The compositional economy of this first invention is astounding. Virtually every note of the whole piece is derived from the very short subject, by means of transposition, inversion (turning the subject upside down) or augmentation (lengthening the note values).
The most common version of this invention is the one with semiquavers throughout, but as can be seen in the autograph manuscript, Bach later presented a second version. By adding passing notes to the descending thirds on the second beat, he introduced a triplet motive into the subject.
The two-part inventions are an excellent introduction to contrapuntal music, i.e. music where two or more equally important voices imitate and converse with each other. A subject appears first in one voice and is then echoed in the other voice/voices.
Don’t be led to think that Bach’s inventions are only dry exercises in counterpoint. They were composed to develop the player’s cantabile, i. e. a singing style of playing, and are also very useful to develop one’s coordination, variety of touch and articulation. But above all they are masterful miniatures full of charm and feeling, exploring a wide range of musical expressions.
Practice & Performance Tips:
As you learn each invention, try to locate all the subjects, which might appear transposed.
Practice the inventions hands separately. Try to memorize each hand first, in order to develop independence and touch control. Strive for an even playing. You may want to practice each voice (or each hand) non-legato first. Double check that your fingers are always relaxed before and after playing each note. Practice slowly!
The subject in this invention has 8 notes (C-D-E-F-D-E-C-G) while the countersubject has 4 notes (C-B-C-D). Lift your hand slightly between the subject and the countersubject. In other words, try to leave some “air” in between the G and the C and do the same throughout the invention. The lifting will help the music breathe and add clarity to the invention.
Learn the whole invention without the ornaments first. When you are ready for the ornaments, make them consistent: the first ornament that appears in this invention is called a trill (m. 1, right hand). The B with the trill can be realized as C-B-C-B (therefore, start from the upper note). Measure 5 contains a mordent on C. Play it as C-B-C.
Bach uses sequences very often. If you consider the first sixteenth-note (semiquaver)... Sign up for a Gold membership to read the practice tips.
In the Bach C major 2 part invention, there are mordent signs (or are these trills according to Bach's time?) above the notes in the Henle edition. The sign is above a B, I have been playing that ornament as follows- B-C-B. In the Schirmer edition, that ornament is written out as B-A-B (Inverted Mordent?). I know ornamentation was not standardized in Bach's time, but what is the correct execution of that ornament? Also, is it better to do the 2 part inventions, then proceed to the 3 part and finally to the well-tempered clavier? Is this a logical way to go?
Hi. I have set myself out to learn the inventions. I got almost five of them going fairly well. My problem is that I have discovered that my edition differs from others concerning ornaments and fingering, so I need to find out what's corrcect. Are the versions found at http://www.sheetmusicarchive.net correct? In the edition I've got (wich by the way claims to be urtext), the ornaments in #1 are:
bar 1: B4 trillo bar 2: F5 trillo bar 5: C5 mordent bar 6: B4 trillo bar 8: F#4 trillo bar 13: D4 trillo bar 14: C5 trillo
The fingering differs to and there is one passage where I have a little problem to get it sound smooth, which clearly can be heard when using harpsichord sound. It's the left hand in bar 11. The indicated fingering is 3123 4231 2123 4234 and at beat 3 the thumb has to play Bb and then go to A. Should I change fingering or is it just a matter of more practice? The version found at the link above is good because the ornaments are written out. I usually guess if I should start the trillos on the upper key, but then I risk being busted by the Bachpolice .
When I first learned the phrasing in Invention no.1, I had to exaggerate. Now I need to tone it down, but I'm really unsure about how to do so. My teacher played for me, and in some parts I didn't hear the phrasing at all. But if I try to play like that, I end up not playing the phrasings. Help?
I am practicing the number 1 Invention (BWv772). This is my very first piece. I could not resist trying it.
My Yamaha P90 digital piano plays the first trill (in the first measure): b-a-b (This made me play all trills in the same manner).
Now I see in this forum (and elsewhere) that this trill should be played. c-b-c-b instead. Even if this i not as harmonic (?) as the mordent it makes the trill stand out better (?). (Still another alternative would be a "turn": c-b-a-b)
So I will try to change at least some of my misunderstood-mordents to trills. The first three is quite straight forward (at least I think so) and I have changed them.
Then to the fourth trill in measure 8. Trill on f#: g-f#-g-f#.
Before the trill I play the notes g-a-b-c-a-b-g with my fingers 1-2-3-4 (1=thumb) that is: g(1)-a(2)-b(3)-c(4)-a(2)-b(3)-g(1)
So shall I trill with fingers 1-2 : g(1)-f#(2)-g(1)-f#(2) (quite hard) or trill with fingers 3-2: g(3)-f#(2)-g(3)-f#(2) ( not so hard but do not fit with the other fingering so well) or change everyting to what ?
Does anyone have any idea which is the definitive edition of this piece?
I have one score which tells me to play at 120bpm, and has minimal ornamentation. I have another which tells me to play at 66bpm. And the recordings vary even more!
There is an excellent thread about these pieces, with posts from Bernhard and others. And this has been most helpful, but it didnt answer this question for me.
So who do you play this one? What would be a good tempo to play at?
Hi everybody. I'm Gian Franco, I play the piano since February, this year. Please, send me suggestions about any mistake that I probably do playing this piece. Thanks and bye. By the way, I play on a Clavinova CLP-170, couse I don't have access to an acoustic piano
I've been playing off and on for years. There are a number of pieces I have learned, on the order of "Anna Magdalena Notebook", Mozart minuets, etc. I started to learn the first Invention, but it seems like it's taking forever. I'm not having any problem with technique -- the hand independence problems were overcome the first week. I'd say it's more to do with keeping ironclad fingering, and losing my place. I haven't been able to practice a lot each day, maybe 30-45 minutes, but still, it's been more than a month, and I'm still a couple of weeks away, I'd say. Is this piece simply too hard for me? I hope not, because I like it more than anything I've played yet. Contrapuntal music is really fun!
I like to play the Inventions for two part and I play all of them. But yesterday, when I was in the forum, I saw some posts about Invention nr 1 where the mordent, at the first bar, was suposed to be played b-c-b. And the same at 2º bar (f-G-f). It happens that I learned this Invention with an old edition of Inventions, by Bruno Mugellini (<> year 1900!), where he says:"in the manuscripts we find a mordent, not a inverted mordent, but this is undoubtedlly an error of the writing". I dont kow what were his reasons to say this, but I allways have played b-a-b. Am I wrong? Must I play b-c-b? And why Mugellini wrote "undoubtelly an error". May you help me? Thanks. Rui
Bach two parts Invention nr 1, in C major, isnt the most beautiful of them but I like it very much because of its structure, with its motif variations and development: only in the first seven bars, we have at least 4 invertions and 3 retrogrades, but - this is amazing! - with a overlapping of them: one can ear what one wants. That`s why I like it so much. Now, I`m playing this Invention again trying to play it without any concern of bringing out anything in order that the listener may choose.(All this I learned in Bernhard posts and I dont know how to make him return...I dont say why, because it seems Bernhard doesnt like the word "why"...) But now I have a question I hope someone may help me: in 13ºbar (similar to 5º) there is a e right hand that overlapps the same e left hand: it`s the same key! And I dont know how to play it. For instinct, the first time I learned this Invention, I played a c, after the mordent. But if I do so, I change the structure, because it must be like in 5º bar. Help, please. And thanks (I must apologize for my English...) Rui
Well it finally happened my wife pushed me into posting something. So here goes . Two Bach inventions both very easy and yet i have worked my tail off on these. Three and 1/2 years of study and progress comes by inches and sweat. I wonder if I will ever to be able to really play anything before im 70. Leaves me 7 plus years.
Anyway there played on my brand spanking new Yamaha C7 in my brand spanking new custom studio on the back of my house and recorded on my brand spanking new $7000.00 dollar recording system. At least if my playing isnt very good, my piano and recording equipment are top notch. Well without further ado here is what 3 hours a day of constant practice can do for even someone like me.
I can play hands sepratley but i cant seem to connect them together, how do you play the first melody of the RH with the LH while the RH plays the Trill at the start of the piece. Plus how do you read the trills in the invention using only the fingering numbers?
i know this makes me sound like a real begginer but i really want to play this piece.
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Johann Sebastian Bach - Inventions :
Piano score: PS Urtext (527 kB) 
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