15 Two-Part Inventions

SKU: PR.110418390

ISBN 9781491134603. UPC: 680160685158.

Eric Ewazen’s THREE INVENTIONS were inspired by Bach’s Two-part Inventions, yet they sound thoroughly like Ewazen. Composed for harpsichord (with a piano adaptation following later), Ewazen’s inventions maintain a pure “one note per hand” texture until their final chord, with strong-but-free imitative counterpoint between the two voices. While Ewazen may be best known for his wind music, he is a pianist himself, and composers’ works for their own instrument are a direct insight into how they write for their own performances. The piano adaptation of THREE INVENTIONS is also available as a separate publication.
THREE INVENTIONS was written for my dear friend Maria Rojas, who premiered the work on a faculty recital at Juilliard. Maria is both a pianist and a harpsichordist, and I first met her when she gave a demonstration of the harpsichord for the students in my theory classes.I’ve always been captivated by Bach’s series of Two-Part and Three-Part Inventions. With the Two-Part Inventions, I’m amazed how Bach could create such wonderful intricacy and counterpoint with only two voices. I consequently modeled my inventions after the counterpoint of Bach, involving the traditional contrapuntal devices he used: imitation, development, harmonic and modal shifts, fragmentation, and sequence, essentially creating a dialog between two completely equal voices conversing with each other!Bach wrote 15 Two-Part Inventions (as well as 15 Three-Part Inventions, not to mention the 48 preludes and fugues in The Well-Tempered Clavier!), and that’s just the start of his voluminous repertoire for the keyboard! I was happy just to write three!!!Each of my inventions has a distinctive mood. The first is in a relaxed, yet cheerful C Major tonality (as a nod to Bach’s Invention No. 1 in C Major); the second is heartfelt and lyrical; and the third invention (involving a Gigue rhythm in the compound meter of 12/8) is energetic, and full of life and spontaneity. The third is primarily in a minor tonality, resulting in a feeling of drama, bringing the THREE INVENTIONS to an exciting finale.

SKU: CY.CC3155

ISBN 9790530111239. 8.5 x 11 in inches.

The J. S. Bach School for Trombone, expertly arranged and beautifully recorded by Mike Hall, features Bach's 15 two-part Inventions (BWV 772-786) and the 15 three-part Sinfonias (BWV 787-801) as playable duets and trios AND most importantly as play-along chamber music on alto, tenor and bass trombone. In short, a performer may choose any of Mike Hall's 150 superbly recorded tracks as accompaniments to play-along with. Similar to the famous Music Minus One recordings from decades past. What is included in this fantastic project? * 71 pages of the complete Two-part Inventions and Three-part Inventions in score format. * Mike Hall's Introduction and commentary on each of the above 30 pieces of music, including detailed instruction on how to best perform baroque ornaments on each instrument. * 150 tracks (in high quality lossless WAV format) of Mike Hall's great performing on alto, tenor and bass trombone of every possible combination of each of the 30 pieces to Play-along with on either alto, tenor or bass trombone. Each play-along track comes with a click to keep you on track.

SKU: IM.3768

Ferdinand DavidaEUR(tm)s classic arrangement of the Two-Part Inventions has been newly edited by acclaimed
violinist and Baroque specialist Nanae Iwata. Includes generous, scholarly annotations on ornamentation.

SKU: HL.49019158

ISBN 9790220133206. 8.25x11.75x0.222 inches.

Written in 2010 for the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Wigglesworth's nine-minute work explores the idea of perpetuum mobile (continuous movement) in seven connected, miniature inventions. A regular pulse forms the work's core, with elaborations of the central musical idea shifting constantly around it in jagged rhythms and sumptuous orchestration. The composer writes, The seven sections can very briefly be described thus: 1) an active, miniature 'theme and variations'; 2) the juxtaposition of various fragmentary two-part inventions; 3) a tremolo string ostinato with woodwind interjections, building towards the first climax; 4) an ostinato passing between horns and muted trumpets together with a dialogue for high woodwind and low strings; 5) a very slow canon for string harmonics and pizzicato double basses; 6) a fast, one-part invention beginning with solo piccolo, and gradually leading to the second climax; 7) chorale.This is a lively orchestral miniature which gives the impression of a kaleidoscope, with short musical ideas cutting across each other in quick succession.