J .S. Bach’s Invention 11 BWV 782 is a work exploring the scale of G minor. The chromatic element is strong and the resulting accidentals make this a challenging score to both read and store in the musical mind. The best advice is to play the G minor scale in both forms slowly until the sounds of each is familiar. The playback score in the arrangement for violin and cello has a tempo of 60 quarter note or crotchet beats to the minute. It is a movement that can be played both at slower and faster tempos than those suggested. The Inventions are concentrated demanding movements to play in an ensemble context but excellent for encouraging listening skills, good intonation and accurate playing. The movement is probably best learnt without the ornaments in place in the first instance. Legato playing is needed in a performance although there is scope to broaden the detail of how the notes are articulated. Any exaggerated playing does need to be avoided. The music editor has avoided ornaments occurring in both voices at the same time. Players may well do their own research as far as determining the ornaments to be played in a performance. The music editor’s suggestions are based on current performance practice. Ornaments are applied consistently although there is scope for players to make some additions particularly at important cadence points in movements where the option of more notes in the cadential trill can be explored. This is particularly the case in music played at relative slow tempi. In the video score the ornaments have been written out as they sound in the realisation to represent exactly what is being played. This is a useful particularly for those interpreting ornaments for the first time. Note that there are two versions of the video score to view on YouTube. Accompaniments are in place allowing string players to participate in ensemble activities as part of practice routines. The violin sounds on one side of the stereo channel and the cello on the other. The accompaniment tracks play back at 58, 60, 62, 64, 66 and 68 quarter note (crotchet) beats per minute. Accompaniment backing tracks are recorded with a dry acoustic to encourage accuracy in playing. There is one bar count in /click track at the beginning of the accompaniment tracks. One set of accompaniments has ornaments in place and the other doesn’t allowing players some flexibility. This invention provides an excellent opportunity for players to become familiar with the scale of G minor in both its harmonic and melodic minor forms. Instrumentalists should spend time listening to performances of the work by a range of musical instruments to understanding playing approaches. Players will possibly need to edit their scores with reminders about accidentals within the bar. The Bach Inventions are generally intermediate level movements when played on a keyboard instrument. Playing levels will perhaps need to be reviewed when different instrument combinations are involved. The principle behind J. S. Bach’s two part Inventions is to take a musical idea or motive and then process it following the rules of good contrapuntal writing using the compositional processes of the baroque and at the same time referencing the closely related keys in the journey. Inversion, repetition, sequence, transposition, rhythmic augmentation/diminution amongst processes are evident in Bach’s inventions as most other music of the baroque period. J. S. Bach composed 15 Inventions in a collection dating from 1723 intended to introduce keyboard players to composition techniques of the baroque. They are excellent pieces for developing a sound and secure keyboard technique. When played in an ensemble context there is not much other music that can better prepare players for this type of music activity. Those learning how to use music notation software and improve their listening skills will find this an excellent study to copy simply because of the many accidentals that require attention from the listening and notation point of view. Accurate notation will also suggest a musical ear is present!
