The Fugue Explained

In this video, I the history, structure, and compositional techniques of the fugue, a type of baroque piece. Because of their complexity and intricacy, fugues are one of my favorite types of piece, both as a pianist and a composer.

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#musictheory #fugue #bach

[TimfeyK]

This is drastically underrated video. I hope you get the recognition you deserve)

[JordanEvansMusic]

This is a great lesson! I used to write fugues but it’s one of those things if you don’t do it for a while you will forget the rules. This a great refresher. Enjoy seeing your videos!

[MitchBoucherComposer]

Bravo! As a composer of fugues, I appreciate this video a lot.

[dyno]

This is one of the best explanations I’ve even seen for anything, thank you so much.

[thōmās-xn]

You just gave a better explanation of negative harmony (inversion) in 10 seconds than I have heard on whole videos about negative harmony. Well done! This was such an informative video

[tammybauer]

In my two years of composing music I never realised that I was writing and creating fugues! I would incorporate these techniques because I heard them in songs prior or learned through experimentation. It’s so interesting and has given me a broader understanding of music, thanks for the insightful video!

[marches]

6:55 - 8:05 The melodically developed lick.

[bsan-]

I still can’t believe that your channel isn’t more famous yet. I know this is a really cliche comment, but every time I watch a video, I always think of how I’d love to see more like it! I always want to show them to my theory teacher as well😂

[newshound]

What an excellent explanation of such a complex subject! Well done! I'm going to listen to it again, and maybe yet again.

[StephiSensei]

Fine lesson. Thank you. Clarity and fun.

[benjaminsawyer]

Thank you for your clear explanation! I always struggled with how to understand fugues. I finally undestand!

[riverstun]

I keep watching videos on the fugue in the hopes that someone will eventually give some insight into how to compose them. But with few exceptions, they all give the same tired description of the form. It's as if the most complicated thing is deciding which voice to put the theme in. The kind of thing I'm looking for is the way that Bach will frequently alternate moving notes with held notes - so one voice moves while the other holds and vice versa. This gives a nice conversational effect, and thins the note texture while leaving the number of voices the same - making it easier to hear all the voices. Fugues are not just a form, they are an artform in which the most voices can be heard at the same time. The fun is trying to hear them all at the same time, and this requires work on the part of the listener, but also the composer, and the performer. Most of these introductions dont mention that. Gould doesnt do that, but he does describe what is happening in one of the fugues, EbMajor maybe from book II, in an interview with Bruno Monsaingeon

[yipitsrose]

This is an amazingly well presented video! I am doing a paper in western music history and this has helped immensely, thank u!!

[bethtrautmann]

Brilliant but clear. I need to listen to this a couple of times. Very complex.

[eeasuper]

Amazing video! Thank you for this great lesson!

[ArthurAgamenon_]

It is insane how well explained it is! thank you!

[geiryvindeskeland]

Polychoron, I'm sorry for my inadequate English. Quote 6:13: "Usually, each subject will have it's own exposition, but they may be introduced at the same time". What do you mean by "may be at the same time"? If you want to compose a triple fugue, each fugue need separate expositions! Not everyone agree with me on this, but do they write triple fugues? My last triple fugue in old style consist of 232 measures. Some "scholars" teach the listeners that the fugue BWV 847, with 31 measures, is a triple fugue. I deserve to get paid for those 201 measures extra. But how to get paid if both pieces are triple fugues?

[LukasBeckamp]

This video helped me a lot to understand this theme. Thanks!

[murrayeaston]

The last symphonic movement finished by Mozart, the 4th of his 41st symphony is, I now understand a bit better, full of the compositional notions and forms of the fugue form. Always knew there was something a bit special and different about it but couldn't put my finger on it (somehow 'old-fashioned' sounding in parts), but run through with Mozart's sublime turns and twists of phrase, and exquisite balance of finish! If you've not heard it I highly recommend, it's an explosion of fugal fireworks through the creative window of a (THE) later master of the 'classical' style, and a fitting hurrah to wee Wolfgang's symphonic output, bless his peerless soul.

[IVAN_SEO]

I was just looking up Fugue from hsr and came across this vid randomly. No regrets💯💯