No Yngwie, That’s Not a Fugue
While we’re on the subject of fugues, I was recently reminded of Yngwie Malmsteem’s Guitar Concerto.
I haven’t really heard the whole thing, but when I noticed one of the movements was titled “Fugue” I was intrigued. Unfortunately the “fugue” isn’t it a fugue at all.
I know that in the grand scheme of things this isn’t that important, but if you’re highly known as a neo-classical guitarist and you compose a concerto for electric guitar and orchestra, I expect something that’s called a fugue to actualle be a fugue!
So what makes a fugue a fugue?
Well there are many places that will give all the theory, but in a nutshell, a fugue is sort of like a canon on steroids
A typical one will start with a voice playing a theme. Then a second voice will come in playing the theme in another key while the first voice plays in counterpoint (sometimes with a secondary theme). This is followed by a third and/or a fourth voice (somteimes more). The theme is then played in various keys, with accompanying counterpoint, until it’s finally played one last time in the original key.
Yngwie’s on the other hand follows a pretty normal song structure, with the main theme being the verse, and the floaty part with the choir being the chorus. And there’s clearly a main melody throughout. In a fugue all voices have equal importance.
Not that the song itself is bad or anything, I’m just a bit miffed by the faulty advertising…
