Bach - Invention No 8

[ranjit]

I've been playing this piece for a few weeks now, and my teacher keeps saying it isn't good enough. I would like to get Bach inventions really solid once and for all, and it's rather frustrating when it doesn't work out especially since I have failed to get to that point in past attempts.

I would really appreciate any feedback! Thanks.

[dinoimeri]

I've been playing this piece for a few weeks now, and my teacher keeps saying it isn't good enough. I would like to get Bach inventions really solid once and for all, and it's rather frustrating when it doesn't work out especially since I have failed to get to that point in past attempts.

I would really appreciate any feedback! Thanks.

Hello, ranjit.

Nice work - it sounds very natural and musical. Very often we tend to hear Bach's music performed so mechanically which is clearly not the case here.

It sounds a little bit uneven at times, the hands are not together and the tempo is not stable at all times. But, it's not a thing to worry about - you need to find a more precise sound.

There's one visual aid that somethings helps me with similar problems:
- open up the piano so you can see the strings and hammers if you're practicing on an upright piano (if you play on a grand piano you can see the strings and hammers right beneath the music stand)

- try to notice the moment when the hammer strikes the strings. What's it like? Do you see that it's very quick? No matter how long you press the key, the strike never changes the speed.

- exactly this speed is how short your sound should be. In other words, you are holding the keys more than you really need. You want a short sound for this Invention - just look at the hammer and try to replicate that in the sound.

If you play with a short sound, then there are less chances of the notes not being together because there is no extra sound left. Both hands will play equally short and as a reference point you have the speed of the strike of the hammer on the strings.

I hope that helps, best regards
Dino