Page:Fugue by Ebenezer Prout.djvu/33

Chap. II.] 48. Though there are limitations (§ 42) as to the note of the scale on which a fugue subject should end, there are none as to that on which it should begin. In an enormous majority of cases, the subject begins on either the tonic or dominant; but numerous examples are to be met with of the employment of the other degrees of the scale for the initial note. We give a few instances of each—

Subjects beginning on the supertonic are rather rare. Another example will be seen in Bach's fugue in B flat, No. 45 of the 'Wohltemperirtes Clavier.' Subjects beginning on the mediant are also not very often met with—

49. The following subjects begin on the subdominant—

In the two next examples the subject begins on the submediant—

A commencement on the leading note is very rare. We have given one instance in § 44; we add another—

This subject is further interesting from its containing an incidental modulation to the key of the relative minor, which is somewhat unusual for a subject in a major key.