# Favorite Fugues



## Sol Invictus (Sep 17, 2016)

I don't believe we've had a thread on this subject specifically so here we go. I'm genuinely curious if anyone besides Bach will be here.


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## Sol Invictus (Sep 17, 2016)

P.S. My current favorite is Fugue in A Major by Shostakovich.


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## Bettina (Sep 29, 2016)

Do fugal sections within a larger piece count for the purposes of this thread? If so, then the fugal passage in Mozart's Jupiter Symphony, 4th movement, is one of my favorites.

As for actual pieces that are explicitly labeled as fugues, some of my favorites include:

Bach--Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue
Bach--Fugue in F-sharp Minor, from WTC Book 2
Bach--Fugue in A Minor, from WTC Book 2
Beethoven--String Quartet No. 14, first movement
Beethoven--Hammerklavier Sonata, last movement
Beethoven--Grosse Fuge
Mendelssohn--Fugue in E Minor, Op.35 No. 1
Schumann--Four Fugues, Op. 72
Franck--Prélude, Choral et Fugue


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## merlinus (Apr 12, 2014)

Die Kunste der Fuge - Bach.


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## Alfacharger (Dec 6, 2013)

Hindemith Requiem part VIII "Lo Body and Soul This Land"






Harris Symphony 6 "Gettysburg" 4th movement "Affirmation".


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

For a wild madcap fugue, check out the one in Shostakovich's Fourth Symphony.


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## arnerich (Aug 19, 2016)

I composed a Scriabinesque double fugue for piano, I call it the "Leviathan". I invite you to check it out, a lot of people seem to like it. I need to rerecord it with better equipment though.


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## yetti66 (Jan 30, 2017)

Beethoven's Grosse Fugue - string quartet op.133, piano 4 hands op.134 and orchestrated versions of op.133. The Hammerklavier sonata's 4th movement is another monster fugue.


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## beetzart (Dec 30, 2009)

arnerich said:


> I composed a Scriabinesque double fugue for piano, I call it the "Leviathan". I invite you to check it out, a lot of people seem to like it. I need to rerecord it with better equipment though.


Really enjoyed that, thanks for sharing.


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

The fugue that concludes Ernest Bloch's _Concerto Grosso No. 1_ is quite nice.


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## Barelytenor (Nov 19, 2011)

My all-time favorite is the double fugue on "Kyrie Eleison" and "Christe Eleison" from the Mozart _Requiem._ I'm not fond of a lot of Mozart, but this one is tops in my book. Handel used the same subject for "And with His stripes we are healed" in _Messiah,_ but I like the Mozart far better.

:tiphat:

Kind regards,

George


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Beethoven's Hammerklavier Sonata contains a mammoth, monumental fugue.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Barelytenor said:


> My all-time favourite is the double fugue on "Kyrie Eleison" and "Christe Eleison" from the Mozart _Requiem._ I'm not fond of a lot of Mozart, but this one is tops in my book. Handel used the same subject for "And with His stripes we are healed" in _Messiah,_ but I like the Mozart far better.
> 
> Kind regards,
> 
> George


Great suggestion George.


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## brianvds (May 1, 2013)

Not sure if it strictly speaking a fugue, but the first movement of Bartok's Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta is well worth a listen for lovers of counterpoint:






For something not quite so bleak, try out the second movement of Hovhaness' Symphony no. 2:


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## mmsbls (Mar 6, 2011)

I love Mozart's Symphony 41 (4th movement) and Beethoven Grosse Fuge.

Incidentally, any interested in exploring fugues could look at a list compiled years ago on TC.


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## QuietGuy (Mar 1, 2014)

This is off the wall for me, but I like the fugue in the film The Go Between (music by Michel Legrand). Another I like is the middle section of "Miracles Out of Nowhere" by the rock group Kansas (originally from the album "Leftoverture" - composed by Kerry Livgren).





 (The Go Between fugue)




 (Kansas - Miracles Out of Nowhere)

For something serious, I like the 2nd movement (double fugue) from Stravinsky's Symphony of Psalms.


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## Fugue Meister (Jul 5, 2014)

Favorite of all time, that would have to be the opening movement of Beethoven's Op. 131





Right now the fugue I listen to the most is the f# one from WTC Book 1,





but a close second:


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## Bluecrab (Jun 24, 2014)

Here's a really nice fugue, from the final movement of Hindemith's Piano Sonata 3 (not for Glenn Gould haters).






brianvds, I agree with you about the first movement of Bartok's Music for SPC. That movement is extraordinary.

There's also a nice, brief fugue figure in the first movement of Bartok's String Quartet 1. Played first by the two violins to open the movement, with the cello and viola joining shortly afterward. It's then reprised beginning in measure 53, with the violins playing the figure an octave higher.


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## TwoFlutesOneTrumpet (Aug 31, 2011)




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## Myriadi (Mar 6, 2016)

My favorite fugues from the period 1750-present are Anton Reicha's, from his 36 fugues collection. Some beautiful, ingenious music there, such as this piece on the famous Scarlatti subject:






Sounds like a wild jazz improv for a while, I think. Or here's one with a subject of a single note:






Unfortunately most of the fugues aren't available on Youtube  These pieces haven't had a good performer yet.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Of course one simply cannot talk "favorite fugues" without mentioning the great Bach:

Toccata, Adagio & Fugue in C Major

Passacaglia & Fugue in C minor

Toccata & Fugue in F Major

Prelude & Fugue in C major (BWV 545)

Toccata & Fugue in D minor (Dorian)

Prelude & Fugue in E Flat Major (St. Anne)

Fantasia & Fugue in G minor


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## arnerich (Aug 19, 2016)

Myriadi said:


> My favorite fugues from the period 1750-present are Anton Reicha's, from his 36 fugues collection. Some beautiful, ingenious music there, such as this piece on the famous Scarlatti subject:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Fascinating composer! Thank you for sharing this!


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## isorhythm (Jan 2, 2015)

Bach's organ fugue in G minor, BWV 542:


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

Of course I like fugues (I even like the old folk-rock group The Fugs!) and I don't think J.S. Bach ever wrote a bad one, and I will likely count the final fugue from the uncompleted Art of Fugue (Die Kunst der Fuge) as my all time favorite fugue -- Oh! and I love fudge, too; especially dark chocolate fudge! -- and to me there seems a no more haunting or poignant moment in music than the final seconds of that last quadruple fugue coming to a sudden stop followed by deathly silence. I still recall the stunning shock I felt when I first experienced this moment in music many years ago. I remain no fan of the "completed" final Bach fugue, preferring to hear it end in the sudden stunning silence as Bach left it. _That_ is what the oft-misused English word "awesome" was meant to describe.

But I also like the following fugue, especially when I need a good chuckle. It's courtesy of one of Bach's greatest champions: Glenn Gould, who wrote it:

[video]https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjq0K7OquPSAhVPziYKHaeaC9QQ3ywIHDAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DQZ M4yxbE0ZE&usg=AFQjCNEgS43AupLCSRSty8Fd5l_z0qeg3Q&sig2=dflgpn4xiQN9G_KdwuIe5w&bvm=bv.149760088,d.eWE[/video]


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## beetzart (Dec 30, 2009)

I have a few fugues that I thoroughly enjoy in no particular order:

1. Fugue from Toccata in E minor JS Bach
2. Fugue from WTC Bk I in C major
3. Fugue from WTC Bk I in C minor
4. Fugue from Beethoven's 'Hammerclavier' Sonata
5. Grosse Fugue
6. Fugue from 2nd movement of Beethoven's 'Eroica'
7. Fugue from 4th movement of Beethoven 9th


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## pokeefe0001 (Jan 15, 2017)

There's a wonderful fugue in Mozart's K.608 Fantasia for Mechanical Organ. After a long interlude it comes back as a double fugue. 

The the 4th movement of Bruckner's 5th symphony - a large scale sonata form movement - has a massive fugue weaving in and out. The fugue's subject is introduced (or at least hinted at) in the introduction, and first tonal area is the fugue's initial entry, but the fugue disappears during the 2nd and 3rd tonal areas of the exposition. (As with most Bruckner's sonata forms, this movement has 3 tonal areas or "theme groups".) About 6 minutes later, the fugue returns as the movement's development section, grows into a double fugue. The fugue is again interrupted by the recapitulation, but returns at the beginning of the coda. I guess this is technically a fugato since it doesn't rigidly follow fugue rules, but it's more of a sonata form inserted into a fugue rather than a fugue inserted into a sonata form. Anyway, calling a 25 minute movement a fugato (or any kind of "ato") is missing something important.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

My all time favorite fugue:


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## Becca (Feb 5, 2015)

Jaromir Weinberger - Polka & Fugue from Schwanda the Bagpiper


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## JamieHoldham (May 13, 2016)

My favourite Fugue ever composed, even considering all the ones Bach composed. The Fugue in E Minor from "The Wedge" Praeludium & Fuga:


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## Klassik (Mar 14, 2017)

Becca said:


> Jaromir Weinberger - Polka & Fugue from Schwanda the Bagpiper


Perhaps not the most serious one, but this one is a lot of fun. I'm glad someone mentioned it. I have an HDCD recording of it by the great Fennell and the Dallas Wind Symphony on the Reference Recordings label. It's a breathtaking performance. As an aside, those Dallas Wind Symphony recordings by Reference Recordings are an amazing Hi-Fi journey. Their Maslanka CD with Jerry Junkin conducting is my favorite.


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## DeepR (Apr 13, 2012)

G.F. Handel - Dixit Dominus - Gloria Patri.

(starts at 3:30)






Just spend an hour to determine this is my favorite rendition available on youtube. It's brilliant!


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## pokeefe0001 (Jan 15, 2017)

Becca said:


> Jaromir Weinberger - Polka & Fugue from Schwanda the Bagpiper


That sounded different that the recording I grew up with so I searched around the web. There are (at least) two different versions - the original orchestral version and one transcribed for band. And to make it more strange, one of the orchestral version I found on the web uses the transcribed version (It's in a different key.)

Here's and orchestral version. Good recording, but it (at the polka part) drags a big.


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## pokeefe0001 (Jan 15, 2017)

SONNET CLV said:


> But I also like the following fugue, especially when I need a good chuckle. It's courtesy of one of Bach's greatest champions: Glenn Gould, who wrote it:
> 
> [video]https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjq0K7OquPSAhVPziYKHaeaC9QQ3ywIHDAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DQZ M4yxbE0ZE&usg=AFQjCNEgS43AupLCSRSty8Fd5l_z0qeg3Q&sig2=dflgpn4xiQN9G_KdwuIe5w&bvm=bv.149760088,d.eWE[/video]


Some time ago I found a very good analysis of this fugue but I can no longer find it. The only thing I remember is that while the singers are singing
But never be clever for the sake of being clever
For a canon in inversion is a dangerous diversion
And a bit of augmentation is a serious temptation
While a stretto diminution is an obvious solution
Never be clever for the sake of being clever
For the sake of showing off​Gould is using canonic inversion, augmentation, diminution, stretto, and is cleverly quoting other fugues. And after all of that it sort of collapses into chaotic rubble. It really helps if the musicians play up the chaos. (If they try to make it sound good it just ends up sounding just odd.)


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## John Kiunke (Mar 25, 2016)

Mozart's Adagio and Fugue is very good


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## premont (May 7, 2015)

arnerich said:


> I composed a Scriabinesque double fugue for piano, I call it the "Leviathan". I invite you to check it out, a lot of people seem to like it. I need to rerecord it with better equipment though.


Thanks, arnerich, for posting this piece, which I enjoyed much. At the same time beautifully expressive and food for the mind.


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## premont (May 7, 2015)

SONNET CLV said:


> But I also like the following fugue, especially when I need a good chuckle. It's courtesy of one of Bach's greatest champions: Glenn Gould, who wrote it:
> 
> [video]https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjq0K7OquPSAhVPziYKHaeaC9QQ3ywIHDAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DQZ M4yxbE0ZE&usg=AFQjCNEgS43AupLCSRSty8Fd5l_z0qeg3Q&sig2=dflgpn4xiQN9G_KdwuIe5w&bvm=bv.149760088,d.eWE[/video]


And here with the sheet music:


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## Xisten267 (Sep 2, 2018)

A favorite of mine that has not been cited here yet is that (IMO) awesome chromatic fugue from J.S. Bach's BWV 543:


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## trazom (Apr 13, 2009)

Bach: 

WTC I: F-sharp major and the A -flat major fugue

WTC II: D major fugue, E major Fugue, F minor fugue, and finally the triple fugue in F-sharp minor.

Mozart:

Kyrie Eleison and the Domine Jesu fugue from the Requiem

Cum sancto spiritu from the C minor Mass K.427

The rectus inversus fugue in g minor. k401

and probably the fugues from his two Vesper settings.

Brahms:

Fugue from the 1st Cello sonata and the German Requiem

Handel: 

Amen fugue from the Messiah


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## BenG (Aug 28, 2018)

Every fugue from this movement is my favourite fugue. Just amazing.


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

*[ 3:00 ]*


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## ORigel (May 7, 2020)

Grosse Fuge
Many fugues from the Art of Fugue (though I especially like the canons by Emerson quartet)
Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue
The Musical Offering Ricecars


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## Allegro Con Brio (Jan 3, 2020)

Outside of Bach it’s probably the Grosse Fuge, though the finale of Mozart’s Jupiter never fails to thrill. Also the first movement of Bartok’s Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta. For some reason the Bruckner 5 finale has never had that big of an effect on me. I haven’t been able to make sense of its sprawling structure yet.


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## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

Weinberger - Fugue [_Polka & Fugue_] from Schwanda....


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## sstucky (Apr 4, 2020)

The last movement of Walton’s First Symphony.


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## Boltzmann Brain (Jan 12, 2020)

Of course Bach is the ultimate fugue composer. But talking about non-Bachian fugues only:
- Mozart has an amazing one in the "Domine Jesu" from his Requiem, especially the Quam Olim Abrahe part.
- Brahms wrote a great one for the third movement of his Cello Concerto No. 1 (Op. 38) that recalls The Art of Fugue.
- Shostakovich wrote a dizzying fugue in his Symphony No. 11, the "Attack" part of its second movement The 9th of January.


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## larold (Jul 20, 2017)

The one in *Toccata, Adagio, and Fugue in C Major BWV 564* for its monumentality and inevitability. I enjoy it most played on a Steinway by Dubravka Tomsic but it's fabulous on any instrument ... or orchestra ... or even heavily romanticized by a band.






It's so wonderful it cannot be wrecked.

The Osana from *Mozart's Mass In C Minor *is another great one for me.


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## larold (Jul 20, 2017)

_Brahms wrote a great one for the third movement of his Cello Concerto No. 1 (Op. 38) that recalls The Art of Fugue._

That's news! Brahms wrote a cello concerto.


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## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

larold said:


> _Brahms wrote a great one for the third movement of his Cello Concerto No. 1 (Op. 38) that recalls The Art of Fugue._
> 
> That's news! Brahms wrote a cello concerto.


:lol:

Deciphering that message for its true meaning, that gives me all the excuse I need to finally explore the Brahms cello sonatas... sounds great.


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## mikeh375 (Sep 7, 2017)

Two spring to mind immediately, the end of Britten's 'Young Person's Guide' and the 6th mvt of Messiaen's Vingt Regard.


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## Boltzmann Brain (Jan 12, 2020)

My bad. Cello Sonata... LOL.


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

larold said:


> The Osana from *Mozart's Mass In C Minor *is another great one for me.





Allegro Con Brio said:


> the finale of Mozart's Jupiter never fails to thrill.





trazom said:


> Mozart:
> Kyrie Eleison and the Domine Jesu fugue from the Requiem
> Cum sancto spiritu from the C minor Mass K.427
> The rectus inversus fugue in g minor. k401
> and probably the fugues from his two Vesper settings.


So many mentions of Mozart. I'll add a couple more examples of his.
Mozart wrote this at 10:




But it wasn't until he studied with Padre Martini in Bologna and studied Fux's Gradus ad Parnassum 5 years later, he started to become seriously good at the stuff.
I think his Missa longa K.262 in C major (1775) is an interesting example to discuss. About how it's different in expressivity from the masterful Missa in honorem sanctissimae trinitatis (K.167, which he wrote two years earlier), and how Mozart starts to outgrow the influences of his father (and other Salzburg masters including Eberlin) in expressivity, and show-off many various aspects of contrapuntal composition (canon, fugato, double fugato, fugue, double fugue, triple fugue) with a "Look, daddy! No hands!" attitude.
Kyrie: contains sections of double fugues in sonata-ritornello form [0:32]. It has a striking development in a darker color [1:46].
Gloria: contains sections of expressive counterpoint, for example, _"Domine fili.."_ [4:25], 
_"miserere"_ [5:10].
Cum sanctu spiritu [6:50] is a triple fugue with its own _"Cum sanctu spiritu"_ subject, and two separate subjects of _"amen"_ derived from the Gloria movement. Intricately developed with use of strettos.
Credo: I like the harmonies in sections like _"Et ex patre.."_ [9:17] in the initial material. After them, there are sections of expressive double fugatos like the _"Et incarnatus est"_ [10:48] and the _"Et homo factus est"_ [11:21].
Notice the change of mood that comes with the dramatic fugato in C minor, _"crucifixus"_ [11:41].
The little "reverse" canonic section of _"Qui ex patre"_ [14:38] is also noteworthy. 
The _"Et vitam venturi"_ fugue [17:02], which concludes the credo movement, contains moments of dramatic use of dissonance in the form of strettos [18:10, 18:42]
Sanctus: I like the _"hosanna"_ fugue [20:23]; short, but glorious in character.
Benedictus: expressive counterpoint in the form of fugatos _"Benedictus qui venit.."_ [22:32].
Listen to the top voice rising expressively, _"in no - me - ne .."_ in the F major section [23:18]
Agnus dei: darker contrasting sections of "canonic" character, _"miserere"_ [25:02]
The movement concludes with the serene _"Dona nobis pacem"_, composed of material derived from the Gloria movement.


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## consuono (Mar 27, 2020)

The six part ricercar from Bach's Musical Offering, or the Kyrie from his B Minor Mass. Not many others even come close.


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## Roger Knox (Jul 19, 2017)

Max Reger: Prelude and Fugue op. 99, no. 6 in D minor (piano)

One of the more accessible fugues by this contrapuntal genius.


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## consuono (Mar 27, 2020)

Among non-Bach fugues I would say the B flat minor fugue from Shostakovich's set of 24 p/f pairs (I think it's #16).
Also this:


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## pianozach (May 21, 2018)

Please feel free to ridicule me for liking this one called *HIGH LEVEL FUGUE* (from the *Seven Bridges Suite*) by *Keith Emerson* from his time in *The Nice*.

Here's the very talented *Rachel Flowers*, who had to learn it be ear.


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## Bluecrab (Jun 24, 2014)

pianozach said:


> Please feel free to ridicule me for liking this one...


Not at all. Keith Emerson did some really good things with the Nice-one of the first prog rock groups. That's an interesting piece.


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