harmony3

The piece of music in Question is from the outset, technically a three-part fugue. Although there are times in the piece where there are four voices, the dominant texture is three parts, and as explained later, the exposition of the work states only three entrys of the subject. The opening figure, being the first subject (*and represented in the score analysis in Orange, and as subject A), starts with a rather meandering, near chromatic line which seems to be constructed of an initial upper passing note (itself a three beat anacrusis), and then a slight leap movement, completed with a chromatic descent down to the tonic. This somewhat unlikley line is answered by a tonal answer in the second beat of bar four. This answer begins a fourth above the original entry of the First subject, but has it's material changed in a way so that it ends a fifth above the original, yet still in the same key (F Minor in this case). The final entry in the Exposition is an exact copy of the original entry of the subject, and sounds an octave lower. The first beat of bar ten is the end of the Exposition of this work. There are also two other countersubjects which enter in the Exposition *which I have labeled in Purple and Pink (purple for B and pink for C). The last entry of the Exposition sees a Triple counterpoint, Which is seen again in the first Developmental Episode. Bar ten sees the end of the Exposition as this is the point where all of the major subject material had entered and concluded.
Immediatley following the Exposition, Bach launches into a bridge, based on the theme that accompanied the second and third apparations of the First subject (B).. It is comprised of mostly semiquaver motion. Although the bridge section is based on this countersubject, it does not use the entire melody. Instead it uses small sections of it and breaks off before their conclusion and this happens untill bar thirteen.
It is here at bar thirteen that sees the Subject return in the soprano voice an octave above the original. This is the first developmental episode, and it states the subject twice. First in the Soprano, and then in the lower voice. This section has four parts for a moment, but this extra voice in the texture is only temporary and there is a return to three voice polyphony by bar sixteen. The subject entry at bar thirteen is in the soprano and is in F minor, and the second entry at bar ninteen in C minor. Countersubject B here appears in the Bass voice and C in the mid register, but across two voicings. Both of the countersubjects appear rhythmically to be unaltered (A small fragment of B helps fill out the texture at the end of bar thirteen here, but is inconcequental in the scheme of things). The main development used in the bar 13 episode is the inversion of parts compared to the Exposition.. There is also a modulation of both subject and countersubject B up a fifth. Countersubject C however stays at it's original pitch at this point. The effect of this is, for the relationship between the Subject and B is an inversion at the octave. The relationship with C is in effect an inversion at the 12th. After the Subject and counter subjects have completed, the piece launches into a bridging section whereby material (slightly based on the countersubjects) is used in a descending sequence. There is a fair abount of stretto-like development happening here with only the Countersubject material untill bar 19. The subject enters now in C minor (the key of the tonal answer) however it is the original subject is presented here. It appears this time in the Bass voice also (compared to the Bass in the previous development). An interesting voice exchange between the parts is also noted, and B and C change registers (and modulate somewhat) after the initial entry, a melodic mutation if you will, particularly apparent in the initial few notes of this apparation of Countersubject C. It is after a short bridge that the Subject enters in F minor (as per the original) that the texture is briefly 4 voices. The entry is however delayed by two beats in the bar, making it an anacrusis of only one beat. This entry is accompanied by a melodicaly mutated version of the countersubject B and C and is again Triple counterpoint. The form of the melodys here are interesting, but of note is the way Countersubject B is broken up and augmented, or voiced in parralell 6ths accompaning itself.
A short bridge leads to bar thirty four where the subject is now in an alto voice and the texture is well and truly in four parts. There is however no entrance in full of the Countersubject B, only C is used at this point. Also the subject appears a twelfth above the statement immediatley preceding it. The countersubject here is a very broken up version of the original C, and has been altered in Rhythm, melodicaly and also jumps register a number of times. There is also a stretto effect with the central part of the melody accompanying the ending of itelf in bar 36. The reason for this seems to be to take length of the tune back by diminuition through stretto, to counter the augmentative imbellishments of the theme which had happened previousley (indicated by brackets in the Analysis).There is also an accompaning figure in bar 34 which I have marked in purple brackets . This is based on countersubject B, but is not a complete portrayal of B and is simply used as an accompaning figure.
Between these two sections there is a bridge which is based on a sequence in stretto with itself. This motif is a rather common one in the Baroque repetore and in this example it's function is to lower the key of the Subject's next entrance in the following Counterpuntual development down to Eb minor. It is this Counterpuntial Development which a Rhythmic which is most puzzling. It seems that here that although the subject is virtually unchanged, the countersubject C is modified so much that it is barely perceptible. The quaver motif of the beginning of the original version of C is reversed in time (retrogade) however each of the small motifs which make up C are dissected in this Counterpuntial development. We see also the semiquaver ascending/descending scale passage also used, but twice. A small fragment of the Countersubject B bridges the section with the next major entry of the Subject A at bar 47. Here the dominant countersubject is B, but a fragment of C is also to be found. The fragments of C however eventually do make up a complicated, yet complete statement of C, albeit in modified form, and is heavily diminished in bar 49. The bridge at 50 is based mostly on the Countersubject B, and this leads into the final apperation of the Subject (A) Accompanied mostly by Countersubject B, but mostly only fragments, and indeed the statement of B here is without its head. This entrance is the coda of the piece (starting at bar 53) and is both a very obvious and thick four part texture, and employs much use of stretto. The tearce de picardy at the conclusion of the piece is completed by the strongest sounding perfect cadence (complete cadence) of the piece, bringing the Fugue to a logical and satisfying end.