Sinfonias

Johann Sebastian Bach

BaroqueWell-known3/4~30 min
H4
Henle (estimated)
RCM 6ABRSM 7

About this piece

Bach's Three-Part Inventions, also known as Sinfonias, expand on the contrapuntal principles of the Two-Part Inventions by incorporating three voices. These pieces are cornerstones of contrapuntal study.

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Teacher notes

Achieving clarity and balance in three independent melodic lines is essential.

Technical focus

counterpointfinger-independencevoicinglayered-textureornamentation

Mood

preciseintellectualelegant

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Free sheet music on IMSLP

Frequently asked questions

How hard is Sinfonias by Johann Sebastian Bach?

Sinfonias is rated Henle level 4 of 9 — intermediate repertoire, roughly ABRSM grades 5–6. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 6.

What level do I need to play Sinfonias?

You should be comfortable at Henle level 4 — meaning you can already play level 3–4 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 Sinfonias?

A typical performance of Sinfonias lasts about 30 minutes.

Where can I get free sheet music for Sinfonias?

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