Fifteen Two Part Inventions (Analysis)

For this piece, we had to analyse the counterpoint melodies in this piece. Again, I've doodled on the page, but I'm going to write in depth about it here. I'm going to do this is two bar sections, so it will be a bit more structured.

First Two Bars

In the first bar, the phrase (motif) I've labelled as 'A' (marked with phrase marks) is repeated in the bass clef, but two beats later and an octave lower. It's an exact imitation of 'A', apart from the octave shift. This happens again in bar two but with a different phrase, although the bass is playing it a 5th above. The rest is also shorter, as it's only 2 and a half 8th notes.

Second Two Bars

These two bars use another technique called 'Augmentation'. This is a form of imitation where the original melody rhythm is doubled in length (I.E. an 16th would become a 8th). You can notice from the phrase marks in the bass clef that the first four notes are the augmentation of the motif. It is also the Melodic Inversion, but the literal one. A literal inversion means is just follows the shape of the melody exactly with no restrictions of key. A non literal (diatonic) inversion is when it follows the key. Again, this is another form of imitation.

Third Two Bars

These two bars use the Melodic Inversion of the first motif, except the bass is up a third. Both also use extensions, where the melody has things added to it.

Fourth Two Bars

This is where it changes up a bit. The roles swap, so the bass takes the first melody and the treble takes the delayed ones. It's the same phrase as 'A'. In the second bar, the bass is up a fifth, then the treble goes from G to A, which is a tone.

Last Two Bars

The first of the last two bars use the same technique, where the bass takes the lead and the treble repeats the motif. This time, the treble motif if the Melodic Inversion. This happens in both bars, except the second treble bar there is a C# hinting at D minor.