This site introduces unknown composer Emanuel Bach (C. P. E. Bach). This English version was translated from Japanese one by ChatGPT.
I asked ChatGPT4o: “Beethoven uses fugues in his piano sonatas, but are there any Romantic composers who also used fugues?”
Even among composers after the Romantic period, there are quite a few examples of fugues being used in piano sonatas and other works. Influenced by Beethoven, Romantic composers also employed fugues, but rather than emphasizing the pure contrapuntal techniques of the Baroque period, they were often used as a means of expression.
Schubert
The first movement of Piano Sonata No. 21 in B-flat major, D.960, contains fugal elements.
The Fantasy in F minor for piano four hands, D.940, incorporates a fugue towards the end.
Schumann
Fugal writing appears in the fourth movement of Piano Sonata No. 1 in F-sharp minor, Op. 11.
He composed Six Fugues on the Name BACH, Op. 60, which take on a pure fugue form.
Mendelssohn
The finale of Piano Sonata No. 3 in B minor, Op. 106, includes a fugue.
Preludes and Fugues, Op. 35 are piano fugue works influenced by Bach.
Chopin
The fourth movement of Piano Sonata No. 3 in B minor, Op. 58 incorporates fugal elements.
Liszt
Fugal passages appear in his Piano Sonata in B minor.
Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Bach (S.529) is a work that prominently features fugue techniques.
Fugal writing can also be found in works like Hungarian Rhapsody No. 17 and in the collection **“Harmonies poétiques et religieuses”**.
Brahms
Fugal techniques are used in the final movement of Piano Sonata No. 3 in F minor, Op. 5.
Fugal writing is evident in Variations on a Theme by Paganini, Op. 35.
Franck
Prelude, Chorale, and Fugue is a piano work that clearly incorporates a fugue.
Rachmaninoff
Fugal techniques are seen in the finale of Piano Sonata No. 1.
Fugue techniques are used towards the end of Variations on a Theme of Corelli, Op. 42.
Even after Beethoven, many Romantic composers used fugues in their piano sonatas and other works. However, their fugues often did not adhere to the strict Baroque style but were instead used in conjunction with the rich harmonies and expressiveness of the Romantic era. Composers like Liszt and Brahms, in particular, effectively used fugues as climactic elements in their works, often transforming them freely.
I asked ChatGPT4o: “Dussek also uses fugues in his piano sonatas, but how are these evaluated?”
The fugal elements found in the piano sonatas of Jan Ladislav Dussek (1760–1812) are intriguing points when considering the compositional techniques of the time and his own musical style. He was a composer who significantly influenced the development of keyboard music before Beethoven, and his music features characteristics of the transitional period from the Classical to the Romantic era.
Dussek often employed contrapuntal writing, but a clear example of a fugue being incorporated into a piano sonata is the Piano Sonata in B-flat major, Op. 64 “The Farewell Sonata”. The final movement of this sonata features a clear fugue, which was unusual for the structure of piano sonatas at the time.
Notable Points
Dramatic Expression
Free Treatment of the Fugue
Melodic movement and harmonic progression are emphasized over the strictness of traditional counterpoint.
The treatment of the theme is relatively free, incorporating the fugue as part of a dramatic development, similar to Beethoven.
Comparison with Beethoven
Role as a Bridge to the Romantic Era
Dussekʼs fugues occupy an important position during the transitional period to music that emphasizes emotional expression in the early 19th century.
The use of fugues as a “means of dramatic counterpoint” may have influenced later Romantic composers.
High Performance Effectiveness
His fugues prioritize melodic beauty and emotional dynamics over academic contrapuntal precision, making them accessible to audiences.
Lack of Innovation in Counterpoint
Compared to the fugues of Bach and Beethoven, there is less originality in the development of counterpoint, making it technically conservative.
As a result, they are rarely evaluated as pure fugue works and are instead seen as one of the dramatic structural elements.
Weak Influence Compared to Romantic Composers
Compared to the fugal writing of later Romantic composers (such as Schumann, Mendelssohn, and Brahms), it is difficult to say that Dussek had a direct influence.
The use of fugues in Dussekʼs piano sonatas serves as a bridge between the Classical and Romantic eras and effectively functions as a means to emphasize the dramatic aspects of his music. However, unlike Bach or Beethoven, his fugues do not pursue strict contrapuntal rigor and are instead used as part of melodic development and emotional expression. Therefore, he should be evaluated more as an expressive musician than as an innovator of fugue techniques.