Two Part Invention No.1

I have been taking composition lessons and one of the more recent things we just talked about was using counterpoint for writing a two part invention. I wrote this as a first attempt at writing a two part invention so it is not too long and is probably mostly a learning tool. I am placing this in the piano section although it could be performed by any two instruments.

Very nice indeed! Although the same key was just starting to get tiresome towards the end, the length of the piece is so perfect that it's OK )) I liked the themes a lot, something folkish imo. Keep posting

Very nice indeed! Although the same key was just starting to get tiresome towards the end, the length of the piece is so perfect that it's OK )) I liked the themes a lot, something folkish imo. Keep posting

Nice! I agree with LordNem. These legatos and syncopes gives to the piece a very nice "baroquish-folkloresque" feel.

This piece is concibed as a keyboard excersice o as a proper work? Because I think if this is a piece (and no excercises like the Bach inventions) you can develop more. :happy:

Keep on work!

I liked it a lot! I will proceed to critique from a purely classical (well fine, baroque), Bach invention-head, since that's almost certainly what is expected of you in your composition class.. so nevermind if that was not your intention..

-The mode you used (Aeolian I think) is totally alien to this music, and sharpen your leading note please!

-Best to avoid beginning with a leap (esp. that of a perfect 4th.. created ambiguous tonality)

-Also best to avoid beginning with semiquavers

- After the first statement of the motive, you proceed to augment it straight away, rather than developing a contrasting counter-motive. Also augmentation of the motive is way over-used. Poor idea.

-At the point where you augment your theme later on,(b.17) it completely loses all its momentum, you can compensate for slower note values in one voice with the other quite easily. Peters out at the end leaving you kind of cold. Didnt like that.

-Random dissonances are all over the shop (Eg b.16 A struck against G) This is ok if there,s a reason why its there (eg. suspension) but these are seemingly inexplicable.

-Reduce the reliance on quartal harmony (4ths) They sound bad to a baroque person, especially with nothing underneath.

-No cadences at all as far as I can see.. This is upsetting particularly at the very end, Ic-V-I is what we want!

-Bar 4, you melodic ideas are confusing, cos you begin your motive transposed up a third, but end it in the same key as the original statement. Odd.

-General lack of direction, its kind of unclear where you're going and what you're trying to achieve harmonically. Probably due to all your modality. Also modulation is entirely absent. Take it on a journey rather than letting it stagnate in the same key all the time.

Hope that wasn't too harsh, there is a lot of baggage when you go to write stuff like this, its why Bach was the genius he was. Hope that helps somewhat.

On top of all that critique, im glad you at least liked it :lol:

Im not too sure what to say about your critique besids that I know there is a lot I am still learning. I knew this when I created it and posted it but that is why I wrote it, to learn. As far as the mode, my initial intention was for it to be in G minor. (which is technically the same as the Aeolian mode). As far as the end, im not quite sure what you mean by "leaving you cold". also, the last two measures contain notes that would fit into a I-V-I progression. (However it would be a I 6/4 - V 6 - I). As far as the dissonances, I created this probably a little too quickly and overlooked some of them but wouldnt that end up in them just being harmonized as the 7th of a seven chord then?

(I hope this isnt a dumb question there is still just much for me to learn about inventions).

Thank you very much for you input and I will be sure to keep all of what you said in mind when I work on another invention. I sent this one to my composition profesor however my semester is over so everything has to be done through email until next semester starts.