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Description
A NEW TYPE OF FUGUE
A fugue is a musical form that is similar to a round such as the familiar song, Row, Row, Row Your Boat, except that in a round, each voice begins the same melody on the same note, while in a fugue, each voice plays the same melody on a different pitch. Same melody, but starts four bars later on a different pitch. Not all that complicated, but the goal in both a round and a fugue is to have the four independent voices blend in, so that at any given moment, they sound good with each other. This technique is called counterpoint, and I guess that's what you learn if you study music in collitch.
A while back, at the Classical Archives Forum some kid (likely a music student eager to show off his prowess at the form) challenged us all to a contest to see who could write the best fugue. Naturally, all of the entries were these Gothic-sounding pieces for organ with rapid scales and arpeggios. I have scant formal musical training (and even worse keyboard technique), and I knew I couldm't compete with any of those guys, so I wrote a fugue in a different style (Heh-heh). It does, however, follow the basic rules of a fugue --same melody but each voice starts 4-bars later on a different pitch. I confess, though, that I cheated by using a plug-in feature of Sibelius notation software that automatically checks for parallel fifths and octaves both of which are forbidden in strict counterpoint. (I was delighted to learn that I had written no parallel fifths!)
Now, if your idea of music is just big sounds, there's no point in even listening to this, because it's merely a recording of the QuickTime General MIDI sounds built-in every Mac. I'm bored with big sounds and one-chord pieces with endless repetition, so I concentrate on the components of music that have been lost in recent times: independent voices (counterpoint), clever chord-changes, form . . . and a little bit of syncopation.
The sheet music for this piece is available for a token fee at my page at SibeliusMusic where you can watch the notes go by as the music plays. The piece is written for piano with two players, and it's not at all difficult. If you play duets at the piano, this piece will make a fun addition to your music library.
The artwork is by Frankie de Goya.
A fugue is a musical form that is similar to a round such as the familiar song, Row, Row, Row Your Boat, except that in a round, each voice begins the same melody on the same note, while in a fugue, each voice plays the same melody on a different pitch. Same melody, but starts four bars later on a different pitch. Not all that complicated, but the goal in both a round and a fugue is to have the four independent voices blend in, so that at any given moment, they sound good with each other. This technique is called counterpoint, and I guess that's what you learn if you study music in collitch.
A while back, at the Classical Archives Forum some kid (likely a music student eager to show off his prowess at the form) challenged us all to a contest to see who could write the best fugue. Naturally, all of the entries were these Gothic-sounding pieces for organ with rapid scales and arpeggios. I have scant formal musical training (and even worse keyboard technique), and I knew I couldm't compete with any of those guys, so I wrote a fugue in a different style (Heh-heh). It does, however, follow the basic rules of a fugue --same melody but each voice starts 4-bars later on a different pitch. I confess, though, that I cheated by using a plug-in feature of Sibelius notation software that automatically checks for parallel fifths and octaves both of which are forbidden in strict counterpoint. (I was delighted to learn that I had written no parallel fifths!)
Now, if your idea of music is just big sounds, there's no point in even listening to this, because it's merely a recording of the QuickTime General MIDI sounds built-in every Mac. I'm bored with big sounds and one-chord pieces with endless repetition, so I concentrate on the components of music that have been lost in recent times: independent voices (counterpoint), clever chord-changes, form . . . and a little bit of syncopation.
The sheet music for this piece is available for a token fee at my page at SibeliusMusic where you can watch the notes go by as the music plays. The piece is written for piano with two players, and it's not at all difficult. If you play duets at the piano, this piece will make a fun addition to your music library.
The artwork is by Frankie de Goya.
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eleveneyes
great fun. crafty and inventive. enjoyed tremendously!