Sunday, October 21, 2007

Bach Fugue No. 9, Book II, E Major

My analysis is as follows:

• Exposition – mm. 1-23 (S,A,S,A)
o Subject mm. 1-2 (The E-F#-A-G#-F# Tonic motive)
o Answer mm.2-3 (The B-C#-E-D#-C# Dominant motive beat 2
o Countersubject mm.3-4 on E3 (Whole step up-Wup-Wup-Hup-P4down motive)
o Countersubject mm. 4-5, B3
o Subject mm. 4-5
o Answer mm. 5-6 (beat 2)
o Countersubject mm. 6-7, E4
o Countersubject m. 8, E3
• Counterexposition (A,S,A,S)
o Answer mm. 9-10
o Subject mm. 9-10 (beat 2)
o Answer mm. 10-11 (beat 2)
o Subject mm. 11-12
o Countersubject mm. 11-12, E3
o Countersubject mm. 12-13, E#4
o Countersubject m. 13, B3
o Countersubject mm. 13-14, F#2
o Countersubject m. 14, C#2
• Development
o Subject mm. 16-17
o Answer mm. 17-18
o Answer mm. 19-20
o Subject mm. 20-21 (Sequenced, F#)
Bach now Sequences the Subject again starting on F# and going up 5th’s, F#, C#, G#, D#
o Subject^ mm. 23-24 (Bach changes some note values and uses passing tones but keeps the same idea – Whole, quarter, quarter, half tied to quarter, quarter, half)
o Subject* mm. 23-24 (beat 2, also changes note val. – H tied to H-Q-Q-Dotted H-Q-H)
o Subject^ mm. 25-26 (uses subject^ rhythm)
o Subject* mm. 25-26 (beat 2, uses subject* rhythm)
• There are now some diminutions that come in mm. 27-29. The subject is cut in half note value wise and goes through each voice.
• mm. 35-36 has another subject on beat 2
• mm. 36-37 has another answer on beat 2
• mm. 37-38 has another subject with a rest counting as the first half of the first beat of the subject
• mm. 40-41 has one final answer
• Then in mm. 36 – 41 there are some more countersubjects starting in the top voice, then moving down a voice, down another voice, and then back up to the 3rd voice.
I think that’s it….

6 comments:

Jonathan Schorr said...

I would agree with your your subject placement. The answer is also what I found - I think just for writing on here and making sure we get the correct terminology we need to figure out if it is a tonal and / or real answer - my understanding is that it is a real answer.

I had a hard time finding the development - where and why it started where it it. I am curious as to where exactly you decided it was - m. 16? I think it might start after around m. 19.

The rest - as to my understanding looks good - nice work Ryna.

Billy Richards said...

You've got the right subject and answer, but it's a tricky piece for finding where the exposition actually ends. Probably around mm. 15? Looks like you found all the subjects/answers though.

Daniel White said...

I definitely agree with what you have for the placement of the subject and answer. The detail is very good, and made your analysis easy to follow. Kudos to you!

SamanthaW said...

I'm kind of confused about your CounterExposition. Is there such a thing? I would just say the Exposition goes until mm. 19 when it finally changes key to the dominant.

I'm also not sure if mm. 23-26 are really a bridge or a variation of the subject.

I also thought there was a countersubject, but it only seems to appear during the exposition and not reappear until mm. 36

Feona Lee Jones said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Feona Lee Jones said...

Modulatory/Middle Section begins at Measure 26