Bach’s threefold intention behind the Inventions and Sinfonias was: to help students play in two and three voices, to develop a cantabile style of playing and to spark interest in composition. In the manuscript, two-part works are each labeled Inventio and three-part works each as a Sinfonia. Quoting Bach himself in his introduction to these pieces: [1]This English translation is quoted in many sources, some as diverse as page 488 of The Collected Poems of Howard Nemerov, The University of Chicago Press
Forthright instruction, wherewith lovers of the clavier, especially those desirous of learning, are shown in a clear way not only 1) to learn to play two voices clearly, but also after further progress 2) to deal correctly and well with three obbligato parts, moreover at the same time to obtain not only good ideas, but also to carry them out well, but most of all to achieve a cantabile style of playing, and thereby to acquire a strong foretaste of composition.
Prepared by Joh. Seb. Bach, Capellmeister to his Serene Highness the Prince of Anhalt-Cothen. Anno Christi 1723.
The quote above is from Bach’s manuscript. In place of the word “ideas,” he actually uses the term inventiones. One obviously doesn’t want to lose that in translation! The Inventions were not published during Bach’s lifetime (the first publication was an 1801 J.N. Forkel edition), but there were a lot of manuscripts floating around before that publication.
The A-minor invention is BWV 784. The keyboard works section of the BWV actually begins with the Two-Part Inventions BWV 772-786, followed by the Sinfonias or Three-Part Inventions BWV 787-801. (Quick way to memorize a large bulk of BWV numbers!)
Before the thirteenth invention in A-minor appeared as we know it (1723), an earlier version was presented in the Clavierbüchlein vor Wilhelm Friedemann Bach of 1720.
Concerning editions, it is important to keep in mind that the manuscript consists solely of the notes themselves. No phrase markings, no dynamics, no articulation, no tempo marking… Other editions may make wonderful suggestions that bring to light important performance practice of the time. Others may make suggestions that are a bit unconventional (like Czerny’s recommendation of quarter note=126 for this invention). But it is important to remember that the original is a blank slate. Check out the original manuscript at the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin using this link here! If looking at the manuscript, note the right-hand clef!
Early editions, like the 1853 Leipzig Breitkopf und Härtel Bach Gesellschaft Ausgabe edited by Carl Ferdinand Becker identified as plate B.W. III (IMSLP link to volume three, pages 15-16 here) not only kept the manuscript clean without editorial markings, but even kept the label of “Inventio.” The only item not completely matching the manuscript are the two harmless fermatas in the last measure.
This composition was used to promote the Commodore 64 computer as you can hear around the 2:11, 3:30, 4:46 and 5:46 marks in this link.
Recommended Recordings:
- Glenn Gould: Lots of debate about tempo for this piece… This obviously marks the fast end of the spectrum. You owe it to yourself to listen through this link and laugh at some of the comments! Gould never fails to make one view a piece in a different light.
References
| ↑1 | This English translation is quoted in many sources, some as diverse as page 488 of The Collected Poems of Howard Nemerov, The University of Chicago Press |
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