New Fugue a 4

Hi, I've been workin on this fugue, trying to apply my new knowledge.

It's in G major, and there's controversy. In the subject the dominant note (D) appears quite clearly in measure 3. Is it supposed to be transposed tonally, i.e. a fourth up (G) instead of a fifth (A)? I didn't. As you can see in bar 8 it is as an A.
It really is an ambiguous case "by the book". Since the D appears prominently but already in the third bar. So I tried to make the answer as you can see, and as it sounded good it stayed that way.

The structure is:

• Exposition, where the 4 voices enter and the countersubject is written in invertible counterpoint.
• Divertimento, sequence or episode (measure 22) that modulates to the dominant (D).
• Counter-exposition (measure 26), using inverted subject and countersubject.
• Divertimento (m. 36) using Corelli's Leapfrog with the subject motive with other schemata and Cudworth cadence (which I like to use a lot).
• Stretti (m. 44) and mini-exposition with pedal note.
• Divertimento (m.58) in the subdominant area with plagal cadence and new Cudworth to return to the tonic. 
• Coda (m 65) with perfect authentic cadence.

As always happens to me, I'm sure I've missed parallels all over the place. But hey, someday I'll get closer....

This is a very beautiful fugue! I really like the subject and how you developed it! I find the part around 50 seconds into the recording to be interesting! 

Hi Luis,

I like that your counterpoint has some modern touch in it as always, and I like how you use alternating textures of polyophony and homophony while using the same subject (I did something similar too haha I think in the Fugal 3rd movement of my Quintet so I like yours!). I actually find b.22 quite modern and funny with the tone clash even though it's Corelli's Leapfrog!

Actually I don't see why b.44 is a stretti since I only find one subject appearance there, but maybe I'm muddle-headed this time??🤑🤑

22 hours ago, Luis Hernández said:

As always happens to me, I'm sure I've missed parallels all over the place. But hey, someday I'll get closer....

Haha that's a war of battle all over at least for me as I can always find parallels in my own fugal writing.

P.S I thought you're a dog person! But lovely cat anyways!

Thx for sharing!

Henry

@Henry Ng Tsz Kiu

I agree, the "divertimento" part from b. 22 sounds a bit jazzy, but I don't dislike it there. It's based on a Mozart progression (in a string quartet of those dedicated to Haydn).

When I made the subject, as already mentioned, I didn't think about the stretto, so it was difficult to fit only one superimposed entry:

I always have a lot of animals, although in the last year and a half three of them have died of old age. Now I have two cats and three dogs. They have always lived together.

1 minute ago, Luis Hernández said:

It's based on a Mozart progression (in a string quartet of those dedicated to Haydn).

Talking of Mozart, I really love his fugue in C minor for two pianos, especially when the countersubject is in tone clash with the subject in the first note of it:

 I love this work so much with its wit but also restricted pathos in it! The craft is again perfect for Mozart.

4 minutes ago, Luis Hernández said:

When I made the subject, as already mentioned, I didn't think about the stretto, so it was difficult to fit only one superimposed entry:

Yup I miss this because I was thinking either the original voice or the voice in stretto will have the subject in full but looks like I overlook them totally.

5 minutes ago, Luis Hernández said:

I always have a lot of animals, although in the last year and a half three of them have died of old age. Now I have two cats and three dogs. They have always lived together.

Sad for you! That must hurt to lose three adorable ones.

I see you always post your dogs' picture in your videos so I think you're exclusively a dog person haha!!

Henry

I love this leak! And I didn't know it.

Of course, it has all the baroque essence, but in the final part it starts to put more twists of its time and ends up almost advancing romanticism, with those flourishes.

The dissonance you mention (bar 4)..., I'm sure that if someone of us wrote it, they would say "it's wrong".
But that B natural with the C above is a passing note, auxiliary, in strong time. The note above is a D and the resolution is D-C, but there is that D-(B)-D delay note.
And since it is perfectly resolved, in the practice of counterpoint it is totally legal to use it, even if it sounds strange because at that moment there is nothing else sounding.

 

8 minutes ago, Luis Hernández said:

Of course, it has all the baroque essence, but in the final part it starts to put more twists of its time and ends up almost advancing romanticism, with those flourishes.

Yup I love how he reach a homophonic conclusion after exploration of the subject in a fugal and polyphonic fashion. That's exactly what Beethoven would have done in this final movements in his Hammerclavier op.106 and op.110 piano sonatas! 

9 minutes ago, Luis Hernández said:

The dissonance you mention (bar 4)..., I'm sure that if someone of us wrote it, they would say "it's wrong".
But that B natural with the C above is a passing note, auxiliary, in strong time. The note above is a D and the resolution is D-C, but there is that D-(B)-D delay note.
And since it is perfectly resolved, in the practice of counterpoint it is totally legal to use it, even if it sounds strange because at that moment there is nothing else sounding.

In fact there are already some youtube users claiming Mozart is wrong there LoL.... They only know Bachian fugue but they don't know that Bach's fugue is also different from the previous ones. And in fact I use the same technique of having the countersubject clash with the subject in the first note when I'm composing the fugal section of the 2nd movement of my String Sextet right now. This would enhance the pathos for me and it's totally legal. If we look into some cantatas of Bach you will know that he's much more adventurous than what we might think of him...

Henry

Wow this is beautiful, Well done Luis

Hello Luis

I love your subject, it is very cantabile! The whole first part works really great for me.

What I don't understand is why you would want to modulate to the dominant as you have already modulated forth and back several times before?

The mood change in the first divertimento is robust. Why do you return to G here?

Nice piece.

J.

@Jan-Frederik Carl

Thanks.
Regarding modulations, I don't know, why not? In traditional fugues, except for some tonal anchor points, you can do whatever you want. Otherwise all leakages would be the same.
In this case, I was more interested in incorporating different "schemata".