Reflections

So might a fanciful poetic reaction to this fugue go. The subject is perfect or at least made so by the its full exposure in the context of the entire fugue. It feels a bit like a bird call, direct, simple, and articulated by a four-times repeating motive, a three note descent. If you listen to a bird call, you can hear repetitions, motives. But the bird always seems to use some minute variation with each one: repetition with subtle variation. Is it a pattern or not? Is it even really music? Shostakovich does the same with his subject. With each repetition of the motive, he uses tiny but telling modifications, shaping what might be a bird call into a wonderfully coherent utterance of music that could only be human. Like all of the outstanding fugue subjects from either Bach or Shostakovich, this one is truly its own, complete song. The four occurrences of the "bird" motive fall into two groups, each pair feeling like a call and response, with one pair being a larger call to the second pair's answer. Symmetry, balance, intonation and articulation combine so that the subject eloquently speaks, using a mode far more primal and complete than anything verbal.

The counterpoint in this fugue is as rich and natural as a the living context of most birds: running water, green growth, forceful and productive, filling the spacious environment with texture, pattern, context. The primary countersubject is so coherent, and so organically shaped around the subject that is often becomes more important than the subject itself. It takes flight using the swift motion of 8th notes contrasting with the subject's quarter notes. The countersubject sings its own beautiful melody, articulated as well by repeating motives, tuneful and balanced, natural and alive like another kind of bird. The subject and the countersubject create a new level of conversation, a distinct pattern of alternating motives crafting an equally distinct sense of call and response.

Like all the most outstanding fugues of either Bach or Shostakovich, this one feels bigger than humble contemplation. Though one is passionately committed to cataloging every component of its organic structure, its richness defeats the faculties of analysis. There must be additional countersubjects, meaningful relationships across the episodes (there is a dominant motive/sequence throughout them), a long shape running throughout the textural dynamics. One needs to get up early with a fresh mind and a keen awareness to spot the rarest birds. We vow to be more alert next time. We thrill to the anticipation of the good fortune to listen to this fugue again. No matter what, our hearts will be filled again and again with the purity of the unanalyzed music.