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I haven't analyzed that many fugues so I might be wrong, but from the few I did analyze, my conclusions regarding point 2) were the following: "Most fugue subjects start in the tonic chord and end in the tonic chord (at least the first time they are presented). Since the fugue subject ends in tonic and this coincides with the beginning of the answer, the answer also starts in the original tonic harmony (even though the answer is restated a fifth above). This is why when the fugue includes the fifth in the melody during its beginning, that note will go up a fourth instead of a fifth up during the answer." For example, if the first two notes of a subject in C major are C-G, the answer would start with the notes G-C, instead of G-D. This is caused because of the fact that both subject and answer will have a C major harmonic background during its beginning (so, even though the answer is restated in G, it does not start in a G chord, and that is what causes the change in the melody). (subject in C) (answer in G) C-G G-C [C harmony] .................................. [C harmony again]

Lately, I've been trying to improve my knowledge (I don't know if my writing as well) about the Fugue. Apart from observing the intervals and parallels, which I need to be more aware of, I've been asking myself some questions that I think are important and I've been doing some research and thinking about it. In this thread I want to point out two things. As an example, I put the expositions of the fugue in Gm and the fugue in Cm, both by Bach. 1. Why do many fugues have an ACAPHALOUS beginning? That is, they start with some silence and the notes in weak part. 2. Why in the answer to the subject, which occurs a fifth above, is there a note that Bach transposes a fourth? In the first (fugue in Gm) the first note is a D, and it is raised a fourth (G), while the rest of the answer is raised a fifth. In the second (fugue in Cm), the fourth note, a G, of the subject, is raised to C = a fourth. The rest is raised a fifth. I have my theories and answers, but I would like more opinions.

Hi all, It's been a while since I posted. A Soldier's Dairy is a work composed over the last 4 months. It is a very long piece - 9 minutes. The work is in narrative form, in that - the structure is a bit free flowing; although, I worked hard to maintain balance with the relative rhythmic, melodic, and harmonic motifs integrated throughout the work. I worked on this composition with a new Mentor (finally found one). So this is the first complete draft - 95% or so done. The engraving still needs work as does polishing off chord note placement etc. My objective here is too create a work that flows with interesting and effective transitions. Each segment represents a moment/time in a day for the Soldier. For me - the work is best experienced as a "Movie Score". I would appreciate al comments.

I am not very sure about this. In the first example, it would have been very easy for Bach to put that first note of the answer on the A and respect the transposition to the fifth. But he didn't do it. But in the case of the fugue in C minor, the note that "fails" is not the first note. Nothing would have happened if the A had been transposed to the fifth. We could think that Bach lowered this note to a C to fit better with the counter-subject that the left hand is doing (Eb-Re).... Since Eb-C forms a sixth. However, when the tenor enters with the subject (last staff), it is the same (identical) as the initial subject, in the same key, and the counter-subject now above and in transposition is also the same as when it appeared the first time, so now there is a dissonance between the note G and the Ab above. Ok, it can be considered a passing note with the B flat above. So why didn't he do the same in measure 3? Rephrasing everything, why in the transposition to the upper fifth of the subject there is ONE NOTE that, SOMETIMES, is transposed to the fourth?

1) I don't see that fact, since when a voice begins, there is often no previous silence, precisely because it coincides with the end of the previous subject or with filler free notes. 2) Possibly it has to do with that but why is everything transposed a fifth but that note up a fourth?

From my understanding: 1) This helps with the independence of both voices. For example, by having the subject enter on a weak beat, when the answer enters in it to will have that silence against the first voice which would have some free material against the answer. This helps with the overall independence of the voices. When looking at counterpoint texts, it is recommended to have rests against a C.F. when doing exercise for this reason of having a more independent voice. 2) This has do deal with keys. From my understanding, for some subject if you were to transpose the answer exactly it would take the answer too far aways from the given key. These are called tonal answers.

This is a piece ive created over the summer with the assistance of my band directors, any complaints will be considered

Hi guys, this is a piece I wrote recently, and I'm already stuck at bar 21 😞 I feel like my music is proceeding far too quickly, but I have no idea as of how to slow it down to make it more logical. I also get stuck easily whenever my initial ideas ran out... PS:It is a homework assigned by my music teacher, we were given a one-bar rhythm (I used it in the first bar) and are required to write a piece based on it. However, the music lesson does not focus much on composition- also there are many students in my class- so the teacher only glanced through my work and gave a few suggestions without telling me what I should actually do. (I've never had any formal training on composition, only some music theory knowledge at about ABRSM grade 6) PPS: I am a very slow composer and spent like four weeks writing these twenty bars of music. Sometimes it takes weeks to generate ideas. Is this normal? How should I improve on the speed and quality of my work? All suggestions/advice and criticisms are welcomed! Thanks in advance 😉 Saltypenguin