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The main theme of a fugue, stated at the outset and imitated by each subsequent voice.
A good fugue subject has a distinctive rhythmic profile that is immediately recognizable. It should work in counterpoint against itself. Consider what happens when it is inverted, augmented, or combined with other subjects. Test your subject against a potential countersubject before committing.
Bach's Fugue in C minor, WTC Book I — the subject's chromatic descent makes it instantly recognizable in every entry.
Subject is one of 228 terms in the Gradus musical dictionary, where every definition is written around how composers actually use the word.
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