The Fugue - a fugue is a piece that features imitation and variation of

a main theme. All fugues begin monophonically so that the theme can
be heard clearly. After the first presentation of the theme a second
melody enters and from that point on the piece is polyphonic.

- Subject - the main melodic idea in a fugue. It is heard at the

beginning of the fugue in the tonic key. It is heard throughout
the fugue in both the tonic and dominant key. (Note: when it is in
the dominant key it is referred to as the “answer”).

- Countersubject - a second, less important melodic idea that is

heard throughout the fugue at the same time as the subject.

- Episode - a section or sections of a fugue in which the subject

disappears temporarily.

- Picardy Third - occurs when a piece of music in a minor key

ends on a major tonic chord (the third of the chord is raised a
half step). This was very popular in the baroque period and not
limited to fugues.