CHAPTER

I MITATIVE P OLYPHONY

Imitation
general terms imitation polyphony point of imitation fugato genres round canon chase fugue fughetta parts entrance, entry dux comes

canon Strict imitative replication of a complete melodic line in one or more other parts. The imitating line(s) follows a strict rule (canon) that spells out how it is derived from the model line: e.g., imitate the line in suchand-such a manner, present the line in rhythmic augmentation or diminution, or invert the contour. Entrances may or may not be staggered. chase An old British term for a canon. comes Latin for fellow-traveller. (a) Imitating line of a canon. (b) Communist sympathizer. dux Latin for leader. Leading line of a canon. entrance, entry The initiation of an individuated line, such as a fugue subject or imitation. fugato (post-Renaissance) A point of imitation in music, often found in gigues, the second half of a French overture, and in transitional and developmental sites in sonata forms. Fugato describes a passage of music, not an entire work. fughetta A very brief fugue on a brief subject. fugue An imitative composition (not just a passage) that has three essential stages: (1) opens with a point of imitation on a well-dened subject and observes certain proprieties at the outset, (2) continues with freely developed imitation among the lines, recurrences of the subject, tonal uctuation, and (3) closes with at least one restatement of the subject in the original tonic. From Latin, fugito, ee or fuga, ight, running away. Sometimes called ricercare or fuga in the Baroque period. 22

I MITATIVE P OLYPHONY

imitation One line follows the course of another line but starts at a different time and possibly on a different pitch. We think of the interval between their rst main note as the interval of imitation (this is a conventional term); e.g., imitation at the octave. A time lag normally separates the imitation from the model, so we can also speak of the distance of imitation (this is not a conventional term). point of imitation A term used in discussion of Renaissance music. A polyphonic invention. The staggered entrance of two or more lines that each begin with the same thematic content but continue independently usually initiates a section of music. polyphony Music composed of two or more independent and rhythmically individuated lines. round A composition in which one or more lines strictly replicate a complete melody, differing only in the time of entry and possibly register.

Fugue
general terms subject answer countersubject head motive tail motive sections exposition episode entry group counterexposition stretto operations
INVERT AUGMENT DIMINUTE TRUNCATE ALTER RHYTHM

ALTER RHYTHM

Alteration of the rhythmic values of a subject, such as

answer (a) A form of the subject that occupies a different position in the scale than the original subject. In most cases, the answer is oriented around the dominant, but the beginning of the answer may be adapted so that 1 and 5 in the subject, for example, are answered by 5 and 8 in the answer.
AUGMENT

Presenting the subject in rhythmic augmentation, usually by doubling (or quadrupling) the rhythmic values. Irregular augmentations appear in metric systems that have duple divisions on the bar or beat level and triple divisions on the other.

codetta A cadential episode at the conclusion of the fugue, often sustaining the cadential tonic. counterexposition An exposition of the subject in the tonic key that follows the initial exposition. countersubject A line that counterpoints the second voice to enter in the exposition and is regularly paired with statements of the subject or answer.

I MITATIVE P OLYPHONY

DIMINUTE

Presenting the subject in rhythmic diminution, usually by halving the rhythmic values. Irregular diminutions appear in metric systems that have duple divisions on the beat or subdivision level and triple divisions on the other.

double, triple, or quadruple fugue A fugue in which a second (third, fourth) subject is introduced in the manner of an exposition after the rst fugue is underway. Often concludes with a tour de force combining all subjects at once. entry A statement of the subject after the exposition. Entries outside of the exposition may not be exact replications of the subject or answer; alterations are particularly common toward the end of the entry. entry group One or more statements of the subject (or answer) in the same tonality. episode A passage separating entries of the subject. Episodes are usually motivic inventions, often based on motives extracted from the subject or countersubject. An episode may function as a transition between subjects or entry groups; in the latter case, the episode is often sequential and modulating. Episodes may also provide a cadence. exposition The opening section of a fugue in which the voices enter one by one, each stating the subject or answer before the next one begins. New entries begin on or after the nal note of the preceding entry. extra entry The exposition may contain one or more additional entries of the subject in the tonic key (i.e., prior to modulating). head motive A distinctive motive at the beginning of the subject. stretto A group of overlapping entries of the subject; often only the rst segment of the subject is presented in stretto. subject A motivic composition or otherwise distinctive melodic line, often projecting a tonic triad. Like motives, a subject assumes its identity when it is repeated. tail motive A distinctive motive at the end of the subject.