What term describes a form of imitative counterpoint in which a theme is introduced at the beginning (exposition) and echoed in all voices through imitation and development?

• A. Fugue
• B. Canon
• C. Stretto
• D. Imitation

Answer: (A)

In a fugue, a single theme is introduced at the outset and then enters in each voice through imitation, continuing to develop across the piece. The opening section, the exposition, presents the subject in every part, often with responses or answers in related keys, setting up a tightly woven, imitative texture. After the exposition, the music develops the material through episodes, modulations, and further entries, creating growth and variety while keeping the original subject as the throughline. This combination of a clearly stated subject, successive imitative entrances in all voices, and subsequent development is what defines a fugue. The other terms describe related ideas but don’t capture the full, formal structure: a canon relies on continuous imitation at a fixed interval, stretto is a technique for overlapping entries within a fugue, and imitation is a general technique rather than a complete form.