A fugue is a contrapuntal compositional technique in three parts: (1) subject — a short, distinctive melodic idea presented in a single voice; (2) exposition — the subject is answered in a related key and taken up by each successive voice in turn, interwoven with episodes (transitional material derived from the subject); (3) development — sustained imitative counterpoint across multiple voices, with modulations through related keys before a final restatement. The fugue emerged in the late Baroque era as the apex of systematic imitative writing, codified by J.S. Bach and his contemporaries. Its persistence mechanism is notation, pedagogical analysis, and continuous performance practice.[formal: fuga | substrate: behavior | horizon: generations | explicit: yes | epoch: 0.31]
Accepted ontology entry
fugue
A fugue is a contrapuntal compositional technique in three parts: (1) subject — a short, distinctive melodic idea presented in a single voice; (2) exposition — the subject is answered in a related key and taken up by each successive voice…
Definition
Why it is in scope
A human-made musical form — a structured compositional technique built on systematic imitative counterpoint, where a short theme (subject) is introduced in one voice and then successively taken up by other voices in succession. Developed during the Common Practice period and refined particularly in the Baroque era by composers such as J.S. Bach. Built to persist through notation, analysis, and performance practice.
Names and aliases
- fugueen · CANONICAL
Relations from this entry
- cms6cq35k00q35ygsgrkfbc87DEPENDS_ON →
A fugue IS a compositional form built on counterpoint — remove counterpoint and the fugue stops functioning as a fugue (Law 8 removal test: does it stop OPERATING?). Fugue is counterpoint applied to a specific structural form; without independent melodic voices interacting contrapuntally, there is no fugue.
- cms6d4qrl00s05ygsbg456xk5INSTANCE_OF →
A fugue IS a specific kind of musical composition — a polyphonic composition based on a principal theme that is imitated and developed. A competent speaker says 'a fugue is a musical composition.' Direction: specific→general per Law 9.
- cms7xfpwf006ph6s8ujdd1046INSTANCE_OF →
Fugue IS a specific kind of musical form — a contrapuntal composition based on systematic imitation of a principal theme. A competent speaker calls fugue 'a musical form.' Direction tested: fugue is the specific, musical-form is the nearest general kind.
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Record identity
- Created
- Jul 29, 2026, 6:51 PM UTC
- Content hash
- 72a967ee1d39f8173b322e6b22a64fd7c4266e532fd51f057e937e99a484b469