Fughetta in F minor for String Trio.

The subject of this one first came to mind roughly 7 hours ago already in its current form, and realizing its potential I wasted no time in writing it down, lest I forgot its exact melodic contour whose progression has been able to accommodate for elaborate chromaticisms in the other voices.

Now, after yet another sleepless night put to good use with tireless contrapuntal machinations, this little fugue for string trio is at last complete in my eyes.

YouTube video link: 

A beautiful piece.
I think the subject matter is very original and distinctive. That really helps with the recognition of the entries.
The parallel descending movements are very beautiful, with those appoggiaturas, etc., as in bars 19 onwards and later with the reinforcement of the bass.
I think it loses none of the essence of counterpoint, but it has many touches that make it sound modern, such as the profusion of articulations.

Best regards.

The first impression I had when listening to the Fughetta was – huh what a long fugue subject which already covers a kind of development on its own, for example with the sequences in mm. 3-7.  Because of its chromaticism, it reminds me a little of the “royal theme” from Bach's famous Ricercar a 6 from the “Musical Offering.”

I can well imagine how you had this melody in your mind and developed it into this subject, for example while you were out walking, and that you had to write it down immediately upon your return so as not to forget it.

There is nothing wrong with such a long subject. However, creating a fugue from it will be challenging, as the exposition will fill almost an entire page! Therefore, I think it was the right choice to refrain from adding further complete subject entries and to leave the piece as “just” a fughetta, so that there is enough space to play contrapuntally with the material.

And this has been achieved excellently, both rhythmically, where the staccatos are contrasted with the appoggiaturas, and harmonically, through the treatment of the chromatic sequences. This once again highlights the potential of contrapuntal composition technique, even if the piece does not necessarily imitate a Baroque style, but is, for me, more contemporary due to the dissonances that I like.

(By the way, the key of E minor still remains in the title of your current score.)

Wieland