A fugue is a complex musical piece where a main melody is introduced by one voice or instrument and then repeated and developed by others in turn. In psychology, a fugue can also mean a rare state where a person suddenly travels away and forgets their past.
“Fugue” comes from Italian “fuga,” from Latin “fuga,” meaning “flight,” related to “fugere,” to flee. In music, it suggests one musical line “chasing” another.
In a musical fugue, it’s as if the melody is playing tag with itself, running from one instrument to another. The psychological meaning keeps that idea of escape—but this time, it’s memory and identity that take flight.
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