The Two-Part Invention No. 15 in B Minor, BWV 786, is the final work in J.S. Bach's celebrated collection of fifteen two-part inventions, composed around 1720. As the closing piece of the set, this invention serves as a fitting culmination, combining technical sophistication with profound musical expression in the remote and emotionally charged key of B minor.
The invention opens with a distinctive theme featuring wide intervals and expressive leaps that immediately establish a mood of gravity and introspection. Bach's contrapuntal writing reaches its most refined level in this piece, with the two voices engaging in an elaborate dialogue that exploits the full range of imitative techniques including augmentation, diminution, and stretto. The harmonic language is notably rich, with unexpected modulations that enhance the piece's emotional depth.
As the crowning achievement of the collection, BWV 786 synthesizes many of the technical and musical skills developed throughout the preceding fourteen inventions. It demands mastery of legato phrasing, precise fingerwork, sensitive dynamic shading, and the ability to project two independent musical lines simultaneously. This final invention stands as a testament to Bach's genius for creating music of extraordinary beauty and intellectual depth within the seemingly modest framework of two-part counterpoint.
Composed in
1720
Catalog
BWV 786
Source
Public Domain
