To get in touch with me for Zoom composition or piano lessons, commissions, collaborations, or just a friendly chat, you can use the email jjayberthume@gmail.com
I do not agree with you, IBTwist. It is clear beyong any doubt that JJB knows a great deal. Yet a good and excellent professor would be able to explain a difficult subject in an easy and concise language. I went through the entire first video and honestly... I saw a lot of moving his computer sheet on the screen and a lot of gesticulations, but I still do not know anything on writing a fugue. What JJB tells here is all very fine, but has nothing to do with a beginner's course. Though interesting, this is an advanced knowledge of little use for those who want to learn or to refresh their knowledge on writing fugues. As the German poet von Goethe once said: "One knows a master in the limitations he uses." Explaining something with countless words is something everybody can when he is skillfull in his topic. Explaining something to somebody who does not know anything about the subject, but afterwards has the feeling he understands a bit of it, is way more difficult.
@@Apuleios2 Not going to lie this is a weird response. I said nothing about a beginner course. I mentioned "a course" which could mean any level and including upper level. I think what you say about "clear and concise language" needs to be self reflected as this response is extremely long winded and doesn;t make much sense or hold much argumentative value.
I for one welcome more thorough explanation and slower progression. I haven't seen one teaching material yet that this thorough, except for gradus ad parnassum itself.
That helped a lot when you said that in counterpoint the horizontal is more important than the vertical. I always find myself trying to have perfect vertical harmony even when writing counterpoint, which makes it so difficult for me.
You make some great points here regarding how to start. ie. writing your parts together instead of writing individual subjects and trying to write counter melodies over and over until they fit.
Thank you for explaining about the overtones. I’ve always know you weren’t supposed to double the 3rd but I’m glad you explained it’s because of orchestration and you’re right the overtones do have a lot with how you build the chord. I will be thinking of this more in my writing. Can you do a video on inventions next
Really good introduction to the fugue and great important trick about having already created the 3 parts before composing the fugue ;) Bravo JJay! Can't wait for Part 2! Best Regards from Paris. Olivier
Very interesting video and full of practical advice about approaching the subject. However I wouldn’t say it is appropriate for a beginner, more an intermediate who is interested in the wider aspects of fugal writing.
And last week I wrote a test about fugues ... you're a little bit too late ;-) But it is still interesting watching you explaining it and I still learned a lot of new things. Thank you!
There are many obstacles to overcome when writing a fugue, that is, if you want the piece to be aesthetically pleasing and spiritually inspiring. Most fugues are scratchy and confusing, and are just academic directionless exercises which rarely are expressive or do full justice to the theme because the composer feels obligated to adhere to form rather than spiritual sonority. Few fugues have an overriding organic message and just dribble out new clever devices to harmonize the theme. The intrinsic drive of the theme is most often subordinated for pedantic formality of reintroduction to serve form. The only fugue that I think is a true masterpiece from a spiritual inspirational point of view is Bach's G major "Gigue" fugue. It flows from beginning to a rousing spiritually uplifting end.
I got to about 30 minutes -- and had to take a rest. Bach's fugues could not compete! I always though of fugues as being fast and furious - the Picture of Bach in an emotional state. Fugue means a flight or to flee. We run up a motif, then reverse in time or invert the motif. JJay's vocal is in sixteenth notes, and most hand gestures hold a smooth and interesting melody, but not really a counterpoint - more independent. The very fleeting intermittent [percussive?] notes [i.e.face touching] may need amending. It's clear that JJay has the excitement that I hear in a Fugue. It's great that JJay gives us this very long intro. I have ADD, and cognitive problems, and need an 'abridged' version with more illustrations of the points he speaks of. Yes music may need explaining, but mostly we just have to listen to it. Because I've always been a Bach counterpoint fan, and just happen to be putting a Bachy bit into a Latin-Tango-Dance piece - yes the subject matter and lyrics are very dramatic [about psychopaths interfering and dominating a dysfunctional community on anti-depressants] - a grotesque 'Danse Macabre'. Yes, I better get on with it, or I'll talk an hour myself. For fairly passive folk - fugues are invigorating.
Yo nice vid, do you perhapse have any advice on writing a good subject? We have to write a fugue in the style of bach for our composition class and i am brainstorming some ideas for a subject rn but none of them seem to really work. Everytime the subject appears in another voice it modulates...and sounds weird any tips or tricks?
Hi JJay. What have you studied and in which university(or college, etc.)? Do I really need to study music in university (any music school) to become a film music composer?
_"Furman University. I study counterpoint and composition with Mark Kilstofte, orchestration with Jay Bocook, Schenkerian analysis with Daniel Koppelman, jazz piano with Keith Davis, classical piano with Derek Parsons, and jazz arranging with Matt Olson."_ He said that in responce to another comment.
Furman University. I study counterpoint and composition with Mark Kilstofte, orchestration with Jay Bocook, Schenkerian analysis with Daniel Koppelman, jazz piano with Keith Davis, classical piano with Derek Parsons, and jazz arranging with Matt Olson.
