A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Risposta

by William Smyth Rockstro

RISPOSTA (Lat. Comes; Eng. Answer). The Answer to the Subject of a Fugue, or Point of Imitation. [See Proposta.]

In Real Fugue, the Answer imitates the subject, Interval for Interval. In Tonal Fugue, the Tonic is always answered by the Dominant, and vice versa. In both, the Imitation is usually conducted, either in the Fifth above the Proposta, or the Fourth below it, when the Subject begins upon the Tonic; and, in the Fourth above, or the Fifth below, when it begins upon the Dominant. [See Fugue, Real Fugue, Tonal Fugue, Subject.]

[ W. S. R. ]