Tonic Chord May 5, 2018

Analysis

Prelude

SUMMARY:

Bars 1-14: Period I. Ending in the Dominant Minor, G Sharp minor.

Bars 14-39: Period II. Mostly in the original key.

REMARKS:

Period I may be divided into three Sections, the first division at Bar 4, where the Dominant is reached; the second at bar 8, where Theme I appears in the Tenor in the Relative Major, and the third at Bar 14, where there is a Perfect Cadence in the Dominant Minor.

Periods I and II are both Imitative. At the opening of Period I, the Tenor imitates the Treble at the distance of one bar. In Bar 5, a second Theme appears in the Treble, which is repeated in the two following bars in a descending Sequence. In Period II, both Themes are used for development, after Bar 23, however, Theme II disappears, and the piece is worked with material drawn from Theme I, the Bass part freely imitating in the Treble.

A remarkable example of interest being maintained without modulation. Almost the whole Prelude centralizes on C sharp, and variety is obtained by changes in the manner of treatment of the ideas, rather than by tonal contrast.

Fugue

ANALYSIS:

ENUNCIATION SECTION:

Bars 1-4: Subject in Bass [C sharp minor].
Bars 4-7: Real Answer in Tenor [G sharp minor].
Bars 7-10: Subject in Alto [C sharp minor].
Bars 11-12: Codetta [C sharp minor].
Bars 12-14: Answer in Second Treble. Compare this with the previous Answer in Tenor. It is to be notes that except its first note it is in F sharp minor instead of G sharp minor.
Bars 14-17: Subject in First Treble [C sharp minor].
Bars 18-19: Codetta.
Bars in 19-22: Answer in Tenor [G sharp minor].
Bars 22-25: Subject in Tenor [F sharp minor].
Bars 25-29: Answer in Alto [C sharp minor].

MODULATORY SECTION:

Bars 29-32: Answer in Bass [B major].
Bars 32-35: Subject in Alto [E major].
Bars 35-38: Counter-subject I in First Treble (this being its first appearance).
Bars 35-38: Subject in Tenor [C sharp minor].
Bars 38-41: Answer in Alto. Counter-subject I in First Treble. [G sharp minor].
Bars 41-44: Episode I, modulating from G sharp minor to C sharp minor. The Tenor is an inversion of the Counter-subject of the Treble in an ascending sequence.
Bars 44-47: Subject in Second Treble. Counter-subject I in Bass [C sharp minor].
Bars 46-48: Counter Subject I in First Treble.
Bars 49-51: Subject in First Treble. Counter-subject I in Second Treble. Counter Subject II in Tenor, this being the first appearance of the latter [F sharp minor].
Bars 51-54: Subject in Bass. Counter-subject in Tenor [F sharp minor].
Bars 52-54: Counter-subject II in First Treble.
Bars 54-57: Answer in Second Treble. Counter-subject I in Tenor [A major].
Bars 55-57: Counter-subject II in Bass.
Bars 57-59: Counter-subject I in First Treble. Counter-subject II in Second Treble [C sharp minor].
Bars 59-62: Subject in First Treble. Counter-subject I in Second Treble.
Bars 60-62: Counter-subject II in Alto.
Bars 62-65: Episode II, modulating from C sharp minor to G sharp major. Counter-subject II in First Treble. Counter-subject I in Second Treble.
Bars 64-66: Counter-subject II in Tenor.
Bars 65-66: Counter-subject II in Bass.
Bars 66-68: Subject in First Treble. Counter-subject I in Bass [D sharp minor].
Bars 67-69: Counter-subject II in Second Treble.
Bars 69-71: Counter-subject I in First Soprano. Counter-subject II in Tenor.
Bars 71-73: Counter-subject II in Second Treble.
Bars 73-76: Subject in Bass. Counter-subject I in Alto [C sharp minor].
Bars 74-76: Counter-subject II in Tenor.
Bars 76-79: Subject in First Treble. Counter-subject I in Bass [C sharp minor].
Bars 77-78: Counter-subject II in Second Treble.
Bars 78-81: Counter-subject I in Second Treble.
Bars 79-81: Counter-subject II in Bass.
Bars 81-84: Subject in Tenor. Counter-subject I in First Treble.
Bars 82-84: Counter-subject II in Alto [C sharp minor].
Bars 84-86: Episode III, modulating from C sharp minor to F sharp minor. Counter-subject I in in First Treble. Counter-subject II in Tenor.
Bars 85-87: Counter-subject II in Second Treble [F sharp minor].
Bars 86-88: Counter-subject I in First Treble. Counter-subject II in Bass.
Bars 89-92: Subject in First Treble [C sharp minor].
Bars 90-92: Counter-subject II in Bass.
Bars 92-94: Counter-subject I in Tenor. Counter-subject II in First Treble.
Bars 93-95: Counter-subject II in Second Treble.
Bars 94-96: Subject in First Treble. Counter-subject II in Tenor [E Major].
Bars 95 97: Counter-subject II in Alto. Answer in Second Treble [B Major].
Bars 96-98: Counter-subject II in Tenor. Subject in First Treble [F sharp minor].

RECAPITULATORY SECTION:

Bars 97-100: Answer in Bass. Counter-subject II in Alto [C sharp minor].
Bars 98-100: Counter-subject II in Second Treble, in Tenor, in First Treble, successively in Stretto.
Bars 100-102: Codetta. Subject in Tenor. Counter-subject II in Bass [C sharp minor].
Bars 102-104: Counter-subject II in Tenor.
Bars 104-106: Counter-subject II in Second Treble.
Bars 105-106: Counter-subject II in Tenor, on Dominant Pedal.
Bars 107-108: Subject in First Treble. Counter-subject II in Second Treble and Alto, in thirds simultaneously [C sharp minor].
Bars 108-109: Counter-subject II in Tenor.
Bars 110-115: Coda [C sharp minor].
Bars 112-115: Tonic Pedal [C sharp minor].
Bars 112-115: Imitation of Subject in Second Treble [C sharp Major].
Bars 113-115: Counter-subject II in Alto. Final Chord major. Tierce de Picardie [C sharp Major].

SUMMARY:

Exposition: 1-17.
Counter-exposition (incomplete): Bars 19-29.
Codettas: Two.
Episodes: Three.
Stretti: Several examples between Bars 92-109 in which the Subject, Answer, and Counter-subject II exclusively take part.
Dominant Pedal: Bars 105-108.
Tonic Pedal: Bars 112-115.

REMARKS:

1. This Fugue is in five parts. It has a “real” Answer and would be styled as a “real” Fugue.
2. The Exposition is remarkable for the firmness and solidity with which it is built up. Neither of the Counter-subjects appear in it, but in their place another melody is used, which, however, disappears after bar 40.
3. The Counter-exposition is not regularly worked and is incomplete (Bars 19-29). The entries of the Subject and Answer also to not appear in regular order.
4. The Counter-subjects make their appearance somewhat late, the Counter-subject I appearing first in Bar 35 and the Counter-subject II in Bar 49.
5. The second Counter-subject is employed much more frequently than the first; indeed, after Bar 94 the Counter-subject I disappears, but the Counter-subject after this point is used sixteen times.
6. Triple Counterpoint is chiefly used in this Fugue, as there are two Counter-subjects to be worked above and below the Subject and Answer.
7. The device of Inversion of the first Counter-subject is used in Bars 41-43 in an ascending sequence. There is no Augmentation or Diminution proper.
8. Great prominence is given to Counter-subject II in the latter part of the Fugue, from bar 93 to the end.