Page:Fugue by Ebenezer Prout.djvu/202

184 printed in large notes. Here the two subjects are announced by the outer voices; when the middle parts bring in the answers, the two themes are inverted in the octave. Notice that the two subjects do not begin simultaneously. It is extremely rare for this to happen. Frequently the second commences only a crotchet, or even a quaver, after the first; but it is undesirable that they should start together, as it would make it more difficult to distinguish them. The counterpoint in the treble of the last two bars is, as will be seen, a free part.

371. In our next example,

the order of entry of the preceding is reversed. Here the two middle voices have the subjects and the outer ones the answers. Note in the answer in the treble the change of an octave in pitch (§ 154) to keep the music within the reach of the hands. The alteration at the end of both the answers is an illustration of what has been more than once mentioned—that Handel's fugue writing is usually much more free than Bach's.

372. It is not always necessary that the two voices which enter with the answers should be in the opposite relative positions to those which announce the subjects. Sometimes the part which was the higher at first is still the higher, as in the following example.