noun

fugue

FYOOG/fjuːɡ/

A musical composition in which different voices introduce and develop a recurring theme.

The fugue's score introduces the recurring theme in three staggered instrumental parts.

A close-up of a single engraved chamber-music score makes a short theme visibly recur in three staggered instrumental parts, while earlier parts continue with contrasting notes.

Etymology

Latin fuga meant “flight” or “a running away.” The musical name carries that flight image into the name of a composition with interwoven, recurring themes.

In context

YaleCourses9:13

here in a fugue we have just one theme but everybody's going to get a chance to present it

Lecture 13. Fugue: Bach, Bizet and Bernstein

More examples

In this fugue, the same theme enters successively in different voices.
She practices Bach's fugues on the piano every morning.
The string quartet ends the concert with a lively fugue.

Forms

fugue · fugues

fugal adjective — Relating to or resembling a fugue.