Group-journey threw J.S. Bach - Two and three part inventions!
This thread is a group-thread dedicated to J.S. Bach Two part inventions. The point is that we can discover them and go deeper into them together, and motivate each other in the prosess of learning and practicing them.
Who is this for? This is for everyone who wants to join!
What's the goal? You define your own goal, with how much you want to learn. But try to commit to learn 1, 2, 3, or how many you like. Share your goal with the rest of us!
Why learn two and three part inventions? In Bach's own words (of course translated to english) "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."
Some recording links on Spotify:
Glenn Gould
https://open.spotify.com/album/42SxOjm6223yaSs0vH9Um6?si=z91-IcooSq6o3vQ4ny5zyg
Jansen/Rysanov/Théeden https://open.spotify.com/album/2607OCLeDNFKNOO01OVd9P?si=uxSNmxM2Rle_SKYUpLLGyQ
András Schiff
https://open.spotify.com/album/7B6F306xdRIC0A1Rka5cbg?si=J6mliKjDTk2h2gw9p91Rog
Resources on Tonebase: Magdalena Stern-Baczewska Course: Intro to J. S. Bach’s Keyboard Music
Ben Laude Live session: Bach Invention No. 1: Analysis for Performers
https://app.tonebase.co/piano/live/player/bach-invention-1-ben-laude
For everyone joining: Please make a post of your personal goals threw this journey. Remember every goal is fine! I hope participants will share video-updates regularly, so we can follow each others progress!
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Here is my take on the C-minor invention. It is a beauty, and I think it does a good job with educating the mind with to keep track of two separate voices (I'm guessing that's the job of all the inventions...:)) I will keep playing it, and think of how I can get it more secure in my memory. Next up, D-minor!
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Natalie Peh Thank you, Natalie! :D
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Sindre Skarelven
I really like your tone and interpretation! Thank you!
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Hannahong Thank you so much! :)
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Here is my first post for Invention #4 in D Minor. Mostly memorized but still needed my crutch (sheet music) for recording. Definitely need more time to memorize/play solidly before recording again. I decided to try and play in the more slow/contemplative style of Simone Dinnerstein (thanks Andrea Buckland for sharing!). Great idea Sindre Skarelven to have this challenge. My practice has even got my son back at the piano playing inventions ( he learned these pieces as a little kid and hasn’t touched the piano in years but who can resist playing these lovely inventions). Will try to practice #13 or #14 next.
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Vidhya Bashyam Very beautiful, Vidhya! I like this tempo a lot! I was hoping for some different interpretations, that's one of the benefits of doing this together. I'm glad your son is back at the piano, he must have been pretty good having played these...
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Vidhya Bashyam beautiful, Vidhya! Well done!
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Vidhya Bashyam love it that you have articulated each voice well, and the tempo allows us to hear it!
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Sindre Skarelven Thanks Sindre. Much more work to do. What intrigues me most about Bach is wondering how Chopin and Rachmaninov, who respected Bach so much, might have played his works. I imagine there would have been various interpretations.
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Andrea Buckland Thanks Andrea!
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Natalie Peh Thanks Natalie!
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Vidhya Bashyam Beautiful, Vidhya, great job! Josep Colom, an extraordinary Spanish pianist, has made a imaginative (and wonderful) experiment to show the close relation between Chopin and Bach. Here can you see it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8y9fGtNhzCQ
I love it!
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Juan Carlos Olite Thanks! The performance by Josep Colom is great and a very interesting way to draw parallels. I always thought the connection would be with Chopin’s preludes. Interesting to see the connection even with a Nocturne. Thanks for sharing the link!
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Juan Carlos Olite
Thank you for posting that - very interesting. (Hard not to get discouraged listening to that kind of playing, though …)
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My first video, a bit late, for the Bach Group. Invention nº 1 in C major.
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Juan Carlos Olite Bravo, Juan Carlos! Excellent playing!
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Juan Carlos Olite absolutely beautiful!
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Juan Carlos Olite Bravo Juan Carlos! Beauty and simplicity!
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Juan Carlos Olite Fantastic playing! So delicate, with all the right nuances.
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Andrea Buckland Natalie Peh Vidhya Bashyam Sindre Skarelven Thank you so much! We are the Tonebase Bach Team
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Juan Carlos Olite I am such a fan of your playing - so profound, and naturally phrased. Well done as always!
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Jackie Thank you very much, Jackie! You are very kind.
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Here is my take on the D-minor invention!
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Sindre Skarelven Great playing! What’s next on the list?
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Vidhya Bashyam Thank you, Vidhya! I will be doing the F-major :)
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Sindre Skarelven That will be a nice change of pace for you from the two minor inventions. There is recent recording of this by Andras Schiff on YouTube that takes it to another level. Looking forward to hearing your interpretation.
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