# What do the 'a4' and 'a3's mean?



## LAS (Dec 12, 2014)

On the list of movements in my CD of The Art of the Fugue, 8 movements have either a3 or a4 after the name. Can someone tell me what that means?

Thanks,
LAS


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

3 or 4 voices in the fugue.

What I’ve never known is why a?


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## consuono (Mar 27, 2020)

Mandryka said:


> 3 or 4 voices in the fugue.
> 
> What I've never known is why a?


Italian..."a tre voci" "for 3 voices" etc.


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## LAS (Dec 12, 2014)

*Thank you! Do you know why only 8 out of 23 movements....*



consuono said:


> Italian..."a tre voci" "for 3 voices" etc.


... have those notations? How many voice in the unmarked 11 movements?

TIA
LAS


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## LAS (Dec 12, 2014)

Mandryka said:


> 3 or 4 voices in the fugue.
> 
> What I've never known is why a?


Thanks! Now might you know the answer to my second question down thread?

tia
las


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

LAS said:


> Thanks! Now might you know the answer to my second question down thread?
> 
> tia
> las


Wikipeadia maybe.


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## premont (May 7, 2015)

LAS said:


> ... have those notations? How many voice in the unmarked 11 movements?
> 
> TIA
> LAS


The score will tell you.

All four canons: two voices
Cpt. VIII (as to the printed edition) and the three part mirror fugues; three voices
All other movments: four voices.


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