Fantasia for strings

Fantasia in g minor for strings:

Fantasia in g minor originally scored for organ manualiter. I have arranged it for strings (playback is woodwind quartet).

The second fugue is a bit longer then in the organ version and some mistakes have been edited.

Ms: 1. Fantasia theme

Ms: 7. Free counterpoint

Ms: 52 First fugue theme.

Ms: 91 Second fugue theme.

Ms 130 Fantasia theme

Ms 138. Free counterpoint.

Please tell me what you think.

Overall nice job!  I love the stylistically appropriate dissonances that you introduce.  Well done!

About your first fugue (m. 52) - it seems to be a four voice fugue but you restate the subject twice in the viola in the exposition and never in the cello.  Is this intentional?  It would have been nice to hear the bass voice state the subject.  Also your middle entries at m. 72 and 79 are in G minor again - it would have been nice to hear a modulation to a closely related key for a middle entry (but I guess at 79 you start a second exposition of the subject so that's fine).

Nice job seamlessly transitioning from the first to the second fugue - you do use a very similar fugue subject to build this second fugue however.  In fact, I am not exactly clear on where the second fugue subject starts from the way you've transitioned into it here.  The second fugue subject is like an outgrowth of the first one.  Then, at m. 95 you restate the first fugue subject as if in a double fugue but you're not consistently pairing the first and second fugue subjects together as would be expected in a double fugue.  Maybe you're just using it as material for free counterpoint?  Also, the exposition of this second fugue doesn't seem to state the subject in every voice.  This second fugue also seems to hover consistently over paired G minor and D minor middle entries like in the exposition - but it would have been nice to modulate to other closely related keys like is expected in a fugue.  You do have some effective episodes it this, although they don't modulate.

I like your fantasia theme as well and you transition effectively back into it.  Overall an enjoyable listen!

21 minutes ago, PaperComposer said:

Overall nice job!  I love the stylistically appropriate dissonances that you introduce.  Well done!

About your first fugue (m. 52) - it seems to be a four voice fugue but you restate the subject twice in the viola in the exposition and never in the cello.  Is this intentional?  It would have been nice to hear the bass voice state the subject.  Also your middle entries at m. 72 and 79 are in G minor again - it would have been nice to hear a modulation to a closely related key for a middle entry (but I guess at 79 you start a second exposition of the subject so that's fine).

Nice job seamlessly transitioning from the first to the second fugue - you do use a very similar fugue subject to build this second fugue however.  In fact, I am not exactly clear on where the second fugue subject starts from the way you've transitioned into it here.  The second fugue subject is like an outgrowth of the first one.  Then, at m. 95 you restate the first fugue subject as if in a double fugue but you're not consistently pairing the first and second fugue subjects together as would be expected in a double fugue.  Maybe you're just using it as material for free counterpoint?  Also, the exposition of this second fugue doesn't seem to state the subject in every voice.  This second fugue also seems to hover consistently over paired G minor and D minor middle entries like in the exposition - but it would have been nice to modulate to other closely related keys like is expected in a fugue.  You do have some effective episodes it this, although they don't modulate.

I like your fantasia theme as well and you transition effectively back into it.  Overall an enjoyable listen!

 

Hello. Thank you very much for listening and reviewing. 

First question:

Yes that was intentional. Its still in the high bass register, and lower in pitch then the first exposition. The was no plan for a 4 voice fugue in its traditional meaning. More of a trio with contiuno (comes from doing too much  italian baroque...). The therm fugue might not be the right one in this piece, fugal sections or fuguish.

At ms 72 its not the entire theme playd, so the real entry is in 79. Could offcourse used the episode to go somwhere else, but Gm is where it went after all...

Second question:

That is correct. The second fugal theme goes out from the frist one. The exposition is with the beginning of the first theme, but the exposiion has cut the beginning. What you are pointing out is very ture. I am using the material as free conterpoint. I was experimenting with a triple fugue her, but i decied not go for it.

My baroque style is very influenced by the early baroque.. Not that i have any problems with modulations, i just dont like to wander off to far this time! 🙂

Wow that was a really nice piece. You clearly know what you're doing in this style of music. Good use of dissonance and excellent contrapuntal writing. It had an overall calming / relaxing mood to it.

It takes a lot of skill to maintain this type of music for over 7 minutes especially as you don't wonder too far away from g minor (which is absolutely fine). My interest was maintained throughout so well done.