Most fugues present a clear subject followed by 2 or more restatements of that subject in the other voices, often 3 or 4 other voices. This fugue is “enigmatic” in that one of the three voices is un-pitched percussion, combining temple blocks, drums of various kinds, and cymbals, thus obscuring the melodic identity of the lines while being an equal partner in normal fugal action: Subjects, counter-subjects, strettos, and episodes based on bits and pieces of the S and CS. Further enigma is created in all three parts by sequential presentations of the S and CS with idiomatic variations appropriate to each instrument’s unique technical capabilities.
Enigmatic Fugue was composed for the Prism Percussion Duo (Divesh Karamchandani and Elizabeth Hall), and Keisuke Nakagoshi, piano, with support from the San Francisco Chapter of the National Association of Composers/USA.