Fugue
Baroque works
Definition
A contrapuntal composition in which a short melody (the subject) is introduced by one voice and successively taken up by others, developed through imitation, and interwoven throughout the piece according to strict contrapuntal rules.
Historical Context
The fugue reached its apex in the Baroque period, most fully in the work of J.S. Bach. The form demands the simultaneous independence of multiple voices, each carrying the subject or its answer while the others continue with countersubject material. Post-Bach, the fugue was employed as a learned device by Beethoven (Op. 106, Op. 131) and later by Shostakovich in his 24 Preludes and Fugues.
Works (30)
- Fugue grave in G minor Key G minor
- Fugue in C minor, BWV 575 Key C minor
- Fugue in G major (Gigue), BWV 577 Key G major
- Fugue in G minor (Little), BWV 578 Key G minor
- Fugue in B minor on a theme by Corelli, BWV 579 Key B minor
- Fugue in C minor on a theme by Legrenzi, BWV 574 Key C minor
- Chromatic Fugue in D minor, BWV 903 Key D minor
- Fugue in C major, BWV 953 Key C major
- Fugue in A major, BWV 864, WTC Book I No. 19 Key A major
- Fugue in A minor, BWV 865, WTC Book I No. 20 Key A minor
- Fugue in A♭ major, BWV 862, WTC Book I No. 17 Key A♭ major
- Fugue in B major, BWV 868, WTC Book I No. 23 Key B major
- Fugue in B minor, BWV 869, WTC Book I No. 24 Key B minor
- Fugue in B♭ major, BWV 866, WTC Book I No. 21 Key B♭ major
- Fugue in B♭ minor, BWV 867, WTC Book I No. 22 Key B♭ minor
- Fugue in C major, BWV 846, WTC Book I No. 1 Key C major
- Fugue in C minor, BWV 847, WTC Book I No. 2 Key C minor
- Fugue in C♯ major, BWV 848, WTC Book I No. 3 Key C♯ major
- Fugue in C♯ minor, BWV 849, WTC Book I No. 4 Key C♯ minor
- Fugue in D major, BWV 850, WTC Book I No. 5 Key D major
- Fugue in D minor, BWV 851, WTC Book I No. 6 Key D minor
- Fugue in E major, BWV 854, WTC Book I No. 9 Key E major
- Fugue in E minor, BWV 855, WTC Book I No. 10 Key E minor
- Fugue in E♭ major, BWV 852, WTC Book I No. 7 Key E♭ major
- Fugue in E♭ minor, BWV 853, WTC Book I No. 8 Key E♭ minor
- Fugue in F major, BWV 856, WTC Book I No. 11 Key F major
- Fugue in F minor, BWV 857, WTC Book I No. 12 Key F minor
- Fugue in F♯ major, BWV 858, WTC Book I No. 13 Key F♯ major
- Fugue in F♯ minor, BWV 859, WTC Book I No. 14 Key F♯ minor
- Fugue in G major, BWV 860, WTC Book I No. 15 Key G major