JS Bach Invention No. 13 BWV 784 for guitar
The two-part invention in A minor, transposed into B minor in this arrangement for classical guitar.
Sheet music PDF.
Edition notes
Most guitar transcriptions of Invention No. 13 keep to the original key of A minor, which is a friendly key for the guitar. The upper voice falls in a reasonable range (sounding an octave lower on guitar), but the lower part needs many rearrangements and truncations, which then struggle to retain the shape of the repeated arpeggiated motifs. Since the lower part tends to get compressed in range, squashed between low E and the upper part, the result is also rather deep in the guitar tessitura, so it can sound muddy and gruff.
This transcription experiments with shifting up a whole tone into B minor. It seems to require fewer compromises in the lower voice, and allows the upper part to sing, particularly after the modulation to the relative major at bar 6, where D major sounds particularly bright and open on the guitar. However, there are probably more position changes in the left hand, with some rapid leaps to deal with.
I’m not sure about the outcome - in fact, I’m unconvinced that this is a suitable piece to attempt on guitar at all, other than as an interesting exercise. It doesn’t lie under the fingers particularly well - certainly I haven’t achieved any real fluency yet. I need to take it at a very steady pace, much slower than is usual for keyboard performance. A slow speed needn’t be ponderous though - the 8th notes can be played slightly detached, to keep the feeling light and fresh, with a focus on clarity. The arpeggios often allow for the first and third notes of a group of four to be held to ring on slightly longer, emphasising the harmony rather than the passing notes, and lending the piece a more guitaristic quality.
The awkward stretch for the G# at bar 10 could be avoided by simply omitting the note.
Links
Bach, JS BWV 784 autograph manuscript facsimile https://opac.rism.info/metaopac/search?View=rism&id=467300932&Language=en
IMSLP BWV 784 various editions https://imslp.org/wiki/Invention_in_A_minor%2C_BWV_784_(Bach%2C_Johann_Sebastian)
Bach Digital entry for BWV 784 https://www.bach-digital.de/receive/BachDigitalWork_work_00000915
Edition summary
| Title | Invention No. 13 |
| Composer | Johann Sebastian Bach |
| Work number | BWV 784 |
| Instrument | Guitar |
| Original key | A minor |
| Arranger | Jonty Dawson |
| Edition date | 2023-09-20 |
| Page count | 2 |
| Edition PDF | bach-js-bwv784-invention-13-guitar.pdf |