


The famous fugue composer Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750) shaped his own works after those of Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck (1562-1621), Johann Jakob Froberger (1616–1667), Johann Pachelbel (1653–1706), Girolamo Frescobaldi (1583–1643), Dieterich Buxtehude (c. The form evolved during the 18th century from several earlier types of contrapuntal compositions, such as imitative ricercars, capriccios, canzonas, and fantasias. In this sense, a fugue is a style of composition, rather than a fixed structure. Episodes (if applicable) and entries are usually alternated until the "final entry" of the subject, by which point the music has returned to the opening key, or tonic, which is often followed by closing material, the coda. This is often followed by a connecting passage, or episode, developed from previously heard material further "entries" of the subject then are heard in related keys. Most fugues open with a short main theme, the subject, which then sounds successively in each voice (after the first voice is finished stating the subject, a second voice repeats the subject at a different pitch, and other voices repeat in the same way) when each voice has completed the subject, the exposition is complete. Since the 17th century, the term fugue has described what is commonly regarded as the most fully developed procedure of imitative counterpoint. In the Middle Ages, the term was widely used to denote any works in canonic style by the Renaissance, it had come to denote specifically imitative works. A popular compositional technique in the Baroque era, the fugue was fundamental in showing mastery of harmony and tonality as it presented counterpoint. Fugues can also have episodes-parts of the fugue where new material is heard, based on the subject-a stretto, when the fugue's subject "overlaps" itself in different voices, or a recapitulation. A fugue usually has three main sections: an exposition, a development and a final entry that contains the return of the subject in the fugue's tonic key.

shape note or " Sacred Harp") music and West Gallery music. It is not to be confused with a fuguing tune, which is a style of song popularized by and mostly limited to early American (i.e. In classical music, a fugue ( / f juː ɡ/) is a contrapuntal, polyphonic compositional technique in two or more voices, built on a subject (a musical theme) that is introduced at the beginning in imitation (repetition at different pitches), which recurs frequently throughout the course of the composition. The six-part fugue in the " Ricercar a 6" from The Musical Offering, in the hand of Johann Sebastian Bach Send us feedback about these examples.For other uses, see Fugue (disambiguation). These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fortissimo.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Rob Hubbard, Twin Cities, 13 June 2019 See More 2019 Vanska seemed determined to emphasize the extremes with large leaps from fortissimo to pianissimo and back, moments of dancing in sunlight quickly enshrouded in thunderous clouds. Harrison Smith, Washington Post, 22 Sep. 2019 In hard-rock fashion, some of his scores were so loud that fortissimo was said to be marked with six Fs, instead of the usual two. 2021 In hard-rock fashion, some of his scores were so loud that fortissimo was said to be marked with six F’s, instead of the usual two. 2022 What there were, however, were people clapping between movements of the symphony, and at one point in the first movement at a sudden fortissimo. 2022 The opening of the Tchaikovsky finale is marked just mezzo-forte, but the strings dug in with a fortissimo. 2022 Well after other composers were writing quadruple fortes - ffff - Brahms never ventures here beyond a classical fortissimo (ff). 2021 But anytime a fortissimo surfaced in any of the scores it was turbocharged into the volume level of a symphony orchestra. Noun In the Allegretto, few conductors can resist unleashing a juggernaut of sound when the processional main theme rises to its climactic fortissimo, but here again Blomstedt held back, making sure that the countermelody in the first violins came through clearly, with its legato all aglow.
