2 & 3 Part Inventions

J. S. Bach wrote these piano studies, Inventions and Sinfonias, between 1720 and 1723 to help instruct his son in the playing and handling of two- and three-part pieces. They are mostly short studies and have been given neither tempi nor dynamic marks. There are as many interpretations as there are pianists, as one can conclude by those recorded. Glenn Gould even rearranged the order, mixing the two and three parts alternately. Robbins, who selected a dozen of all the pieces for this work, choreographed 2 & 3 Part Inventions for the School of American Ballet’s annual Workshop Performance in 1994.

27 minutes