Klarinet Archive - Posting 000420.txt from 2002/09

From: w9wright@-----.net (William Wright)
Subj: [kl] Fugue definition
Date: Fri, 20 Sep 2002 17:31:31 -0400

OK, so I didn't feel like taking a nap today.... instead, I looked up
the word "fugue" in the New Harvard Dictionary of Music. There were
three surprises, one having to do with my own feelings about language
vs. music:

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In general terms, the structure of fugues has been likened to that of a
formal rhetorical discourse (Butler, 1977):

(1) a proposition is formally presented, (2) opposing material is
refuted, (3) the initial proposition is strengthened, and (4) a forceful
conclusive statement is made.

Descriptions of fugue as a conversation, argument, debate, diatribe, or
even as a battle among various voices, which occur in sources throughout
the 18h century, confirm Forkel's remark that "Bach considered his parts
as if they were persons who conversed together like a select company."

===========

Also, here's the first sentence from the New Harvard Musical
Dictionary's definition:

(1) The most fully developed procedure of imitative counterpoint [....],
(2) in the Renaissance, imitation.

The dictionary goes on to explain that "imitation" refers to repeating
the same theme in many different voices and counterpoints, rather than
developing additional themes during the composition.

==============

and last but not least, there are some six-voice strict fugues, whatever
the Latin name for them would be.

For those who want to know such things,

Cheers,
Bill

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