Young Composers' Fugue Challenge

F Major Fugue. There's a little problem in the d minor stretto entry which I will correct when I have time.

MP3

Why have you shouted Textbooks? I can't afford Textbooks! (Although I shall be getting some after exams. . . full of tasty fugue subjects and contrapuntal advice. Buying counterpoint textbooks also gives me an excuse to march into a bookshop, find the most attractive store-assistant and ask loudly "I'm looking for Fux!")

Get them off amazon my friend, that's where I get all of my books, cheap, and very fast delivery

You've got a score Praeludium and Fugue? I wanna take a look at it.

Originally Posted by Zetetic

You've got a score Praeludium and Fugue? I wanna take a look at it.

PM me if you want a scan of the original paper and pencil score. I just copied it into Sibelius for the sound file but the voices and rests are not properly written out there.

If it's going to be a hassle, then don't worry about it.

I have a question though, hopefully with which you can help. When, in Bach-style counterpoint, is the interval of a fourth acceptable? For example, I'm currently analysing Bach's ridiculously complicated Fugue no.6 in D minor from the Well-Tempered Clavier Book I, and there are loads of 4ths inbetween parts (for example, in bar 3) that seem dissonant. When are they allowed?

I'd appreciate anything else you think I might find useful, since I've done all my counterpoint so far by ear, and although I think it sounds quite authentic sometimes, I'd much rather prepare myself for doing it properly by eliminating things such as rogue fourths from my musical 'ear.' I don't find myself writing parallels accidentally, but fourths I do. . . . but when are they allowed? Arrgh!

Species Counterpoint Menu Have a look through these, FREE!

I don't want to write music that sounds like bleeding Palestrina!

Learn the rules, then use them to suit your style.

Originally Posted by Zetetic

I don't want to write music that sounds like bleeding Palestrina!

It's important to learn the rules first. You can then transgress them or bend them later, but you need to know them in order to understand when and how to do so.