anthony st. pierre's composing a simple fugue

Composing A Simple Fugue is a concise and practical guide to composing a fugue.

To prepare students for the analysis of the fugues of J.S. Bach, this brief guide explores fugues of composers upon whose fugal style Bach's is founded.

The discussion presumes a knowledge of harmony and counterpoint, including invertible counterpoint and two-voice canon. It is a practical guide, not only for those who wish to compose fugues or understand how they are assembled, but for keyboard players who wish to improvise in fugal style.

Organists in particular may desire to extemporize fugal playovers, interludes, or codas for the hymns they accompany. For illustration, the text cites fugues from Johann Pachelbel's collection of ninety-five fugues for the eight tones of the Magnificat. It examines some optional procedures, as well as departures from normal practice and, to this end, also refers to the twenty fugues in J.F.K. Fischer's Ariadne Musica of 1715. Together, the two collections form an excellent compendium of nearly all the common techniques and procedures of simple fugue writing.

While most texts on fugue are of broader scope than this one, readers of this guide will enjoy the economy of having all the illustrations in just two sources. The broader tomes limit illustration to mere excerpts. Here, however, readers will be able to observe the points cited within the context of the whole. Exercises are suggested within and at the end of the text, which also includes a full analysis of a simple four-voice fugue and an outline of analytical procedure.  
 
To follow the text, readers are advised to purchase an inexpensive edition of the Pachelbel Magnificat Fugues available from Dover Publications, Inc., New York (O-486-25037-7). The Ariadne Musica is published by Schott (2267). Alternatively, the reader may download the Ariadne Musica fugues at no cost by clicking here.

To read an excerpt from Composing a Simple Fugue, please click here.

To order* Composing a Simple Fugue, please click here.

*Note: A revised edition is in preparation; the expected completion date is late October 2005.

Anthony St. Pierre
Toronto, Ontario
CANADA

astpierre@ca.inter.net