Introduction to Fugue

Fugue is a musical compositional technique made popular by J.S. Bach in the 18th century. In this episode of Everything Music we explore the basic elements of fugal writing.

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[stevebadachmusic]

I personally feel Bach's fugues to be the purest form of art ever created. They are all just so perfect.

[teobaldoarriola]

This is not music, this is magic and Bach was a sorcerer who cast his spell all over the world. Greetings from Peru.

[NahreSol]

I love this so Everything about this video...

[urbansoban]

You, dear Sir, are what I call a complete musician. To see someone talk about jazz, rock, pop and now classical music so proficiently and with such appreciation, is quite rare.

[seller]

This is totally over my head. I still enjoyed it.

[GDem]

Fugue 2 in C Minor was one of my exam pieces. This is such a great piece as an example!

[noahmcgaffey]

This makes me want to write a rock fugue.

[AshleyFosterMusic]

This was a perfect reminder of how fugues work I’m going to try and write a little fugue to go in the breakdown of a song I’m writing on the Ukulele now I’m armed with everything I need to know 👍🏻

[mattriddle]

And just like that it makes sense... Thank you Rick, this is important work your doing here.

[jazzerson]

Spot on approach, encyclopedic, glad to see that melodic minor ascending only fella in the white shirt is helping the channel with the classical side! It's funny in that I passed all the classical piano grades as a kid but my fuller understanding of music has really come from jazz. I look at classical music differently now and always analyze what is going on musically instead of just learning pieces like a robot!

[GeraldWilhelmBradenComposer]

Rick, I love your music channel and videos! I'm an Austrian-American former rock, R&B, and jazz, touring and studio guitarist, former music professor, and now a pianist, keyboardist, and classical music orchestral and chamber composer. It's great to see that there are other diverse and well rounded musicians and educators out there...Peace!

[PeterLaman]

Studying and rehearsing a fugue is hard work. Doing it on classical guitar is very hard work. Overcoming the difficulties and finally being able to play it 'horizontally' and 'vertically' - as it should - is one of the most rewarding things in playing music. Currently working on the Fugue from BWV 998 (orig. for Lute). Playing such a piece is bliss!

[derikdavis]

Love this Rick. I started learning about and experimenting with fugue through the IPad app Fugue Machine, then dove in further through reading. Please continue this series.

[jordonarts]

Awesome. I wonder how many time I will be watching this one...

[Twin_solo_az]

So Brandenburg #5, which I love, is all because of the Fugue. Excellent!

Almost can’t even describe this without Bach.

[glenklingshirn]

Rick, just discovered your channel a week ago. Since I am an old guy (older than you or Elvis’ sideburns) and have been playing the mandolin for only a couple of years, I confess you are 90 percent over my head. That being said, I enjoy all of your content and look forward to reading/watching it after a practice. Thank you.

[TimothyOBrien]

I LOVE fugues. I think they’re the most interesting bits of music.

[PhillipLWilcher]

I came to Bach's music all too late in Life preferring more the Romantic school of Music. It was, in fact, by way of Chopin that I "met" Bach: his ballade No. 4 in F minor. What is more, it was not until I immersed myself in Bach's The Art of Fugue that I realised of Bach were all we had in Music, we would have it all. And so, that point of arrival in a musician's life where they need nothing more than "The Art of Fugue" - it is to understand that all things are born of one another, and even that The Art of Fugue should have remained a work incomplete speaks to my completeness; to this world within a world without end in which we all live, as does the soul transcend itself to address Eternity. I am there now, and inasmuch as I feel I have in some way always been there, this place of undivided awareness our one deity's own dream, there can be no turning back from the very wonder that is this music by J S Bach, at least not for me not ever now! And so it is, that my gratitude itself has gravitas, the grace of God in its passing; the face of Divine Faith everlasting. Rick, need I tell you how deeply touched I am by your presentation! I do thank you! Blessings!
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[saviogaikwad]

The most clear and concise explanation on the subject, hours of study made simple in under 5 mins. Fantastic!!

[niklaslindstrom]

Great video! Very straightforward and clear explanation. I think it's awesome that a great youtuber such as yourself spread knowledge of intricate harmonic concepts as well as 18th century counterpoint.

About your video description, though: the fugue was hardly "made popular" by Bach. He was rather considered quite old fashioned for still writing fugues while other composers, such as his sons, moved on to exploring lighter, homophonic music, today referred to as the Galant style, which forboded the music of the Classical period. Fugal writing was already a rich tradition when Bach wasn't even born and eventually, he would come to perfect it, alltohugh he also, in a sense, ended it.