A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Lead, To

by George Grove

LEAD, TO, in fugues or imitative music is to go off first with a point or subject, which is afterwards taken up by the other parts successively. Thus in the Amen Chorus in the Messiah the bass 'leads,' the tenor taking up the subject at the 6th bar, the alto at the 10th, and so on. In the separate voice parts the fact is often stated ('Tenors lead,' etc.), that the singers may be on their guard, and the part is then said 'to have the lead.'

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