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Keywords:
Fugue (8), Rag (11), cat (17), harpsichord (17)
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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.
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nice &mdash 01/20/07 - 05:51:06 PM
Sense of humor... &mdash 01/20/07 - 11:14:00 PM
..is what most people forget they have in abundance! Great work here. Thanks for the descript. I wish more would be as detailed. I also wonder why more haven't commented on your compositions, yet.
Alimar [ Reply to This ]
swoog? &mdash 01/21/07 - 11:19:13 AM
Keith, this is probably one of the most impressive and enjoyably accessable things I've heard from you... the humorous twisted quotes from Bach, the delightful ragtime feel is nailed, the incredible difficulty of writing a fugue, which you did with aplomb... this is downright stunning. I too enjoy your detailed descriptions, and in this case, since it is a harpsichoid, the synthy sound didn't bother me much (except for the fact that harpsichords do NOT have much sustain, and many of your notes are held unnaturally long for a harpsichord.) Anyway, I am in awe of your craftsmanship here, it is deliciously humorous, and very well written. Faved and downloaded for my continuous enjoyment, thank you!
ttfn,
Eduard [ Reply to This ]
Name That Ending &mdash 01/23/07 - 03:01:24 AM
Thanx, guys. After posting the piece at the CMA, I was flattered to find that it met with the approval of the finest practitioner of the old, genuine classical style, Wayne Peppercorn, who is not a music professor, but a science teacher in Ohio. If he likes it, it must be classical.
I do have one question (a serious question, not one that I already know the answer to), though -- at the ending, I use a musical cliché. What is the name for this figure? There is a similar ending in Bluegrass music that's called an "Ice-House Ending," but I'm not sure that this is it. Can anyone tell me the name for the ending? [ Reply to This ]
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