Invention in C “Intervention #16” for Piano

This composition was written at the suggestion of composer Jerry Grant as a study of Bach’s 15 Two-Part Inventions for keyboard. While written in the key of C Major, the piece quickly modulates (one of the characteristics of Bach’s compositional style) through G Major, D Major, and A minor, E minor, A Major, and F Major before ending on the initial key of C Major. The piece was originally written for piano but alternatives have been created for harpsichord as well as harp.

Bach’s inventions were studies in “fugal” contrapuntal techniques some in canonic style using alternating tonic and dominant. As with Bach’s first Invention (written in C Major), the current “invention” is written in C Major in canonic style. The term “Intervention” was used as the title of this piece in a rather tongue-in-cheek statement to note that I cannot begin to have the genius of Bach as well as to state that after writing 15 Inventions, Bach definitely needed an “Intervention”. A companion piece in the relative key of A minor has been entitled “Contravention #17” Op. 22.

The Invention in C was written from 03 July 2012 through 02 November 2012.

The current piece was performed through Digital Performer (version 9.2) employing a Flemish Ruckers instrument sound set from Pianoteq.