Improvising Fugues?

I've heard that some of the great composers, notably old JSB, used to be able to actually sit down at an organ and completely improvise fugues.

I asked my teacher about this and it is a skill a lot of people have (something that seems extremely difficult to me, I can hardly write fugues let alone improvise them!).

I was wondering if any of the people on YC are able to do this, and furthermore if there are any books on the subject. I'd love to be able to do it but i'm not going to even try until i've played more fugues and thoroughly understand their composition.

Ferret,

I've heard that some of the great composers, notably old JSB, used to be able to actually sit down at an organ and completely improvise fugues.

I asked my teacher about this and it is a skill a lot of people have (something that seems extremely difficult to me, I can hardly write fugues let alone improvise them!).

I was wondering if any of the people on YC are able to do this, and furthermore if there are any books on the subject. I'd love to be able to do it but i'm not going to even try until i've played more fugues and thoroughly understand their composition.

Ferret,

It's not so difficult actually if you slowly learn how to improvise 2 voice counterpoint, then build up how to work with multiple voices, pedals, etc. Once you can just play 4 voice counterpoint impromptu you can try doing forms or whatever with it. Fugues are rather simple since you can plan ahead really easily and if you practiced the mechanical skill like I said you can just automatically get it going if you pay attention to the little details.

But it's just a matter of practice, lots of it. Huge metric fucktons of it.

PS: OH, playing in a slooow tempo at first (and this'll take a while) is a great idea. The best thing to do is try to go for slow and short subjects you can think of variation, etc. But the key is not thinking too much but getting a "feel" for what you want to do and how it should sound like. It also helps to practice a little ahead the variations or scheme it up some in your head before you start. One of the things I did was play initial expositions over and over and over and over with all sorts of subjects, number of voices, tempos, rhythms, etc etc etc. Once you get that down, the rest is just automatic (if you've done your homework.)

Yes. I improvise a lot. At least 30min every day. I don't do fugues but here is helpful tips:

- Get a GOOD theme or mofit

- Choose your form: Either variasions or ad form (like sonata or rondo ect).

- Make use of modulations.

- Try to be original in your improvisations. Surprise your (to be) audience.

- Develop your theme - all themes. To such an extend, exhaust your theme's! (Hehe, that's what I do).

- Be original with texture and colour. When playing piano, break away from Alberti bass. I frequently use Liszt octaves, trill's, motive development ect. On the organ, be new! Think about new way of playing. Use scales, arpeggios, chromatic scales, dissonance eventually disoving into a beautiful V7 - I.

- Be inspired by Bach! For me, it is Liszt.

Pieter Smal