Bach Invention 6

I love the word “invention” — it may capture what’s going on in the pieces of music it names better than any title I know of. What’s this? It’s just an idea, a creative spark. Bach has fun, and he’s sharing.

Just an idea: one scale coming up, one going down, alternating steps. And from that idea, a little world unfolds.

Johann Sebastian Bach

Invention No 6

Paul Cantrell, piano

Download

(3:30 / 4.5 M)

Comments
(Please add your own!)

2004–12–18

Makes me think of a conversation we once had about the problem of dynamic levels in Bach, given the historical dynamic capabilities (or lack thereof) of the instruments he wrote for etc.

Is it known what the Inventions were written for? Clavichord?

2004–12–18

Yes, these were probably written for the clavichord, which did have dynamics, ranging from soft to extremely soft. I believe that we even have some record of Bach commenting on his writing the inventions to teach students to play expressively, with dynamics, though I may be making that up.

Regardless of what they were written for, we can be pretty sure it was nothing like the piano in my living room. My take on this is that it's the musician's job to make music that is engaging and effective, and historical accuracy is only one possible road to take. Especially with Bach, whose music is so abstract, it seems best to me to really own the piece and make it flourish on the instrument you're playing, rather than to make every interpretation a historical reconstruction. So you'll even catch me using some pedal in this recording! (Oh, horror! Don't tell the Bach Police!)

2005–2–21

Hahahahaha!!!You have a sense of humor...awsome. Well I'm smart but I don't understand a word you two are...or were talking about...uh...I am listening to this peice right now and I'm about to fall asleep because this music is superb. I know it sounds completely idiotic that I would fall asleep to such a beautiful song, but its a great piano solo so...yeah I'm going to fall asleep or go into a daze eventually. (YAY BACH.....GENIUS!)

2005–9–21

ahaha who the hell is bach? only joking, i know bach, i love bach, hes the gardener at my school. i dono about genius but he can sure trim the hedges!!!ROCK ON!

2005–11–13

Bach is the King !!! Bach is all !!
Johann Sebastian Bach forever!!!!

2005–11–23

Of course Bach is a genius. He is not only a great composer, but there is something about his music, not the enjoyability of it, but something else that enchants me so much. I think it's the fact that Bach had mastered composing so well that he could express his thoughts in music. We're not listening to "Oh, that sounds good so I'll compose it" music. We're listening to "This is my brain on clavichord" music.

2006–8–15

Bach 'n' roll, baby!

2006–8–15

I like the pedal addition. It adds a great contrast to the staccato. I used to be one of the Bach police until I heard this recording and started experimenting with it on my own. I wonder what Bach would do if he came back to life and played on a modern piano... he'd probably write another WTC book as a tribute to the damper pedal.

2006–12–4

Nicely done. I love this one in particular. It's like we're listening to some kind of perfect machine.