Bach Invention No. 13 in A-minor BWV 784

In this companion video to my recent performance of Invention No. 13 in A-minor, BWV 784, by J.S. Bach, I'm sharing which notes I'm listening for most.
My process involves locating essential notes moving by step and then singing a lot as I practice. This is what works for me and maybe you will find it helpful, too! 😀
My recent performance of Invention No. 13: • Bach - Invention No. 1...
You'll find those Essential Finger Exercises (Dohnányi) I keep talking about over here:
www.sheetmusic...
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To find out more about me, please visit my website: www.pennyjohns...
To purchase my arrangement of J.S. Bach's 15 Two-Part Inventions, for inverted voices, please visit: www.sheetmusic...
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[@harmonmoss5355]

I'll be honest, I used to find Bach really boring. However, the more I watch your videos, the more he climbs his way up my list of favorite composers. I love videos like this where you dissect the piece and really explain it. You give really useful tips that I will for sure be implementing into my practice of Bach stuff. Have a good day and keep up the great work :)

[@pennyplaysbach]

Thank you SO much, Harmon!! ❤️I'll have to tuck this comment in my special little book. More videos coming up for sure!

[@teobaldoarriola3902]

Thank you so much Penny for this clever explanation about of one of my favorite Bach's piece. Greetings from Peru.

[@pennyplaysbach]

@@teobaldoarriola3902Thank you, Teobaldo! And my apologies for the delayed reply. KZbin doesn’t notify me of comments within other peoples comments. Glad I found yours and could acknowledge.😀

[@susandunlap3409]

One of my favorite KZbin Bach teachers

[@pennyplaysbach]

@@susandunlap3409 Thank you so much, Susan!!❤

[@laurencegray4720]

My mother was a music teacher who began teaching me how to play the piano when I was six years old. Johann Sebastian Bach was not one of her favorite composers although she did seem to worship his music and she had a complete set of both books of the Well Tempered Clavier in her collection. My mother's favorite composers were Chopin, Debussy, Grieg, Rachmaninoff, Liszt, Gershwin, Stravinsky, etc. When I took music theory in college, I did enjoy analyzing J.S. Bach's music because it helped me learn and realize what a talented and gifted composer he was. I have been playing music now for fifty something years and I still enjoy it. Yes I do have a piano in my house for me to play. When I was a teenager, I liked to aggravate and annoy my mother by playing some of the keyboard sonatas by J.S. Bach's contemporary Domenico Scarlatti. My mother did not think that either Scarlatti or G.F. Handel were as good or as talented as J.S. Bach. When my mother died, I inherited her music collection and I am keeping it in my house also next to the piano.

[@laurencegray4720]

Since all of the composers whom I mentioned are dead, maybe it would have been more correct to refer to them as "de-composers"? Also, I said "J.S. Bach" because he wasn't the only well-known composer from Germany with the surname of "Bach". I was trying to tell him apart from his relatives and his sons.

[@pennyplaysbach]

I think it’s very nice that you have your mother’s music books with you at home. You not only have wonderful music, but also memories. Thanks for sharing!

[@garyjohnson5513]

I Love this lesson maestro Penny !! ❤

[@pennyplaysbach]

Aw thank you! 🐝

[@mrsmokpiano]

Best invention in my opinion.

[@Rosbeef02]

That was amazing hehe thank you!

[@pennyplaysbach]

Thank you!🎹

[@lawrencetaylor4101]

I’m just starting out and I’m so glad many of my musician friends said to study Bach. My daughters say that I’m playing church music, but they ask for more of the same. I’m using the first six studies from Moulin de Ville, and transposing them into all keys. My teacher and my concert pianist friend are encouraging me to continue slowly and progress at my own pace. I didn’t start any music until 65 yoa, like my Mom. She bought a Baby Grand and played well into hers eighties. I just ordered Bach Inventions and Sinfonia and will amuse myself at learning them hands separately. And I’ll watch your tutorials.

[@pennyplaysbach]

Thank you, Lawrence! Absolutely, learning at a speed that is most comfortable to oneself is a perfect way to maintain progress and enjoyment at the piano. Happy practicing to you!🎹

[@doctorstrange2736]

Thank you Maestro Penny. Could you please do a similiar video for a fugue. Perhaps a live stream on how you practice a fugue.

[@pennyplaysbach]

Thank you! My practice methods for fugues are the same as for Inventions, Sinfonias, Preludes, etc. These include looking for patterns and sequences, extracting movement by step, isolating individual voices, working out finger substitutions and flutter pedal, exercising finger strength and wrist flexibility/rotation, singing voices, marking cadential points of arrival and, of course, reflection/study away from the piano. I have covered these topics in various videos but will certainly keep thinking of how to better explain what I do.

[@doctorstrange2736]

@@pennyplaysbach Thanks so much Maestro.

[@alxthegr8t]

This might be my favorite invention. I’d love to see a tutorial on the 2nd little prelude in C Minor (BWV 934). As a novice (for the most part), I’ve learned the notes but can’t figure out how to make it sound as beautiful and hypnotizing as Varavara Miagkova’s version. Would love your help to unlock this. Thanks!

[@pennyplaysbach]

Thank you, Kevin! I wasn't familiar with her performance and so just looked it up. It's quite a different rendition from my own, but isn't that the beauty of art, always more than one way to do something and each so unique! 🥰BWV 934 is a lovely little piece, which I've actually played and talked about in a video which I'll link here. It may not be what you're looking for, but perhaps it will be of some use. Happy practicing!🎹kzbin.info/www/bejne/gJKYo2uoodWrmqs

[@paulaspira2457]

Can you do a tutorial on La Paloma by Yradier. Having a hard time getting the tango fee. Love your Bach inventions analyses

[@pennyplaysbach]

@@paulaspira2457 Thank you, Paula! I’m afraid my channel is devoted mainly to the music of Bach, and so that is keeping me quite busy, and a Tango expert I am not, though I do enjoy listening from time to time to this genre.🎶

[@amacater]

You saying about a kaleidoscope - what do you think of the videos that draw out each note, each line as animations. Kimiko Ishizaka had a bunch with her Well Tempered Clavier I think Love the explanations, thank you Penny - from a non piano player.

[@pennyplaysbach]

Thank you, Andrew!☺I'm not familiar with that particular channel, though I have seen a number of such videos and I have to admit that I find them a rather damaging approach to listening. My teacher's husband used to remark that many people "listen with their eyes." I almost wish people would listen with their eyes closed. Deep listening is very difficult, and I just find those flashing lights and colours to be distracting. If anything, I'd much rather look at the performer. Just my two cents, though, as I know a lot of people like that type of thing!

[@bernarddoring3725]

Loved it. Wish you were my teacher! I like my teacher though

[@pennyplaysbach]

Thank you so much, Bernard! Having a good relationship with one's teacher is absolutely essential for developing artistry at the piano!🎹☺

[@rithmx]

thanks, have appreciated these videos as i've been learning the inventions. I'm through 8,9 and almost 13, what should be next?

[@pennyplaysbach]

Thank you! Gee, perhaps another of the Inventions, or depending on your level, perhaps one of the Sinfonias.

[@JuilletJoseph]

Thank

[@pennyplaysbach]

Thank you, Joseph!🎹

[@Artur_peretz]

Thank you 🖤🖤🖤please make more videos similar l have quesrion about movements of tecniche scales. Arpegios . Thank you l read book c.chuang is good??? Yo are the best maestro on bach miss penny thank you

[@pennyplaysbach]

Thank you! I'm not familiar with that book. I've never actually spent much time perusing books on how to play piano, as I was fortunate to have had excellent teachers from the beginning and also a good instrument which is essential. For me, it's about the sound and so, in some ways, studying great recordings is more instructive than reading a book. Certainly, the details of rotation and arm weight are not easily discerned from a recording and so books can be helpful. I'd be inclined to find books written by people whose playing I admire. Josef Lhevinne's book, Basic Principles in Pianoforte Playing has some good things in it and his playing was so dreamy!

[@doctorstrange2736]

Is there anyway I can get in touch with you Piano self taught? I am also teaching myself piano. Are you on Whatsapp?

[@Artur_peretz]

@@pennyplaysbach thank you . Your play inventions like the gods

[@pennyplaysbach]

Thank you!

[@pablobear4241]

@@Artur_peretz Lhevinne books, Hoffman book, and art of piano playing. Then there is some videos on Lhevinne teaching, general russian school technique videos.. That should be more than enough and you will just have to focus on the music. All that matters is the sound, technique is just a vehicle how we get there

[@RanBlakePiano]

Audio only fair ,you have important ideas to convey

[@pennyplaysbach]

Thank you, Ran. I've since invested in a better microphone, so hopefully things have improved.

[@RanBlakePiano]

@@pennyplaysbach great !