Inventions and Sinfonias (Bach)

The Inventions and Sinfonias (1720; revised 1723) are 30 pieces of keyboard music (15 each in sinfonia and invention) composed by Johann Sebastian Bach. They are sometimes known as the Two and Three Part Inventions. Bach arranged the two groups of pieces in order of ascending key. Each group covers the eight major and seven minor keys. Bach wrote them as exercises and study pieces for his 12 year old son, Wilhelm Friedemann Bach. The 1720 versions are found in the boy's Little Keyboard Book of 1722. The invention and sinfonias are often used as preparation for two volumes of Bach's The Well-Tempered Clavier.Woodstra p. 51

Bach wrote in the preface to the printed edition of the Inventions and Sinfonias: "Honest method, by which the amateurs of the keyboard – especially, however, those desirous of learning – are shown a clear way not only (1) to learn to play cleanly in two parts, but also, after further progress, (2) to handle three obligate parts correctly and well; and along with this not only to obtain good inventions (ideas) but to develop the same well; above all, however, to achieve a cantabile style in playing and at the same time acquire a strong foretaste of composition."

 Media 
All of these sinfonias are played by Randolph Hokanson.
KeyInventionSinfoniaC major280px280pxNo. 1, BWV 787100px|noiconC minor280px280pxNo. 2, BWV 788100px|noiconD major280px280pxNo. 3, BWV 789100px|noiconD minor280px280pxNo. 4, BWV 790100px|noiconE-flat major280px280pxNo. 5, BWV 791100px|noiconE major280px280pxNo. 6, BWV 792100px|noiconE minor280px280pxNo. 7, BWV 793100px|noiconF major280px280pxNo. 8, BWV 794100px|noiconF minor280px280pxNo. 9, BWV 795100px|noiconG major280px280pxNo. 10, BWV 796100px|noiconG minor280px280pxNo. 11, BWV 797100px|noiconA major280px280pxNo. 12, BWV 798100px|noiconA minor280px280pxNo. 13, BWV 799100px|noiconB-flat major280px280pxNo. 14, BWV 800100px|noiconB minor280px280pxNo. 15, BWV 801100px|noicon To play the Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) files (Inventions), click their titles.For information on the MIDI files, click the speaker icon.11px|link=These are computer-generated representations of Bach's music, and do not convey how a human pianist would perform them.All Sinfonias played by Randolph Hokanson

 References 

 Woodstra, Chris (Ed.) and others. 2005. Blair Johnston in All music guide to classical music. All Media Guide. .

 Other websites 

 Mutopia's editions of Bach's Inventions and Sinfonias
 History and analysis of Bach's inventions 
 Bach – Inventions (20px|link=RealAudio 43:26 minutes) at BBC's Discovering Music: Listening Library
 Overview of Inventions from Tim Smith's Website 
 Graphical Motif Extraction of the Inventions and Sinfonias 

Category:Compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach
Category:1720s compositions