Trills in Bach Inventions No 4 in D minor and No 7 in E minor

[shaunarundell]

I have come back to these inventions as I want to improve my long trills and both these rather famous inventions have a number of multi-bar trills in both the treble and bass.

I am using the Alfred edition, as it has quite a deal of pedagogical material around ornaments including suggested renditions of these trills in question.

The edition suggests a trill with 2 or 4 to the quaver (8th note) for No. 4 and 3 (accented as triplets)to the quaver for No 7.

I can't see any particular reason for the differencing suggestions in the time signatures, style, motif, etc in each of the pieces. The only thing I can think of is that the editors might see the trill in No.7 requiring a more rapid flow ?.

Enlighten my confusion.

shaun.

[becky8898]

Hi Shaun. maybe this question might get a better response over on the student board.

Cheers, Becky

[horizontal]

I can't see any particular reason for the differencing suggestions in the time signatures, style, motif, etc in each of the pieces. The only thing I can think of is that the editors might see the trill in No.7 requiring a more rapid flow ?.

Enlighten my confusion.

You can't see any particular reason for the difference because there is none. These designations are purely the opinion of the editor in question, and not indicative of some sort of particular way that the inventions "have" to be played.

If you listen to recordings you will hear any number of different ways of playing the inventions, depending on the particular performer. Just use your ear and do what you personally like the sound of.

[brogers70]

I don't have the music in front of me, but sometimes a measured trill can produce parallel fourths or fifths with another moving voice. In that case, the editor may have chosen triplets vs 64ths to avoid such a parallel fourth or fifth.