3# The Fugue
One of the most important of the period and one of the hardest forms to write, luckily it is not too difficult to listen to if you pay attention. The fugue has it's history in Gregorian chant, and therefore is written as if it were a vocal composition utilizing different "voices" which are slotted into each vocal voice range.
A fugue begins with an exposition, this is the most important part for you to pay attention to: A single voice will introduce the subject (i.e main melody) of the fugue, this subject will then be repeated in another voice with the previous voice providing counterpoint (Different melodies that are meant to harmonize the main melody while also standing on their own). This repeats until every voice has played the melody once. After this, it is not too dissimilar from a ritornello (at least in the case of Bach), with the main melody returning in different voices. There will also often be counter-subjects present that also return, but this depends on the fugue.
You will see the fugue almost everywhere in Baroque music (Note that most fugues are accompanied by a prelude, as noted in most titles. The prelude in the examples I give and 99% of the time is melodically disconnected from the fugue and mainly serves as a free form movement. Still, attention is warranted as they are as important as the fugue in terms of the overall expierence.)
Examples:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bbox4oi6HjA [Play]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pfnkz1cFp8g [Play]https://youtu.be/BoXCHmLqh9k [Play]4# Theme and Variations
You will find this one in almost all periods of classical music and therefore also the Baroque period. In it's early usage mainly used for church hymn melodies, it provides a main theme with a simple harmonization that then gets variations placed upon it based on that original theme.
Examples:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yF-2aJY6dpo [Play]https://youtu.be/qnCqOKE9N4Y [Play]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYfKWyeichE [Play]Happy listening, anons!