Three-Part Inventions

The term "invention" in music, while not strictly defined, has historically been applied to compositions of a novel or progressive character that don't fit established categories. Johann Sebastian Bach's Three-Part Inventions (c. 1720) are a well-known example, characterized by the contrapuntal elaboration of a single melodic idea. These pieces, along with his two-part inventions, are often considered pedagogical works, designed to develop a composer's skill in contrapuntal writing. Bach's approach to counterpoint in these works, while rooted in Renaissance melodic counterpoint, also extended beyond its conventions in its use of dissonance and harmony.12