Following are two videos by Anthony St. Pierre on how to compose a simple fugue with reference to fugues by Johann Pachelbel:

COMPOSING A SIMPLE FUGUE PT 1 EXPOSITION

Johann Sebastian Bach, undeniably the supreme master of fugue, had his earliest musical training from his older brother, Johann Christoph, who had been a student of Johann Pachelbel. Here, to get started composing a simple fugue, we too will turn to Pachelbel. This video covers the fugue’s opening — the exposition. Its sequel examines what follows — the counter exposition.

Musical illustrations in this video are drawn from Traugott Fedtke’s edition of Pachelbel’s ‘Choralfugen… aus dem Weimarer Tabulaturbuch’ of 1704, published by C.F. Peters, ©1972.

COMPOSING A SIMPLE FUGUE PT 2 COUNTER EXPOSITION

Johann Sebastian Bach, undeniably the supreme master of fugue, had his earliest musical training from his older brother, Johann Christoph, who had been a student of Johann Pachelbel. Here, we too look to Pachelbel to get started composing a simple fugue. In Part 1 of this video, we examined the fugue’s opening — the exposition. This sequel examines what follows — the counter exposition.

For further study: Pachelbel, Johann. ‘The Fugues on the Magnificat.’ New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1986.

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