A fugato... or something

I've been experimenting with themes, trying to mimic something along the lines of Bach's Kunst der Fuge, and I came up with this. It took me around 4 hours to compose, and I'm not really certain of having followed any rules. I think it sounds okay, though, so please tell me what you think! I suppose you could consider this a finished product, too <=)

Fugato en Re

By the way, I'm not even sure if it's in Re (in Mexico we use the Do, re, mi, fa, etc system), but Sibellius says so.

Thanks in advance for listening!

This is a pleasant Baroque impression - very nice to listen to - but it doesn't sound like a fugal form of any kind.

A fugato usually refers to something that is a miniature fugue inserted in the middle of a movement that is not otherwise contrapuntal in nature. The term is not usually used to describe a stand-alone piece of music like this.

The term Fughetto (little fugue) might be more appropriate if this piece had more of the characteristics of a fugue. You do have a subject or theme that appears a few times, but not in the way it should in a fugue. Mostly, this piece consists of a series of sequences. A sequence is a melodic or harmonic pattern successively repeated at different pitches with or without a key change. Sequences are an integral part of the fugal form, but the treatment of the subject is of primary importance.

In a proper fugue:

1. One voice (or instrument) states the subject alone (or occasionally with accompaniment). The subject is a melodic idea, anywhere from a few notes to a few measures long, upon which the fugue will be based.

2. When the statement of the subject is finished, a second voice states the subject at the dominant (if the fugue is in C or Do, the second entrance is usually in G or Sol); this statement of the subject is called the Answer.

3. While the second voice states the answer, the first voice states a counter-subject - another melody that harmonizes with the subject.

3. At the end of the answer, a brief sequence or modulation occurs to bring the key back to the tonic, at which point a third voice enters and states the subject in the tonic key. This process continues until all the voices (commonly 4, but from as few as 3 to as many as 8, 10 or even more, though rare) have stated the subject once.

4. Then usually follows a sequence, or an episode - an alternate passage usually based upon some melodic or rhythmic idea that has occurred during the opening statement, but not necessarily.

5. Near the end of the sequence or episode (a measure or more, usually), one voice drops out. At the end of the sequence or episode, the voice that dropped out states the subject again, and the process begins over. From this point the "rules" get more lenient: there may be partial statements of the subject; not all voices need to follow each other in succession; there may be more material between statements of the subject; more advanced techniques such as stretto (the statement of the subject in overlapping or close succession) may be employed; etc.

These steps must be followed fairly strictly in order for a piece to be considered a fugue of any kind.

If it sounds fairly complicated, it is. I'm not going to sugar-coat it for you. But with practice and the requisite desire, you can master it. I hope that helps a a bit.

fascinating piece! sounds like as coming from another world. the baroque feel in present but you have transfigured it in a wonderful way! splendid choice of instruments too. great and delightful piece! congrats!