How To Teach Bach's Invention No.1

Today in our How To Teach Intermediate Piano Repertoire series we are looking at Bach’s first Invention in C Major. I prefer to use this one when introducing my students to the set, and it’s one of my favorite pieces to teach.

Recommended editions:

• Henle urtext edition of the Inventions and Sinfonias

• Alfred Masterworks edition of the Inventions only or the Inventions and Sinfonias (Palmer)

• Masterwork Classics, book 8 (Magrath)

Skills and Knowledge Required to play this Invention well:

• Accidentals last for long measures!

• Rhythm is not complex, but students need to know 16th-note patterns

• Articulation is not marked in urtext editions and should be decided as an expressive choice. More info on Baroque articulation can be found in this post.

• Basic Baroque trills and mordents

• Counterpoint means “discussion” between the hands

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