Tiny Quartal-harmony fugue

Yeah, uh. I wrote this as an example to someone. It's a fugue built mostly on perfect 4th intervals. It's probably somewhat hard to play, but who cares.

MP3: ssc-fuguein4.mp3

Oh, the reason why all the different accidentals and so on is due to the 4ths, so that for example from F a 4th would be Bb, not A#, though it's enharmonic. So, it can get somewhat confusing unless that's understood. I also switch sometimes depending if the chord has functional meaning.

Another thing is that I took a lot of liberties with the fugue .. uh, form/whatever, mostly because I felt like it but also because it sounded better to me. Also it ends in A minor, but I ...uh, can't really tell if it's really in A minor or any other key. Probably why I picked to do a sort of "regular" cadence.

So, attempt to enjoy yet another fugue, though this sounds quite different than the other fugues.

quartalfugue.pdf

This is awesome. I love the harmonies! I see what you mean about the liberties, such as the number of voices changing, and the use of chords, and arpeggios. I'd be tempted to call this a 'Fugato', actually. When I was listening, the rest at the beginning and the velocities being changed based on the pitch of notes threw me off the metre, and I was hearing it an 8th note behind what it was supposed to be. That isn't a compositional issue, more of a technical one, but thought I'd mention it. Overall, a very interesting and enjoyable piece! Very original too. I think this stands out over various other fugues posted here.

Hmm, you mean a problem with the mp3? Weird, I didn't notice anything... But I'll check. It's probably also confusing that I accentuate the beats "wrong" so that it's hard to tell that it's in 6/8.

Well if Hindemith called his stuff fugues so can I, so the name is alright.

Anyways, thanks for listening and glad you liked it! :>

No prob. A lot of it actually reminded me of bits from Ludus Tonalis.

Well if Hindemith called his stuff fugues so can I, so the name is alright.

I'm not sure if you've ever performed or examined the Ludus Tonalis of Hindemith, but what he calls "fugues" is most definately fitting of that title: they have subjects, countersubjects, episodes, stretti, pedals... all the formal elements, and the strict counterpoint, albeit following the logic of his harmony rather than common practice harmony.

At no point in any of the 12 fugues does he derogate from the number of voices he establishes.

So if Bach called his stuff fugues, I guess Hindemith could as well.

It's a way of saying that it doesn't matter much, I think it's a fugue and I wrote it, so a fugue it is~

PS: Also, mine does contain a whole bunch of the traditional ideas and so on, but I throw a lot of the counterpoint out the window in many instances.

It's a way of saying that it doesn't matter much, I think it's a fugue and I wrote it, so a fugue it is~

PS: Also, mine does contain a whole bunch of the traditional ideas and so on, but I throw a lot of the counterpoint out the window in many instances.

I actually very much enjoyed your piece, I was just curious about your comment which seemed to be a dig of sorts at Hindemith.

I actually very much enjoyed your piece, I was just curious about your comment which seemed to be a dig of sorts at Hindemith.

Oh not at all, I totally admire Hindemith and clearly this was inspired by him. I just mean that I'm not too strict with naming, since it's very well possible to think that Hindemith or Shostakovich's fugues aren't "real fugues" since they aren't in Bach-style. I don't dig that and they didn't mind naming their stuff as fugues despite the obvious differences with what is generally regarded as a fugue.

Same here. Though of course they have their reasons for using the name and it's clear that so do I~

Oh actually, I'm glad you liked it!

But does music HAVE to be in common practice harmony to be considered a fugue? I find it odd that you make this distinction. To the best of my knowledge, the Hindemith fugues are entirely consistant with any definition you may wish to apply to the form. Fugue is a form, a form that is intimately linked to harmonic and contrapuntal processes.

But does music HAVE to be in common practice harmony to be considered a fugue? I find it odd that you make this distinction. To the best of my knowledge, the Hindemith fugues are entirely consistant with any definition you may wish to apply to the form. Fugue is a form, a form that is intimately linked to harmonic and contrapuntal processes.

No that's exactly my point, if a composer comes to me with a bunch of clusters and says it's a fugue, I wouldn't think it's wrong or anything. It'd just make me curious why that name was picked, for example.

By far the best piece I've heard from you. I actually enjoyed it all the way through.

Why thank you. :x