MUSICAL LEAK concept and examples

Genius and creativity can often be observed when someone takes an existing resource and uses it in ways that we would never have thought of. How we use the elements that we already have in our knowledge or that we are used to seeing from a different perspective allows us to change and evolve in any field.

We can see it in art, in this case music, when we take fundamental factors from the musical structure to create dynamics and combinations that challenge our intellect and our hearing. In this lesson from a TEACHER we will learn about one of the musical forms that explore these elements, we will talk about concept of musical fugue and examples.

The fugue is a musical form who was born during the Middle Agesand it continued to develop until it settled as we know it now in the seventeenth century. By musical form we understand that it is a series of musical dispositions and factors certain that make us recognize a work in style or genre thanks to these elements characteristic. Thanks to this set of factors we can categorize a type of work.

In the case of fugue, the concept falls on the great importance of the play of voices or melodic lines, that is, counterpoint. To continue speaking musically about the fugue there are certain concepts that we must understand:

• Voice and voices: We refer to the voices in music, not necessarily the "human voice" but the different lines of melodies, which have a certain independence and musical sense. The voices are usually placed one above the other by levels, and we classify them by their tessitura (how bass or treble they are and the range of notes they have).
• Melody: It is a succession of notes with tuning and a musical sense. In a work the melody is what we can sing or whistle.
• Polyphony: When multiple melodic voices sound simultaneously.
• Counterpoint: It is the part of the study of music that analyzes the relationship between 2 notes or more (when there is polyphony) and how they develop in a melodic progression.

As we mentioned, the leak is recognized by the tailstock exploration. During a fugue, the melodic lines of the voices play, develop and alternate in prominence to create dynamics. Most of the fugues have 3 or 4 voices, but there are also those with more voices and even only 2, although this is rare. Because it is based on the study of the limitless relationships between notes, the fugue is considered one of the most mature musical forms.

The characteristic and initial part in the fugue is the subject, which is a musical phrase that is used as a theme and starting point. During the escape, the subject will be altering, alternating or reproducing in the different voices. Sometimes there is directly a countersubject which is a secondary subject that contrasts with the first.

Some techniques related to leakage They are:

• Canyon: When a main theme remains identical but offset in time.
• Stretto: When a voice is interrupted during the song to be continued by another voice.
• Pedal: When a bass note is held while the upper voices even change chords.

Structure of the leak

In general terms, this is the structure of the fugue shape:

• Exposition: The subject is introduced and repeated one or more times in the other voices.
• Middle section: Modulations are made on the subject (key changes) and pauses are used to resume the subject.
• Final section: The subject returns to the initial key.
• Final: Measures are added and usually end with a flourish, an improvised musical ornamentation.