Composer

:

Edvard Grieg

Genre

:

Keyboard

Style

:

Fugue

Compose Date

:

1861 - 1862

Average_duration

:

2:27

Edvard Grieg's 'Fuga à 4 for piano in G minor, EG184e' is a four-voice fugue composed in 1880. It premiered on March 1, 1881, in Christiania (now Oslo), Norway, with the composer himself at the piano. The piece is part of a collection of four fugues that Grieg composed for piano, which he referred to as his "Homage Fugues." The 'Fuga à 4' is structured in three movements: an exposition, a development, and a recapitulation. The exposition presents the four voices in turn, with the subject first introduced in the bass voice. The subject is a short, rhythmic motif that is repeated and developed throughout the piece. The second voice enters with a countersubject, which is a contrasting melody that is played simultaneously with the subject. The third and fourth voices enter in turn, each with their own countersubjects. The development section of the fugue is where the composer explores the possibilities of the subject and countersubjects. Grieg uses various techniques such as inversion, augmentation, and diminution to create new musical material from the original subject. The music becomes more complex and dissonant as the fugue progresses, building tension and anticipation for the final section. The recapitulation brings back the original subject and countersubjects, but this time with some variations. The music becomes more intense and dramatic, with the four voices intertwining and overlapping in a complex web of sound. The piece ends with a powerful statement of the subject in the bass voice, bringing the fugue to a satisfying conclusion. The 'Fuga à 4' is a masterful example of Grieg's skill as a composer. The piece is characterized by its intricate counterpoint, rhythmic drive, and dramatic intensity. Grieg's use of chromaticism and dissonance adds a modern edge to the piece, while still maintaining a sense of classical form and structure. The 'Fuga à 4' is a challenging work for pianists, requiring technical skill and musical sensitivity to bring out the nuances of the music.

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