The Purcell theme is clearly shown in the orchestra at the outset and there is also a great set of interesting variations which have been stated section by section. At the end, there is fugue which is an overlaying of the initial Purcell theme just before the last coda. There is terrific fugue and fantastic variations. Benjamin Britten has used theme and variations while Bach has used fugue. Theme and variations simply indicate after the theme, the composer utilizes the different elements of music in various ways for each variation . For example, the composer can vary the meter, tonal centers, rhythms, the dynamics, the instrumentation, the range the tempo or the modes which are either major or minor. The theme itself can also be changed. The fugue can be defined as a polyphonic textured type of a more sophisticated piece of music. In fugue, the main theme is demonstrated by various instruments at the same time. However, if one instrument is used, for example the piano, different ranges should also be used together with various counter melodies or subjects. The composer’s knowledge of using various modes, instrumentation, ranges, inversions and retrogrades is displayed here.
In both the theme and variations and fugue, there is use of the music elements. Any piece of music consists of different elements of music. The difference in the sound of music just depends on the combination of the elements and which of the elements has been used. The use of musical elements is large and extremely flexible enabling a composer to have a wide variety of choices to pick from. The elements of pitch, motion, and tone are found in all types of music together with other types of elements like texture and harmony. There are some fundamental elements which are found in all the types of music. They include pulse or beat which is part of the rhythm or the pattern of sounds whether long or short and melody which is the tune that is based on the horizontal pattern of sounds with differing pitches or notes which are set with rhythmic patterns. The other basic element is harmony which refers to the vertical structure or the chordal which makes the music more interesting.
Forms are developed from the fundamental structural concepts of homophony, monophony and polyphony. The structures of theme and variations are usually homophonic while the fugue is usually polyphonic. Homophonic music sets a single melody more than the other parts which in turn function together giving chords in accompaniment. Any voice which is accompanied by a guitar is classified as homophonic. Polyphonic music pays attention equally on all melodies; every piece has a melodic integrity while also acting as a supporting accompaniment to the other pieces of the music.
Though the forms of music may be different, sometimes the can be used together. Sometimes, the basic form can be the same but seem to be very different judging from the attributes the composer of the song has given it through melody, beat and harmony. The generic structures are the fundamental structural concepts of unison or monophony, homophony which are chords with melody and polyphony which are multiple lines. The fugue and the theme and variations can be used together like in the “Hallelujah Chorus” by Handel’s Chorus in the song Messiah. He starts with homophonic in the four parts and the chorus plays in a chordal manner where there is the word “Hallelujah”. All parts then sing in unison towards the end of the song. The combination of the two ideas makes the song interesting. The combination makes the music to have a feeling of singing forever in an over-lapping manner .
Music has different elements of performance and composition which define and shape every musical work. They separate one piece of music work from another and also draw works into fashionable groupings where the various elements are used in the same way. Music composers use the elements of music to fill the music world the way artists use paint in their work. A musician uses tone, rhythm and harmony to make a world of music. Regardless the form of music, it must contain motion which consists of tempo, meter and rhythm. Both forms also contain pitch which expresses instrument range and the frequency of the music. The tone of the music in both forms is established by the orchestration and the instrumental color. Harmony in every form of music is a combination of the various pitches which interact simultaneously when the music is playing. The texture of the music results from the different degrees of the activities which act simultaneously .
In fugue, there is a technique of writing several different melodies which accompany each other but maintain a level of independence. In theme and variation, there is no independence since parts of a song have to rely on others. This means that some parts depend on others. In music, a single movement fugue creates a dense piece of music unlike the theme and variations. This is because they are polyphonic allowing use of several instruments and elements at the same time .
In conclusion, though theme and variations are different from fugue, they share several characteristics and these similarities allow them to be used at the same time. From their uses by Benjamin Britten who used theme and variation and Bach who used fugue, it is easy to determine their similarities and differences.
Works Cited
Cooke, Mervyn. The Cambridge Companion to Benjamin Britten: Cambridge Companions to
Music. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999. Print.
Kildea, Paul Francis. Selling Britten: Music and the Market Place. United Kingdom: Oxford
Matthews, David. Britten: Life & Times. London: Haus Publishing, 2003. Print.
