Fugue, from Latin 'escape', is one of the most important and complex musical forms. It is based on the development of one theme, using contrapuntal technique. The voices in a fugue imitate each other, usually ranging from two to five. It is a musical form that developed in both instrumental and vocal music. It can be a standalone piece or part of another genre (e.g. mass, opera). It originated in the mid-17th century and seems to be related to ricercar or canon. In the Baroque era, the fugue was generally cultivated. During classicism, it developed, and in romanticism, it lost much of its prominence among compositions of that period. A fugue usually consists of three or four parts. It begins with an exposition (introduction of the theme in all voices), followed by an independent episode, in which the composer presents the theme in its original or modified version. Changes to the theme may involve diminution (shortening of rhythmic values), augmentation (lengthening of rhythmic values), fragmentation (separation of thematic material and using it separately), inversion (changing the direction of intervals), etc. The next part is the stretto, where the voices converge. Finally, in the section called the coda, the music material is again processed and juxtaposed.
BAROQUE Johann Sebastian Bach Fugue in G minor- Hans Andre Stamm
George Frideric Handel Fugue in D major- Simone Stella