Inventions

Johann Sebastian Bach

BaroqueWell-knowninvention2/4~20 min
H3
Henle (estimated)
RCM 5ABRSM 6

About this piece

Bach's Two-Part Inventions are didactic pieces designed to develop keyboard technique and contrapuntal understanding. They are distinguished by their clear melodic lines and intricate interplay between two voices.

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Teacher notes

Developing independence between the hands and a clear contrapuntal line is the primary challenge.

Technical focus

counterpointfinger-independencevoicinglayered-texturearticulation

Mood

preciseintellectualplayful

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Free sheet music on IMSLP

Frequently asked questions

How hard is Inventions by Johann Sebastian Bach?

Inventions is rated Henle level 3 of 9 — late beginner repertoire, roughly ABRSM grades 4–5. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 5.

What level do I need to play Inventions?

You should be comfortable at Henle level 3 — meaning you can already play level 2–3 pieces cleanly. Learning it one level early is possible as a stretch piece, but more than that usually leads to months of frustration.

How long is Inventions?

A typical performance of Inventions lasts about 20 minutes.

Where can I get free sheet music for Inventions?

Inventions is available as free public-domain sheet music on IMSLP — the score is linked directly from this page.