Questions on Fugue No. 16
Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I
by Johann Sebastian Bach
©1999 Timothy A. Smith

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  1. The author quotes Colin Fletcher to make the case that
    a fugue has something to do with "colossal sameness--
    not of monotony but of endlessly repeated and endlessly
    varied pattern." Fletcher's quotation was originally
    applied to:

    the Colorado River.
    the Grand Canyon.
    the Tonto Plateau.
    the Esplanade.

  2. Although Fletcher did not use the word "fugue," he alluded
    to music, and to the fugal process, by describing the Grand
    Canyon as:

    • a rhythm of rocks.
    • a stretto of layers.
    • a real answer.
    • point and counterpoint.

    one of the above
    two of the above
    three of the above
    all of the above

  3. The author follows up the fugal analogy by likening the Canyon's
    subject and countersubject to the "point and counterpoint" of:

    cacti and cottonwoods.
    moonlight and daylight.
    algae and tadpoles.
    rocks and water.

  4. The exposition of this fugue presents the subject in the
    following order: TASB. This would be like discovering an
    Anasazi trail wending its way to petroglyphs in the:

    Toroweap - Coconino - Hermit - Kaibab
    Bright Angel - Redwall - Supai - Tapeats
    Supai - Hermit - Coconino - Redwall
    Coconino - Hermit - Supai - Toroweap

  5. Hearing a fugue's subject without perceiving it to be in a
    particular voice is like:

    • finding a cliff dwelling in the Redwall.
    • being lost on the Grandview Trail by moonlight.
    • seeing a promontory without knowing its elevation.
    • spying a condor perched in the Coconino.

    one of the above
    two of the above
    three of the above
    all of the above

  6. I'm three steps behind you on the Bright Angel Trail.
    You descend five steps and I ascend four. We are now in
    double counterpoint at the:

    8va
    9th
    10th
    12th

  7. Again I'm three steps behind you. How high would I have
    to leap if you tumbled down a 4th and wanted to hear me
    sing in double counterpoint at the 10th?

    5th
    6th
    7th
    8va

  8. The following measures are from this fugue. What is the double
    contrapuntal relationship, if any, between melodies connected by
    the red lines?

    no relationship
    double counterpoint at the 8va
    double counterpoint at the 10th
    double counterpoint at the 12th

  9. Even though both melodies may literally move in the same direction,
    double counterpoint still occurs if they switch registers in relation
    to each other. What is the double contrapuntal relationship, if any,
    between melodies connected by the red lines?

    no relationship
    double counterpoint at the 8va
    double counterpoint at the 10th
    double counterpoint at the 12th

  10. What is the double contrapuntal relationship, if any, between melodies
    connected by the red lines?

    no relationship
    double counterpoint at the 8va
    double counterpoint at the 10th
    double counterpoint at the 12th

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