Exposition of Fugue in D major - WIP

After the tense Halloween competition I needed some time to relax, and what better way to do that than to compose a new piece? So today, I'm taking the opportunity to present my first steps here as a “work in progress” in order to get feedback before I finish it (since it's sometimes difficult to incorporate suggestions after that).

First some background about the ideas I had in mind for this piece:

As often, I would take the challenge to use an odd meter, therefore here in 10/8 introducing a 5-beat rhythm. There were also some pieces in my mind which would influence the idea and texture of the fugue:

• In Leonhard Bernstein’s „Chichester Psalms“ there is a movement in 10/4 meter with very slow slurs, a slur spanning 5 notes, and below that 2 small slurs, each spanning 2 and 3 notes respectively.
  
  https://youtu.be/PnrZGTmMjYc?t=728
   
• On the other hand, Bach’s „Et in terra pax“ from the b minor mass also has that slow-flowing mood with tied second steps (while in 4/4 time) and is a wonderful example for the festive D major.
  
  https://youtu.be/p16wOPrX7Rk?t=104
   
• The third piece I had in mind is Bach’s G sharp minor fugue, BWV 887, from WTC2. It has a continuous texture of 8th notes (here in 6/8 time) and is a perfect example for rhythmic counterpoint in such a texture.
  
  https://youtu.be/1iHpPR9xzk8?t=115
   
• And there is the „funny“ fugue in A major from Shostakovich’s op 87 which has a subject which is usually not a real fugue subject since it consist only of very consonant chord arpeggios, however in the end it is a marvelous fugue with a wonderful harmony and texture!
  
  https://youtu.be/Qe1vF0bgmb4

So I present here the fugue exposition (and the first episode). The subject (in its first entry) is in D lydian, but modulates to a repetition of first motif in E major as the end of the subject (so its easy for the answer to enter in A major, finally modulating to b minor).

After the second entry of the subject there is a short codetta modulating to c sharp minor, so that the third entry of the subject in D lydian produces an interesting appearence as Neapolitan chord.

Apart from the harmony, it was a challenge for the counterpoint to find rhythmic patterns that create an interesting overall texture on the one hand, but do not destabilize the 10/8 rhythm on the other.

Hi @Wieland Handke!

It’s nice to see all those D major passages run into my favourite C sharp minor haha. Nice counterpoint, just beware that some C natural should be B sharp instead.

Henry

Happy New Year to Hongkong, @Henry Ng Tsz Kiu!

Since I was busy with the 2025 Christmas Event over the past few weeks, I haven’t had enough time to continue that piece – and therefore apologies for my silence – I think I will get back to this fugue in the new year.

Thanks for the advice concerning C natural vs. B sharp – haha, your C-sharp-minor-biased eyes are looking forward those things instantly. I will check it out thoroughly.