It usually consist of 3 sections : an exposition, a development and a recapitulation ( which contains the return of the subject in the tonic key of that fugue, though not all fugues have a recapitulation. )
Subject - This is the main theme of a fugue, which is the first melody heard in that piece.
Counter Subject - This is another different melody heard when the 'answer' enters.
Answer - Each subject that enters will be 'answered', which means the subject is repeated ( usually ) in the dominant key. There is two types of answers : tonal answer and real answer.
1. Real Answer - It is the transposition of the subject to the dominant key, without changing any notes of the subject.
2. Tonal Answer - It is the transposition of the subject, but it can have minor changes and looks like it is still in the home key(tonic).
Exposition - The whole exposition is completed when all voices of the fugue subject has entered, for example when the last voice is finished.
Middle Entries - This is a further entry of the subject. It must state the subject or answer at least once in its entirety, and may be heard in combination with the countersubject(s) from the exposition, new countersubjects or any of these in combination.
Episode - connecting passage based on previously heard subject, more entries of the subject in the related keys will be heard. Episode and entries are alternated until the final entry.
Final Entry - It is where the music returns to the opening theme in tonic key, and is often followed by coda.
Coda - It is the closing material of the piece, and when it ends, the whole piece is then ended.
Let's listen to a representative composition of fugue, composed by J.S.Bach :
Die Kunst der fuge (The Art of Fugue)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArpIePdK4Yc
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