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Chap. II.]

Fugue.

15

48. Though there are limitations (§ 42) as to the note of the scale on which a fugue subject should end, there are none as to that on which it should begin. In an enormous majority of cases, the subject begins on either the tonic or dominant; but numerous examples are to be met with of the employment of the other degrees of the scale for the initial note. We give a few instances of each—

J. S. Bach. Cantata, "Der Himmel lacht."

$\relative d'' { \key c \major \time 4/4 \partial 8 \mark \markup \tiny { ( \italic a ) } d16 e | f4. g8 e f16 g f e d c | d8 e16 f g4 }$

Mendelssohn. "Surrexit pastor," Op. 39, No. 3.

$\relative a' { \key g \major \time 4/4 \override Score.Rest #'style = #'classical \mark \markup \tiny { ( \italic b ) } r4 a fis a | d4. c8 b4 a | g8 fis e fis g a b g | a g fis g a b c a | b2 }$

Subjects beginning on the supertonic are rather rare. Another example will be seen in Bach's fugue in B flat, No. 45 of the 'Wohltemperirtes Clavier.' Subjects beginning on the mediant are also not very often met with—

Beethoven. Mass in D.

$\relative f'' { \key d \major \time 3/4 \partial 4 \mark \markup \tiny { ( \italic c ) } fis4 g cis, d | e a, b8 cis | d4 e fis g fis }$

Cherubini. 4th Mass.

$\relative e { \clef bass \key c \major \time 2/2 \partial 2 \mark \markup \tiny { ( \italic d ) } e2 | g d4 e | f2 c4 d | e f g a | g2 }$

49. The following subjects begin on the subdominant—

Handel. Dettingen Anthem.

$\relative g' { \clef alto \key d \major \time 4/4 \partial 2 \mark \markup \tiny { ( \italic a ) } g2 ~ | g4 e fis d | e a, b cis | d }$

Schumann. Fugue, Op. 72, No. 3.

$\relative b { \key f \minor \time 6/4 \override Score.Rest #'style = #'classical \mark \markup \tiny { ( \italic b ) } r4 bes c des bes g' | f e f aes g aes | f2. }$

In the two next examples the subject begins on the submediant—

Bach. Organ Fugue in E flat ("St. Ann's").

$\relative c' { \clef bass \key ees \major \time 12/8 \partial 8*9 \mark \markup \tiny { ( \italic c ) } c8 bes c f, aes16 g aes f bes8 aes bes | ees, }$

Hummel. 2nd Mass.

$\relative c' { \clef bass \key ees \major \time 4/4 \partial 2 \mark \markup \tiny { ( \italic d ) } c2 | c, d | ees4. ees8 ees4 f8 g | aes4 aes8 aes aes4 bes8 aes | g4 }$

A commencement on the leading note is very rare. We have given one instance in § 44; we add another—

Hummel. 1st Mass.

$\relative a { \clef bass \key bes \major \time 4/4 \partial 2. \mark \markup \tiny { ( \italic e ) } a4 bes fis | g r8 aes g f! ees g | f ees d bes c4 a' | bes }$

This subject is further interesting from its containing an incidental modulation to the key of the relative minor, which is somewhat unusual for a subject in a major key.

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