The Ed Sheeran Fugue is just what counterpoint needs in 2017

20 November 2017, 20:22

One of the biggest pop songs of the year, given a thoroughly contrapuntal makeover.

I'm in love with the shape of... *fugue*

Here's an expert contrapuntal rendering of Ed Sheeran's 2017 hit. Composer Giovanni Dettori has furnished us with many brilliant fugues based on No.1 songs and popular themes in the past. Here he gives Sheeran's infectious and hugely popular motifs the full treatment in a three-part fugue, very much in the style of JS Bach.  

If you fancy learning this to impress your friends, you can find the sheet music here.

It's interesting to note that composers from the Renaissance, Baroque and Classical era composed fugues, motets and variations on folk and song melodies - these would have been the pop music of the time, and not at all far away from what Giovanni offers us today. For more, subscribe to Art of Counterpoint on YouTube.