In the original title to these works, the composer called them âA faithful guide, whereby admirers of the harpsichord are shown a plain method of learning not only to play clean in two Parts, but likewise in further Progress to manage three obbligato Parts well and correctly, and at the same time not merely how to get good Inventions, but also how to develop the same well; but above all, to obtain a cantabile style of playing, and together with this to get a strong foretaste of composition."
Bach used them in his teaching as a first step on the way to playing more complex contrapuntal works, such as the Well-Tempered Clavier.
Both the two-part Inventions and the three-part Sinfonias are arranged in order of ascending key, each group covering fifteen major and minor keys.
