Two-Part Inventions: No. 4 in D Minor (BWV 775)

  1. Martin Jonas
    Martin Jonas
    Looking through my wife's old piano music the other day, I came across the G. Henle Urtext edition of Bach's Two-Part Inventions and leafing through them I thought that some of these look like they make nice mandolin duets. Skipping for now those in awkward keys or those where the bass part changes clef repeatedly (somewhat challenging for my sight-reading skills), the first one that looked promising was Inventio No. 4 in D Minor (BWV 775).

    As one would expect for one of the principal student pieces for piano, there are loads of piano recordings on Youtube and elsewhere, usually played very fast indeed. Rather fewer adaptations for other instruments. In the absence of an original tempo marking, I picked what sounded to me right, and was somewhat reassured when I found that at least some accomplished pianists choose to play it at about that speed.

    Played directly from the piano score, on Baroq-ulele (taking the treble part) and resonator tenor guitar (taking the bass part). I've tried to play all of the ornaments indicated by Bach, at least in rudimentary form:

    "Baroq-ulele" nylgut-strung ukulele (in GDAE)
    Garry Probert resonator tenor guitar (in FCGD)

    [MP3=1]http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=111309&d=1387476108[/MP3]

    On Youtube, with Bach's manuscript of Inventio 4:



    I'm now working on No. 10 -- a really pretty melody in 9/8, but I haven't quite figured out the bass part yet...

    Martin
    (Also posted in the Classical forum)
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