Fugue (Prout)/Chapter 10

by Ebenezer Prout

CHAPTER X.

Fughetta and Fugato

349. In the preceding chapters of this volume we have explained the construction of the most common kind of fugue—that with only one subject. Before proceeding to treat of fugues with more than one subject, fugues on a choral, or fugues with free accompaniment, there are two other varieties of fugal writing with which this is the most suitable place to deal. These are the Fughetta and the Fugato.

350. The word "Fughetta" is the Italian diminutive of "Fuga," and merely means "a little fugue." It is a term of somewhat vague application; and it is impossible to lay down a hard and fast line of distinction between fughetta and fugue. For example, among Bach's works for the Clavier, we find a so-called 'Fughetta' in E minor, beginning

&c.

which is a regularly developed fugue, extending to 105 bars, with a long middle section. In its number of bars it exceeds 46 of the 48 fugues in the 'Wohltemperirtes Clavier.' This is an exceptional case; but we refer to it to show the vagueness with which the term is sometimes applied.

351. In the form most frequently met with, a fughetta is an abridged fugue, and is almost always a complete movement in itself. It contains a regular exposition; but the middle section will have at most not more than one group of middle entries, and in many instances it is omitted altogether. In such cases the exposition is followed either by an episode leading to the final entry of the subject in the tonic key, or this final entry may follow the exposition immediately, without any episode whatever.

352. These variations in fughetta form will be most clearly shown by examples. We first give an illustration by Bach of the longer fughetta, containing the regular three sections of a fugue, though all are on a small scale.

J. S. Bach Fughetta in D minor.

As the fugue is for only three voices, and contains no crossing of parts which might render it difficult to follow, we give it, to save space, on two staves. The student will by this time be sufficiently accustomed to analysis of fugues to render it superfluous for us to mark, as hitherto, the entries of the subject.

353. An unusual point in the exposition of this fughetta is, that the third voice enters with the answer instead of the subject. The group of middle entries appears to commence with the subject in the tonic key; but the following reply at bar 25 shows that the entry in bar 20 is really the answer to the subject in the key of G minor. Further entries in the same key, now at the octave, are seen at bars 33 and 37, after which, without a second episode, the final section, containing two entries of the subject succeeded by a coda, follows immediately. This fughetta is really a complete fugue, much condensed—a sort of "Liebig's extract" of fugue.

354. An interesting fughetta of a different kind, also by Bach, is that in F.

It will be seen that the subject is identical with that of the fugue in A flat, No. 41 of the 'Forty-Eight'; and if the two pieces are compared, it will be found that, except as regards key, they are exactly the same down to the 24th bar, where the fughetta ends. The latter is the earlier version, and it contains a complete exposition, an episode of four bars—no middle section at all—but a large final section with entries for all the voices, which, when Bach rewrote the fugue for the 'Wohltemperirtes Clavier,' was made to do duty as a counter-exposition. If the student will read the first half of the A flat fugue, he will see the fughetta complete; there is therefore no occasion to quote it.

355. Our next example, by Handel, is different in form.

Handel. Utrecht Te Deum.

This fughetta is for five voices. It begins like a close fugue (§ 279); and it will be seen that at the entry of the fifth voice (tenor), in bar 5, the subject is varied. Handel's fugues are usually freer than Bach's. There is no episode at all, but there is a fragmentary group of middle entries (bars 7 to 10). This embryo middle section, if we may so term it, is followed by a final entry of the subject in the tonic key (bar 12), and a short coda completes the movement.

356. Another variety of the fughetta form is that which consists merely of a complete exposition, followed by one final entry of the subject by the voice that first led. A very neat specimen of this variety is the following, taken from one of Mozart's Masses.

Mozart. Mass in F, No. 6.

It will be seen that here the final entry is in stretto at close distance of time for all the voices; but in this form it is not necessary to observe the rule (§ 252) that the last voice that enters must complete the subject. Here the tenor in bars 10 and 11 gives the subject in an abridged and slightly varied form.

357. Sometimes, after a complete exposition, the final entry will only be fragmentary, and will be followed by a coda.

Beethoven. Mass in C.

It is somewhat unusual for the first voice to leave off on the entry of the third, as here at bar 5; generally (and preferably) it continues, as in our other examples, with a free counterpoint. The final entry (bar 10) is only partial, not more than the first half of the subject being given by the treble; from the eleventh bar, the polyphonic style is abandoned, and in the coda all the voices move together in plain chords.

358. The word Fugato simply means "fugued," and is applied to passages written in the fugal style—that is to say, in which the same subject is introduced successively in the. different voices—but in which the entries are not at the regular interval of subject and answer, or, if they are, their employment is only incidental. Passages of imitation, provided that all the voices take part in them, will very often be also fugato passages; but in general in such cases the voices will enter in succession, the first voice being either unaccompanied by any harmony at all, or only accompanied by instruments, and not by any other voices. Such passages are often found in pieces not otherwise in fugal form.

359. In consequence of the freedom allowed in fugato, it is quite impossible to give any fixed rules for its construction. Its nature will be best understood by the examination of specimens by different composers, and in various styles. Our first example will be by Bach.

J. S. Bach. 'Matthäus Passion.'

In this passage we omit the semiquaver accompaniment in the bass, which is to some extent independent of the voices; the bare fourths in the sixth and seventh bars are filled up by the instrumental part. We see here that, though the interval of entry of the voices is quite regular, it is not that of fugue subject and answer as regards the third and fourth voices; we have here therefore a passage of fugato.

360. The following well-known extract from the 'Creation' is given in short score to save space, and the independent orchestral accompaniment is omitted.

Haydn. 'Creation.'

This example is somewhat similar to our last; but while the first three entries are at regular distances—each a fifth above the preceding—the treble is only a fourth above the alto.

361. Similar passages to these are of frequent occurrence. As fine examples may be mentioned, the passage in the Offertorium of Mozart's 'Requiem' to the words "ne absorbeat eas tartarus, ne cadant in obscurum," and the beginning of the allegro of the chorus, "Praise ye Jehovah's goodness" in Beethoven's 'Mount of Olives.' We merely refer to these, and prefer to quote for our next illustration a fugato of a totally different style—the opening bars of the slow movement of Beethoven's first symphony. We condense the orchestral score on two staves.

Beethoven. 1st Symphony.

Although the commencement of this passage looks at first like the subject and answer of a fugue, a moment's examination of the counterpoint accompanying the answer will show that we have here only fugato. The rhythm of subject and counterpoint are identical, and the style of the whole passage is distinctly homophonic rather than polyphonic. After the end of our extract, every attempt at imitation is abandoned.

362. We conclude this chapter with two more modern examples.

Mendelssohn. 'Elijah.'

In this passage the small notes on the bass staff indicate the real bass of the harmony, which is given to the orchestra. It will be seen that here no two consecutive entries are at the same distance of interval.

363. In our last illustration,

Mackenzie. The Rose of Sharon.'

&c.

the basses of the orchestra have so independent a part that it is needful to write it on a separate staff. Here we have an example of the modern free treatment of the contrapuntal style. Not only the interval of entry, but the form of the subject itself varies on nearly every repetition.

364. It is hoped that these examples will sufficiently show the nature of the fugato. It is, of course, far easier to write than a strict fugue, or even a fughetta, and is not of sufficient importance to require a lengthy notice; but as this volume might perhaps have been considered incomplete without it, we have devoted a few pages to its consideration.