Young Composers' Fugue Challenge

I suppose sleepless nights are good for something.

Here

Very nice job, J. Lee! Always love choral fugues! ;)

I was actually thinking of doing the same with Bmin, but as I said before, it hasn't really gotten off the ground (past the exposition). Maybe this next weekend.....

There's some very impressive work being showcased in this thread. ;)

Wow this topic is growing fast. I haven't had time to listen to any of the newly posted fugues but good job at writing them. I worked some bit on my other compositions. But I think I will have some time later and I will force out something.

Motivation is good, but I think you should just let it come to you gradually and naturally. Don't work too much on fugue in one sitting if it is beginning to frustrate you. Just take a break and come back the next day. There's really no rush or deadline. :)

Incredable fugues i see! :blink:

This is my 4 voice fugue for the theme in E minor.

It can also be executed by a choir.

Fuga_in_e.mid

Lee: Suprisingly enough, your writing is very idiomatic! :blink:

Ok, i'll try one. Anyone willing to teach me the basics here?

Nice job, Bach88! :blink:

Letehn: I think this should help you get started:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fugue

I know I posted it on the other thread, but it does give a good outline of the styles and structures of a fugue. Hope it helps!

Lee: Suprisingly enough, your writing is very idiomatic!

You could have paid me no greater compliment! :blink:

Ok this is what I have halfway through. The last part is just bits I already had for use somewhere, added to the finished part.

Click.

Any tips on development? I never really know where to go, which road to take and none reveal themselves to me after finishing the exposition. I think this subject is too dominant and recognisable to really milk like I did. But I do want to get it in the texture someway. I guess I'll add new thematic material with the subject in diminution when I get time to rewrite this piece. Any suggestions on using canrizans in a fugue development? Or any examples? And could someone give me your personal comments and opinions on useage of cadenses anywhere in a fugue?

Fugue_in_Cm_v.08.MID

Nice job so far. I noticed that you altered the subject in its first statement though. I dont know if this was intentional or accidental; check out the original one more time.

Any suggestions on using canrizans in a fugue development? Or any examples? And could someone give me your personal comments and opinions on useage of cadenses anywhere in a fugue?

Well, I've never heard of a canziran (though I will proceed to look that up shortly). As for cadences, they should flow, so there is no interruption of the fugue. Its hard to explain without an example: check out my Cm one though, you can hear it in there (sorta). With each entrance of the "false" subject, there is a small cadence.....but that usually goes right into another subject entrance immediately after.

I'm not sure if thats what you were asking about, and I doubt I explained it clearly either, so take from it what you will. :D

I guess you mean 'in modo cancrizante' and that is basically the same as retrograde motion, if I'm not mistaken. It roughly translates to 'in crab motion', and I'm sure that Bach would have examples. Wouldn't know which, though :glare:

God! This thing is giving me a pain! I have 30 seconds so far, arr!!

Yet another baroque blooper by me :)

Something strange happening, Im of key almost instantly, What key is it?

I just abandoned this particular efford but I'm not giving up writing a fuge, no, no.

I'm not satisfied with this attempt, apart from the key issue the music is incoherent to my taste. If you know were I've gone wrong, please help.

Thanks in advance, your frusty croq Artisimo

subject6.mp3

Something strange happening, Im of key almost instantly, What key is it?

Well you start in E min, and by the last measure you wind up in B min: there's really nothing wrong with that and the chord progression that got you there, it's actually quite nice!

I'm not satisfied with this attempt, apart from the key issue the music is incoherent to my taste. If you know were I've gone wrong, please help.

The only thing I'd really say is that after the intial entrances, you place the melody in the soprano and lose the contrapuntal feel (it's kinda homophonic, melody with chords), but thats not too bad; you can break out of that easily. Besides that, its pretty solid.

I just abandoned this particular efford

Oh come on! This subject is very nice! Keep working with it, I'm sure it'll turn out for the best!

Thank you for your input !!! makes sence to me

Originally posted by The Baroque Enthusiast@Oct 23 2005, 12:29 AM

Well you start in E min, and by the last measure you wind up in B min

Originally posted by The Baroque Enthusiast@Oct 23 2005, 12:29 AM

The only thing I'd really say is that after the intial entrances, you place the melody in the soprano and lose the contrapuntal feel

Thank you for your kind words, I will have a look at it after some cool down time. But I'm already frisky to do a second attempt in a different way :D

Artisimo, it is so interesting to see you going through a lot of the same "trial and error" process I've gone through with counterpoint. Keep trying - your good instincts and artistic flair are going to bring you a long way. :)

I haven't listened yet, but Artisimo, surely don't give up fast, which you already said you won't. Its going to take a lot of failures for anyone to learn to compose. Let alone a fugue.

But a tip for getting a polyphonic feel; have 16th notes in one voice while the other has half notes, then switch it around. Also, in general, having short note values in the bass will give a big constrast with monophonic music.

thank you J. Lee Graham, I do understand there is no shortcut. I like the method of trial and error because it is rewarding to learn from mistakes and see progress and more important , the lessons are not easily forgotten.

thanks Prometheus, I will study your advice :P

Now I would like to encourage my fellow gentlemen fugue writers with a funny piece of music I have on one of my CD's (so please delete after listening to it)

its called "So you want to write a fugue" by Glenn Gould and its full of good and bad advice. :)

So you want to write a fugue - full 4mb.mp3

So you want to write a fugue - fragment650kb.mp3

Yet another baroque blooper by me

When I was listening organworks recently I noticed that the C-minor theme really looks a lot like a theme that Wilhelm Friedemann Bach (?) used in an organ fugue, also c-minor! Accidentely? ;)

Here is my attempt for the C major theme.

Critics? Shoot! ;)

fuga_in_c.mid

Now I would like to encourage my fellow gentlemen fugue writers with a funny piece of music I have on one of my CD's (so please delete after listening to it)

its called "So you want to write a fugue" by Glenn Gould and its full of good and bad advice.

Here's the new version. I've done some minor edits. :blink:

fuga_in_c.mid

Here's the new version. I've done some minor edits.

Hey Bach88, once again very nice job. I really enjoy the variety of ways you manipulate the subject. You have some very modern sounding chords: was this intentional? It's an interesting effect.

"So you want to write a fugue" by Glenn Gould

Wow, thats so funny. I wonder what compelled him to make this: I never knew that Gould had a humorous side to him. Amazing!