Partimento Fugue: Definitive Guide!
Nothing demonstrates the sophistication and mastery of a composer more than the ability to compose a fugue! Even today!
In the 18th century, as well as today, the art of the fugue was and is part of an intense study program in all the most serious music courses!
However, the modern teaching methods used today to teach fugue composition in most academies and conservatories have lost the wisdom of the ancient system, with which the greatest composers were trained and with which the great masters of the past forged their compositional skills!
This ancient method is the method of partimenti, and in this guide, I will show you how you can use the method of partimenti to learn how to compose and also to improvise (yes, to improvise) fugues!
Fugue, Counterpoint, and Partimento!
Subject from Leonardo Leo's Partimento Fugue in C Minor
Fugue: What elements do you need?
What elements do you need to compose a fugue, in general, and more specifically with the method of partimenti?
Clearly, it is impossible to learn all the techniques for composing a fugue in a single guide.
At the same time, you can learn which elements are more essential than others, so you can focus your attention on these and start learning them right away!
The main elements are three:
- A musical subject, also called Dux (leader): you need it because it is the main melody that constitutes the essence of the fugue itself.
- Sequences, also called Progressions: you need them to create dynamism, variety, to lead your musical discourse, and to alternate thematic sections with the subject, with free-flowing sections.
- Some Cadences: a musical discourse without a period, a comma, or punctuation would be monotonous, boring, and you wouldn't understand when one phrase ends and another begins.
Tied Bass sequence from Leonardo Leo's Partimento Fugue in C Minor
Counterpoint: How to Use It?
A Subject Is Not Enough!
When the subject ends, the voice must continue singing while the new subject is entering in another voice!
Counterpoint is the skill of composing melodies against other melodies in such a way as to create a melody that is both coherent and diverse at the same time!
Partimento: The Benefits for Fugue!
What are Partimenti?
Are you familiar with harmony exercises? Those long and often boring basses that you have to harmonize and may wonder how they will ever be useful to you?
Well, imagine something similar, but with notable differences:
- Musical: Partimenti, before being exercises, are music that must first and foremost be beautiful and enjoyable!
- Variety and Dynamism: Sequences, also called Progressions, help you create that dynamism and variety, guide your musical discourse, and alternate thematic sections with the subject to free-flowing sections.
- Phrasing: Balanced Cadences make the musical discourse well-balanced and organized, creating phrases of the right length and with ample breadth.
Partimento Bass Line by Alessandro Scarlatti
Craft! Write your Fugue!
Now it's your time!
I challenge you!
Compose your own fugue!
But don’t worry, I’m here by your side to guide you with all the instructions you need!
First of all, download the PDF that you’ll need to write your composition: By registering your free account at this link, within the course The Partimento Method Further Resources, you will find the PDF to download!.
This exercise is a Partimento Fugue by Leonardo Leo, an Italian composer from the first half of the 18th century, one of the leading figures of the Neapolitan school!
Here are the three steps you need to follow to complete your Partimento Fugue in an orderly manner!
Then, of course, exercise by exercise, and as you become more skilled, you can develop your own method and personal approach: practice makes perfect!
Analyze!
Warnings!
This is the most underrated phase of all!
And that’s why most musicians don’t know how to write a fugue!
The first thing you need to do is analyze every single note you find!
The analysis must be done with three different levels of detail, which we can call by the following names:
- Panorama: The Panorama analysis is essential to have a clear understanding of what happens in the partimento as a whole, from the key to the type of melodies, to the general profile of the voices.
- Portrait: You can think of this type of analysis as a profile of each individual melody, focusing on what happens in a section of about 5-10 measures.
- Detail: What is the significance of each individual note?
This is the question you need to be able to answer with this type of analysis!
Every note has its meaning and weight in a bass line!
It’s up to you to discover it!
Outline!
Now it’s time to create a chordal realization, so that you have a clear understanding of what is happening in the vertical dimension of music!
Focus on the harmony, on the verticality, and leave the melodies and counterpoint for the next phase!
Harmonic Realization of a portion of Leo's Partimento Fugue Bassline
Realize!
Now the moment has finally arrived!
Here you will need to bring together all your skills, not just in a simple chordal realization, but by using melodies, counterpoints, imitations, and the most varied and challenging compositional techniques!
Contrapuntal and Advanced Realization of the previous example
Here’s more!
I have prepared this video for you in which I show you step by step how I created this Fugue!
In this Musician's Guide, you have learned so many things!
And many other secret places to explore await you in the magical world of musical composition!
I firmly believe that not everyone is born with a hand ready to write music, but everyone still has a hand with which we can cultivate this passion and express ourselves!
I am here to guide and accompany you on this journey of yours!
Now it's your turn!
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Playing Music is not Enough!
Today's musician must know how music is composed, how to analyze each piece, and how to improvise with their instrument...
For this reason, I teach musicians all over the world how to express their creativity by teaching composition with the historical method of Partimenti!
Richardus Cochlearius
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