “middle entries” (or in German Durchführung). Episodes typically do not
enunciate the subject in all voices.
3. Coda or Codetta
Concluding segment of a section (codetta) or of the entire fugue (coda). Codas and codettas
often sound as if they are something added after the structural end of the section or work.
The function of codettas is often modulatory (to return the tonality to the key of the sub-
ject after an answer at the dominant). Not all fugues have these.
IV. Compositional Techniques of the Fugue
A. Tonal Variation
1. Modulation
Repetition of a motive in another key. Bach typically arranges his fugues around closely
related keys (major and minor keys immediately adjacent to each other on the circle of
fifths).
 2. Mutation (also called “change of mode”)
Statement of the subject or answer (or any other primary material) in the opposing mode.
A subject first stated in minor and later stated in major is said to have “mutated.”
B. Contrapuntal Variation
1. Stretto
Entry of a motive in a second voice before the first voice has finished its statement. Mo-
tive can mean subject, answer, countersubject, or any other substantive melodic/rhythmic enti-
ty in imitation.
2. Augmentation/Diminution
Statement of a motive in rhythmic durations that are proportionately doubled or halved.
3. Pedal Point
Suspension of one pitch, often the bass, in such a manner that it is alternately consonant
then dissonant with the chord progression. Fugues often conclude with episodes of pedal
point.
4. Retrograde (rare)
Statement of the motive’s pitches in reverse order.
5. Melodic Inversion (Contrary Motion)
Statement of a motive where interval directions have been made to move in the opposite
direction of the original motive. If the quality of the intervals is preserved the motion is
said to be the “mirror inversion.”
6. Sequence
Repetition of a motive at another pitch level, usually up or down a step. Each repetition is
called a “leg.” Sequences in which each leg itself contains a sequential pattern are said to
be nested. Bach’s sequences tend to be of this latter variety, with the overall sequence
comprised of two or three legs, each leg comprised of two subsidiary units. For example:
study the sequences in the mirror fugues of Art of Fugue. Sequential episodes seldom ap-
pear in fugal expositions but are frequent accoutrements to developments.
7. Contrapuntal Inversion (Double/Triple Counterpoint)
Reappearance of a pair of voices (double counterpoint) or trio of voices (triple counter-
point) in which registers have been reassigned in such a way that the voices have crossed
and the interval relationship between voices is fundamentally altered.
a. Types of Contrapuntal Inversion
1) At the Octave
Fourths become fifths, unisons become octaves, etc. While parallel 4ths sound fine,
they do not invert contrapuntally, and double counterpoint at the octave avoids
them. See the Canon per Augmentationem in contrario Motu from the Art of Fugue for an
example of double counterpoint at the octave.

2) At the Tenth (octave + 3rd)

Parallel motion tends to be avoided altogether. This is because intervals that paral-
lel acceptably in one texture (e.g. 3rds & 6ths) become unacceptable when inverted
(octaves & 5ths). Study the Canon alla Decima of the Art of Fugue.
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 3) At the Twelfth (octave + 5th)
With the exception of 3rds (which remain 3rds ), acceptable parallels become unac-
ceptable when inverted at the 12th. Thus, in the Canon alla Duodecima of the Art of
Fugue (which features this type of double counterpoint) the composer uses many
parallel thirds.
b. How to Calculate Type of Contrapuntal Inversion
1) Determine interval that the lower voice has been moved UP
2) Determine interval that the higher voice has been moved DOWN. Note: if the
voices have not exchanged registers, the higher voice becoming the lower and vice
versa, then contrapuntal inversion has not occurred.
3) If steps 1 and 2 are each octaves, then the double counterpoint is at the octave.
Otherwise, add the results of steps 1 and 2, then subtract
c. How to Calculate What Intervals Become After Inversion:
1) Double counterpoint @octave
Subtract the interval (before inversion) from 9 to get the interval after inversion.
For example: a 4th before inversion will become a 5th after inversion.
2) Double counterpoint @10th
Subtract the interval (before inversion) from 11 to get the interval after inversion.
For example: a 4th before inversion will become a 7th after inversion.
3) Double counterpoint @12th
Subtract the interval (before inversion) from 13 to get the interval after inversion.
For example: a 4th before inversion will become a 9th after inversion.