The library · Teaching books

Bach: the fifteen Two-Part Inventions, BWV 772–786

Fifteen short pieces in two voices that Bach wrote out in 1723 for his students, one hand imitating the other, in fifteen keys from C major up to B minor; the usual step after the Little Preludes, and the first counterpoint most pianists read.

The library has all 15, levels 3 to 5.

Pieces

15

Levels

3 to 5

Key signatures

4 flats to 4 sharps

Length

20 to 124 bars

In the book's order

Each with its number and level, and easier versions made from the score itself, so you can start below a piece's level and work up to it as written.

• Invention No. 1 in C, BWV 772
  no sharps or flats, 4/4, 22 bars
  No. 1 of 15; level 3
• Invention No. 2 in C minor, BWV 773
  3 flats, 4/4, 27 bars
  No. 2 of 15; level 4
• Invention No. 3 in D, BWV 774
  2 sharps, 3/8, 60 bars
  No. 3 of 15; level 4
• Invention No. 4 in D minor, BWV 775
  1 flat, 3/8, 52 bars
  No. 4 of 15; level 3
• Invention No. 5 in E flat, BWV 776
  3 flats, 4/4, 32 bars
  No. 5 of 15; level 4
• Invention No. 6 in E, BWV 777
  4 sharps, 3/8, 124 bars
  No. 6 of 15; level 4
• Invention No. 7 in E minor, BWV 778
  1 sharp, 4/4, 23 bars
  No. 7 of 15; level 4
• Invention No. 8 in F, BWV 779
  1 flat, 3/4, 34 bars
  No. 8 of 15; level 4
• Invention No. 9 in F minor, BWV 780
  4 flats, 3/4, 34 bars
  No. 9 of 15; level 5
• Invention No. 10 in G, BWV 781
  1 sharp, 9/8, 32 bars
  No. 10 of 15; level 4
• Invention No. 11 in G minor, BWV 782
  2 flats, 4/4, 23 bars
  No. 11 of 15; level 4
• Invention No. 12 in A, BWV 783
  3 sharps, 12/8, 21 bars
  No. 12 of 15; level 4
• Invention No. 13 in A minor, BWV 784
  no sharps or flats, 4/4, 25 bars
  No. 13 of 15; level 4
• Invention No. 14 in B flat, BWV 785
  2 flats, 4/4, 20 bars
  No. 14 of 15; level 4
• Invention No. 15 in B minor, BWV 786
  2 sharps, 4/4, 22 bars
  No. 15 of 15; level 4

An order to learn them in

The same pieces from the easiest, by the level fitted to each score; within a level, in the book's order. Teachers skip about in these books, and so can you.

1. Level 3 Invention No. 1 in C, BWV 772 · Invention No. 4 in D minor, BWV 775
2. Level 4 Invention No. 14 in B flat, BWV 785 · Invention No. 12 in A, BWV 783 · Invention No. 15 in B minor, BWV 786 · Invention No. 11 in G minor, BWV 782 · Invention No. 7 in E minor, BWV 778 · Invention No. 13 in A minor, BWV 784 · Invention No. 2 in C minor, BWV 773 · Invention No. 10 in G, BWV 781 · Invention No. 5 in E flat, BWV 776 · Invention No. 8 in F, BWV 779 · Invention No. 3 in D, BWV 774 · Invention No. 6 in E, BWV 777
3. Level 5 Invention No. 9 in F minor, BWV 780

Other teaching books

Every book five or more library pieces are from.

• Köhler's Very Easiest Exercise Pieces, Op. 190 24
• Beyer's Vorschule im Klavierspiel, Op. 101 14
• Gurlitt's The First Lessons, Op. 117 34 of 34
• Duvernoy's École primaire, Op. 176 16 of 25
• Mozart's first pieces, K. 1a–1f 6 of 6
• Streabbog's Twelve Melodious Studies, Op. 63 12 of 12
• Le Couppey's L'Alphabet, Op. 17 25 of 25
• Burgmüller's 25 Easy Studies, Op. 100 25 of 25
• Anna Magdalena Bach's Notebook (1725) 20 of 20
• Gretchaninov's Glass Beads, Op. 123 12 of 12
• Bartók's For Children (original edition) 20 of 42
• Gretchaninov's Children's Album, Op. 98 15 of 15
• Tchaikovsky's Album for the Young, Op. 39 24 of 24
• Lemoine's Études enfantines, Op. 37 29 of 50
• Clementi's Six Sonatinas, Op. 36 6 of 6
• Czerny's 160 Eight-Measure Exercises, Op. 821 19 of 160
• Czerny's School of Velocity, Op. 299 6 of 40
• Schumann's Album for the Young, Op. 68 21 of 43
• Grieg's Lyric Pieces 12 of 66
• Schirmer's Sonatina Album 11 of 30
• Bach's Two-Part Inventions 15 of 15
• Bach's Six Little Preludes, BWV 933–938 6 of 6
• Schumann's Kinderszenen, Op. 15 8 of 13
• Mendelssohn's Songs without Words 8 of 48
• Chopin's 24 Preludes, Op. 28 8 of 24