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First Fugue

Im just starting my first fugue as a project in counterpoint. Does anyone have any experience in this area who could offer some suggestions before I get started (since all I have at this point is my subject)?

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Comment by Peter Daley on May 25, 2011 at 7:47am: First fugue, go ahead with the challenge :-). I've been on and off working on one myself.

Comment by Michael Staff on April 6, 2011 at 10:38pm: Thanks for your experience! I always enjoy hearing about other composer's experiences and I'll also definately check out Hindemith's fugue mentioned

Comment by Ansgar Kreutz on April 4, 2011 at 3:32am: if you interested in more "modern" fugues, you should study "Ludus tonalis" from Hindemith

Comment by Paul Smith on April 4, 2011 at 2:59am: I never studied fugue formally, unless listening to endless hours of Bach's fugues qualifies as actual 'study', which, of course, it DOESN'T...So when the day at last came not too long ago when I decided to try to write a proper fugue of my own anyway, I ran into the same problem you've mentioned...Things were actually moving along rather swimmingly, UNTIL the end of the 3rd statement of the subject, and I've pretty much been at a loss ever since... I think what the problem here for me is: A lack of understanding about just how MUCH leeway one is allowed in the episodes to break away from precise restatements and expansions of the preceding materials. I do wish you luck in your efforts, though, and would really like to hear them when you're done. I love the art of fugue very much, indeed, and I'm sorry I couldn't offer you anything other than my own as of yet unfinished experience with it.

Comment by Peter Daley on April 2, 2011 at 7:53pm: Great to see you exploring various musical styles.

Comment by Michael Staff on March 28, 2011 at 10:52am: I've actually already written the exposition as of this morning but there seems to be little direction as far as the episodic development. Nowhere have I read about a recapitulation or conclusion to the fugue.

Comment by Michael Staff on March 28, 2011 at 10:46am: I studied counterpoint for 2 years early on in my studies but know only a little about Messiaen. I have written canons, inventions, and other polyphonic works but a fugue is more complex and my intention is to use it as a movement for a larger work. Most of my studies on Messiaen are regarding harmony.

Comment by Ansgar Kreutz on March 27, 2011 at 1:38pm: what experiences or studies do you have in counterpoint? do you know the meaning of Messiaen about the importance of fugue for music of today?

Comment by Michael Staff on March 25, 2011 at 1:55pm: In trying to be as versitile as possible as a composer I strive to learn all forms (even though I know the fugue is technically not a form). I find the conversation between voices beautiful and since it is so different from the other music I write I wanted to focus on my weaker areas and areas of less experience.