BACH FUGUE IN D MINOR, BWV 875

Analytical Project for MUS 325M

José Castillo
CONTENTS
● Melodic-thematic material
● Fugue exposition
● Large-scale form
● Episode of highest intensity
● Closing entrances
 MELODIC-THEMATIC MATERIAL:
SUBJECT

A B

● Conjunct ● Chromatic descent

● Triplet motion ● Leap up a fourth
● Up-down contour ● Suspension
 MELODIC-THEMATIC MATERIAL:
COUNTER-ANSWER

● 16th note motion, starts on rest

● Skips down a third, mostly conjunct
● Cadential figure (Ti-Sol-Do)
 FORM: EXPOSITION
Real Answer (Soprano)

Subject (Alto)
Counter-Answer

D minor (i) A minor (v)

Counter-Subject

Subject (Bass)
D minor (i)

F major (III) (PAC)

 Real Answer (Soprano)

FORM: EXPOSITION Subject (Alto) Counter-Answer

D minor (i) A minor (v)

EXPOSITION Counter-Subject

Sop. A ++ CS ++
Alto S CA ++ FC ++ Subject (Bass)
D minor (i)
Bass S ++

i v mod. i III

F major (III) (PAC)

 MELODIC-THEMATIC MATERIAL:
WEIRD MOTIF

● 16th note motion, starts on rest

● Skips up a third
● Cadential figure (Ti-Sol-Do)

★ Derived from counter-answer

LARGE-SCALE FORM
● Fugal exposition / ”Enunciatory” section
○ ASB exposition
○ Real answer

● Episodes / “Modulatory” section

○ Stretto and melodic inversion
○ Dramatic climax when both techniques are used

● Closing entrances / “Recapitulatory” section

 Subject,
EXPOSITION Answer (Soprano) EPISODE A inverted in stretto

Subject (Alto) Counter-Answer A fragmented A inverted

D minor (i) A minor (v)

PAC D minor (i), prolongated
2-chord model, 5ths
seq. 3x

Counter-Subject Subject, complete & in stretto

Subject (Bass) Counter-Subject

IAC
D minor (i)

Subject,
inverted & in stretto

F major (III) A minor (v) 2-chord model, 3ths D minor (i) G minor (iv)
seq. 2x
 EPISODE A fragmented,
Subject, A inverted

Subject, A

IAC G minor (iv) C major (VII)

1-chord model, 5ths

seq. 2x

A inverted, extended Subject, complete

fragmented
A inverted, extended

F major (III) Bb major (VI) G minor (iv) D minor (i) fragmented, Counter-Subject, complete
inverted PAC