Fugue in D Minor “Santa Clara” for Pipe Organ

Fugue in D minor “Santa Clara” for Piano

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The Fugue in D minor is a large work written for piano. While reflective of Bach fugal techniques, it incorporates more of the complexity of a Busoni composition toward the end of the piece. The motif or Subject of the fugue is eight bars in length. The fugue has 3 Countersubjects as the theme develops in the Exposition.

Following Episode 1 the recapitulation of the motif adds a subdominant Subject in place of one of the dominant Subjects. Episode 2 is the most “Bach-like” in terms of the contrapuntal expression. Following Episode 2 the fugue returns in C Major. Episode 3 employs a series of thirty-second note arpeggios against the motif. Episode 3 drives onto a final recapitulation of the primary fugal melodies before a Cadenza, Coda (as a Stretto Fantasia), and final Stretto occur. The piece ends in a plagal cadence with a final Picardy third in D Major.

The fugue carries the subtitle of “Santa Clara” as the composer’s original intent was to have it performed at the Mission Santa Clara at Santa Clara University which has yet to occur. Performance of the piece will require a master pianist or organist.

This fugue was composed from 12 May 2012 through 03 June 2014.