Johann Sebastian Bach
Invention 13
in A Minor
The surprisingly rich texture of this Invention offers pianists an excellent opportunity to sharpen their interpretative skills.
Year: 1723
Period: Baroque
Piano score: PS Urtext 
Audiovisual Study Tool
Fugue in Miniature
The beautiful Invention in a minor is almost exclusively constructed from broken chords, creating a surprisingly rich musical texture considering the piece has only two voices. It is structured similarly to a fugue in miniature, alternating entries of its main subject with longer episodes used to modulate to new keys. Carefully chosen and practiced fingerings will be key to letting the hands navigate the broken chords that wind up and down the keyboard with independence and ease.
Musically, there are several approaches to character and articulation that could potentially suit the material, offering the pianist an excellent opportunity to sharpen their interpretative skills. For example, the minor key and musical motifs could imply an agitated, fiery character or a softer, graceful approach. The eighth notes can be played with a sharp staccato, a subtle portato, or even legato – or the articulation might even vary across the piece, with certain notes bound together, and others separated!
Background
The Inventions were originally written as "Praeambula" and "Fantasiae" in the Klavierbüchlein für Wilhelm Friedemann Bach, Johann Sebastian's eldest son, and later rewritten as musical exercises, designed to help students obtain a singing style of playing, but also to give them "a strong foretaste of composition". Both the two-part Inventions and the three-part Sinfonias are arranged in order of ascending key, each group covering fifteen major and minor keys.Forum posts about this piece:
Bach Invention 13 in A minor 784: help breaking chords and memorizing it by lorcar
Hi everyone, i wanted to write a much longer post around the frustration of an adult learner and the memory of a pianist, but i need more practical and quicker help. I picked up again the Invention 13 in A...
teaching students with neurologic dissabilities by kuska
Hey guys, first of all, I don't want you to give me any psychological advice, however my problem is somewhat connected (or not). I'd just appreciate general piano teaching insight.
Help on Invention 13 by leongws
hi guys first post here. I'm currently learning invention no.13 in a minor by bach, been learning + practicising about less than half of the piece for 8 days. its my first baroque piece, could you...
Polishing Invention 13 by pianocat3
I like this invention, and have worked on it about 20 minutes a day for over two months and it's still not polished. Am I just being a whining baby with unrealistic expectations and should keep polishing,...
Speed for Invention 13 by faa2010
Greetings, I am playing Invention 13 at maximum 70 bpm, but I think it is still slow. When I watch videos playing it, it is faster. However I saw in a book that there is a speed range for...
I didn't feel satisfied with my performance by faa2010
Yesterday, I was in a recital with other fellas of the same private school. Some play violin, bass, cello and some sang. I was hoping to play part of Mozart sonata g major k 283, the first part of...
Bach - Invention 13 by chadefa1
Dear all, I am now learning Bach's invention 13, but my left hand seems to suffer from what I believe is a wrong fingering. Take for example the first bar, left hand. The motif starts...
Fingerings, Invention 13 by Garrett_Smith
I'd like to get some fingerings, please. I'm working on invention 13 and I know I'm playing it wrong. I am frustrated because I want to play well, but I don't know how. I'll never get it right by...
Johann Sebastian Bach, one of the prominent composers active in the Baroque era, has written this piece titled Invention No. 13 in A Minor from Inventions. The composition is categorized as "Polyphonic, Piece" in Piano Street's sheet music library and the level of difficulty is 6.