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Grand Dissection !:-) J.S.Bach's Invention No.1(2)

Now, I continue the "dissection :-)" of this great piece. I will analyze the second section (7-14), which can be divided into the following three subsections. ;

 1st subsection(7-10) corresponding the 1st subsection of the 1st section (1-2)
 2nd subsection(11-12) corresponding the 2nd subsection of the 1st section (3-4) 
 2nd subsection(13-14) corresponding the 3rd subsection of the 1st section (5-6)

You can guess that this section is reputation of the 1st section with changing left-hand and right-hand. But it is not interesting to repeat exactly. Indeed , this section is not only repeating. It has the role of "developing the 1st section". I will see the difference of this section from the 1st section.

How is the key changed ? It is changed from C-major to G-major in the 1st section. It is changed from G-major to A-minor in this section. Oh ? It is differ from the 1st section. If the reputation is completely same, it is from G-major to D-major. The 2nd section is not only simple reputation. It is "modified" in somewhere, and these "modification" supplies the different character to this section from the 1st section. ---------- In the following, I use sheet of music as image data. You may worry about it cannot be understand without using browser which can display images. But all of these can be downloaded. You can see all of these sheet of music using other image-display software and you will be able to understand the contents of this page. ----------

I will show the 1st subsection, comparing the corresponding subsection of the 1st.

[Invention 2-1 bar 1-2 (Note5.gif 1.33KB)]
[Invention 2-1 bar 7-10 (Note6.gif 3.43KB)]

In the first two bars, the changing is almost only the alternating each hands. The left hand in the bar 2 includes leap-motions of octave, but the right hand in the bar 8 does not. In the former case, it is needed to establish C-major key. So the dominant note (G) is emphasized with octave. But in the latter case, there are no need to establish G-major key, because it is beginning of "development".Bars 9 and 10 ( appointed with yellow ) are newly added in this section. This is using the same structure as bars 7-8 and based on the inverse of the figure (A).

These newly added bars and their neighbor have quite skillful structure. Before explaining it, I will show the next bars (11-12).

[Invention 2-1 bar.11-12 (Note7.gif 1.37KB)]

I expect that you understand that it is the alternation of left-hand and right-hand in the 2nd subsection in the 1st section. (See the second sheet music in the previous page.) The figures in left hand are the beginning of (A) which are augmented. The figures in the left hand are the inversion of (A). The key is changed from D-minor to A-minor. It is the same as the corresppnding subsection in the 1st section in their way of modulation, that is , modulation to dominant.

Now, we consider the "effect" of newly-added two bars (9-10). Their is modulation in these bars, from G-major to D-minor.It means that these two bars do not have the role to establish key and have the character of "bridge passage" like the 2nd subsection in the 1st section. See the following; it is the extraction of figures of (A) and its inversion from bars 7-11.

[Invention 2-1 bar.7-11 Sequence of (A) (Note8.gif 3.21KB)]

We can see the sequence of (A)s and thier inversions.

(Notice that the figure(A) of right hand in bar 8 should be started with note D if the 2nd section is complete imitation of the 1st section. Beginning with note A in bar 8 brings "rising line" from bar 7 to bar 11.)

Especially, there is a "rising-sequence" of inversion of figure (A) in bars 9,10 and 11. It links the 1st subsection with the 2nd strongly. The one of the role of "additional two bars" is to link these subsections strongly. Inversions of figure (A) in bars 9 and 10 predicts the 2nd subsection.

With comparing bars 1-4, we can describe the characteristic of bars 7-12 as the following.

Comparing the 2nd section described in this page with the 1st section described in the previous page, we can find that they are almost same in the structure of the arrangement of figures but their characters differs to each other. In the 2nd section, strong link between the 1st subsection and the 2nd subsection makes the character of "development" rather than "exposition and establishment of key". This difference comes from the addition of only two bars -- bars 8 and 9 ! It can be said to "magic" !

The 3rd subsection in the 2nd section is shown as the following.

[Invention 2-1 bar. 13-14 (Note9.gif 2.53KB]

The left hand is completely same as the corresponding bars (5-6) in the 1st section. But the right hand has different movement.

Unlike the corresponding bars in the 1st section, there are no thirteenth notes. But it can be said that "excite feeling" is greater in the 2nd section. Sixteenth notes are used continuously and there are high B-note. From bar 13 to 14, sixteenth notes are appeared in both hands at once. Sixteenth notes in both hands at once cannot be found any other region of this music. And note of B in bar 14 is the highest note up to here.

Now let us know the structure of the 2nd section.

This section looks the same structure to the 1st section. But you can see that the contrast of each subsection is weaken and the whole of this section has the character of "development".

Then we should go to the 3rd section. But please let me take a rest because I am not a "native" in English (X-P)...

** The sheet of music in this page are made with "MusicTime Deluxe for Windows 3.1 and 95" ((C) 1996 Passport Designs Inc.)

(1999.Sep.25)

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