Improvisation Exercise: Fugue Subject and Answer

Today I would like you to try your hand at improvising an answer to a fugue subject. Basically, this exercise is quite simple - the answer is a subject transposed to the Dominant key.

In the above subject, the key is F major. Therefore, the answer will be in C major.

The only alteration to the transposition of the subject would be that in C major, the answer will be tonal instead of real. This means that the first interval will have to be a fifth (F-C) instead of a fourth (C-F). Don't forget to add B natural in your answer because C major doesn't have any accidentals.

There will be 8 steps to this exercise:

1. Play a subject with the right hand as written (the soprano voice).
2. Play an answer with the right hand in C major (the alto voice).
3. Play the subject in F major with the left hand (the tenor voice).
4. Play the answer in C major with the left hand or pedals (the bass voice).
5. Play the answer in C major with the right hand (the soprano.
6. Play the subject in F major with the right hand (the alto voice).
7. Play the answer in C major with the left hand (the tenor voice).
8. Play the subject in F major with the left hand or pedals (the bass voice).

Repeat each step slowly until you can do it fluently 3 times in a row correctly. Note that your subjects and answers have to be played in the appropriate range for each particular voice.

Here is the PDF file for printing.

After you are done practicing, post your time to comments.