Extended Examples
Chromatic Fugue in Four Parts
With Three Counter-Subjects
The subject of this fugue belongs to tonal fugue, as it descends first from the tonic to the dominant; therefore, the response should go from the dominant to the tonic.
Example of the response according to the rules of tonal fugue
But this response would have rendered the working of the counter-subjects extremely difficult, and would have compelled frequent changes. It has been judged fit, therefore, to treat it as a real fugue.
This fugue, by its mode of treatment, and by the nature of the subject itself, may be considered as a fugue of imitation:–
(Download PDF of Example 220)
Observation: Authentic and Plagal Cadences
Mention has not been made until now of Plagal Cadence
: which is frequently met with in ancient compositions.
The ancients gave the name of Authentic Cadence
to that which we at present call Perfect
cadence; that is to say, the progression from the dominant to the tonic.
They called Plagal
cadence, that progression from the Sub-Dominant
to the Tonic
; and often terminate their compositions with this sort of cadence, by taking the chord of the tonic major, whatever might be the key in which their piece was. This cadence was peculiar to the plagal tones of plain chant.