Tonal form fugue glossary

Fugue

An imitative contrapuntal composition that develops a theme, called a subject. The voices usually enter one at a time.

Subject

The recurring theme of a fugue (The subject is stated at the very beginning of a fugue, usually unaccompanied). The subject is often in two parts, the head and the tail. The head is usually designed to be very recognizable.

Answer

The second (and sometimes fourth) statement of the subject transposed to the dominant or subdominant key.

Real Answer

When the answer is simply a transposition of the subject.

Tonal Answer

When the answer transposes and tweaks the notes of the subject so that they form a pair, creating a I-V or V-I unity.

Counter-subject

The theme which regularly accompanies the subject or answer. (Not all fugues have countersubjects. Countersubjects usually follow the initial subject statement in the same voice and therefore first accompany the answer)

Exposition

The opening section of a fugue, where each voice enters: first with the subject, next with the answer, next with the subject, (if there are 4 voices, next comes the answer, and so on). It ends when the last voice finishes stating its subject/answer.

Link

Short passage during the exposition between entries, usually between the answer and the next subject. Not all fugues have links.

Episode

A section which doesn’t include the complete subject or answer. It will usually contain fragments of either or both. Usually they contain sequences, they often modulate.

Entrance

Where a subject/answer appears after the exposition

Stretto

When 2 or more subjects/answers overlap

False entry

When it sounds like there is an entrance, but the music veers off.

Counter-exposition

When, sometime after the exposition has ended, there is another one: that is, all the voices re-enter, in Subject-Answer-Subject-(Answer) again.

Pedal(point)

A passage where one voice holds a note (or a trill) for several measures.

Transposition

The subject but raised/lower by an interval(ex. a major 3rd), can start on any note.

Inversion

The subject but going in the opposite direction(ex. going up when the original subject went down), can start on any note.

Diminution

The subject but made faster (ex. half note turns to quarter note).

Augmentation

The subject but made slower(ex. half note turns to whole note).

Retrograde

The subject but played in reverse (ex. last note turns to first note).

Modal change

The subject but with accidentals to switch the key to a mode.