# Little Fugue for Organ



## Tchaikov6 (Mar 30, 2016)

My recent composition, the Little Fugue for Organ.

https://musescore.com/user/6039841/scores/4520381?showoptions=true

Very short, only about a minute long.

Please share any thoughts you have on the piece. Thank you!


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## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

Are you sure it's original and not by Bach?  I think the subject may be too short. It is only descending and seems to be cut partway through a full phrase, which I think should be more symmetrical. I also think you didn't establish the tonic strong enough. Just my thoughts.


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## Tchaikov6 (Mar 30, 2016)

Phil loves classical said:


> Are you sure it's original and not by Bach?  I think the subject may be too short. It is only descending and seems to be cut partway through a full phrase, which I think should be more symmetrical. I also think you didn't establish the tonic strong enough. Just my thoughts.


For the number of fugues Bach wrote, I might have accidentally stole one of his fugue themes. I hope not.

Thank you for the advice. I wanted to make it a very concise fugue (it's only a minute long), so both the theme and the tonic only stuck around for a while. I will definitely try to work on making it more strong in the key of G.


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## Vasks (Dec 9, 2013)

First off, tonic is clear. Most of your chord choices are fine. 

Now for my take. 

1) You introduce 16ths very early and then abandon them very quickly. You destroyed momentum by doing so. And then you abandon 8th notes to go to halves and quarters shortly thereafter ruining momentum even more. A short piece has to maintain its initial drive.

2) The second half of m.13 is a mess dissonance-wise. A clear chord can not be found.

3) If this is to be actually played I’m having a hard time trying to figure out what fingers of the RH will play all the notes in m.16. I think you need to eliminate a tie or two to make it work.

4) You might consider re-titling the piece as Fughetta as a true fugue would have had its “answer” (mss.3-4) starting on the third of the dominant (F# of the dominant chord D) when the start of the “subject” (m.1) starts on the third of the tonic (B of the tonic G).


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## Tchaikov6 (Mar 30, 2016)

Vasks said:


> First off, tonic is clear. Most of your chord choices are fine.
> 
> Now for my take.
> 
> ...


Thank you for your advice. I have edited the piece based on numbers 1, 2, and 4- I was't quite sure what you meant with your note on Measure 16.

Here is the new version:

https://musescore.com/user/6039841/scores/4523801?showoptions=true


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## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

I think it's great, on a Sunday too.  Play this in church.


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## Tchaikov6 (Mar 30, 2016)

Phil loves classical said:


> I think it's great, on a Sunday too.  Play this in church.


Thank you!

Too bad we don't have an organ at my church. Ah well, they probably wouldn't have let me play it anyways. :lol:


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## Vasks (Dec 9, 2013)

#3 The RH is holding the three half notes through to the next measure. The thumb, second finger and pinky will hold down those three half notes. Meanwhile the middle finger will play the eighth note E, and the ring finger will play the eighth note F#, but now the pinky will have to ignore the tie and re-articulate the eighth note G.

I do like the change of rhythm, although you punked out in m.5. You could have had the lower voice of the RH do eighths ;-)

New harmonic dissonant problems. First, in m.9 the final two beats it's clear that you want an E7 chord and be the dominant of the A chord that's at the start of m.10, but the LH passing note F natural combined with F natural in the RH on beat 4 is too much. Consider not an E7, but an G# diminished 7th (G#, B, D, F natural) as it too goes to an A chord. 

But now m.10 is the other problem. Beat one is A major chord, beats 2 & 3 = F# minor and beat 4 = F#7, which nicely goes to the next measure's B chord. The problem is the G natural of beat 2. Now it's obvious that you really want to preserve the descending stepping bass line and the RH descending eighth note pattern but that G is too much dissonance.


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## Tchaikov6 (Mar 30, 2016)

Vasks said:


> #3 The RH is holding the three half notes through to the next measure. The thumb, second finger and pinky will hold down those three half notes. Meanwhile the middle finger will play the eighth note E, and the ring finger will play the eighth note F#, but now the pinky will have to ignore the tie and re-articulate the eighth note G.
> 
> I do like the change of rhythm, although you punked out in m.5. You could have had the lower voice of the RH do eighths ;-)
> 
> ...


Thank you again for the advice. I fixed all but the Measure 10 problem. Honestly, I kind of like the dissonance there.


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## Vasks (Dec 9, 2013)

Tchaikov6 said:


> I fixed all but the Measure 10 problem. Honestly, I kind of like the dissonance there.


No problem. I was merely pointing out things that 18th Century fugal counterpoint expects. If you're not concerned about being 100%, then keep the dissonance; however, as I mention in poster paulc's recent book reading thread, mastering the rules of 18th century counterpoint demands perseverance and constant refining, but the reward is discipline towards your own 21st century composing.


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