Which term refers to the technique of overlapping subject entries in a fugue, used by Bach?

• A. Stretto
• B. Mirror inversion
• C. Pedal point
• D. Augmentation

Answer: (A)

Stretto is the technique of overlapping entries of the subject in a fugue, where a new voice enters with the subject before the previous voice has finished, creating a tighter, more urgent texture. This is a signature move often heard in Bach’s fugues, used to push momentum forward and heighten dramatic tension as the themes intertwine rapidly.

Think of it as a race of statements: one voice presents the subject, and before it resolves, another voice slips in with the same subject, so the two lines overlap. This differs from a few related ideas. Inversion or mirror techniques transform the subject’s contour, but they’re about the melodic shape, not the timing of entrances. A pedal point stays anchored on a sustained bass while other voices move above it, which is about harmony support rather than overlapping subject entries. Augmentation lengthens the notes of the subject to slow the rhythm, not how closely the subject entries stack.

So the overlapping-entry effect that Bach uses to intensify the fugue is stretto.