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I am currently practicing a Bach Invention (BMW 792). There is a bar I'm not quite sure how to play/finger. I've attached a screenshot of the bar I'm having trouble with. Would very much appreciate any assistance.

(4 sharps)

enter image description here

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    It would help, if you could add a screenshot of that bar in question plus the surrounding ones directly to the question. A lunk-only question is problematic, because firstly, not everyone likes to follow links, so you reduce the number if potential answerers and secondly, the link might get invalid in some future, which would leave your question useless for anyone.
    – Arsak
    Nov 17, 2019 at 15:46
  • What exactly is unclear about the indications shown in the sheet you have linked?
    – mkrieger1
    Nov 17, 2019 at 21:31

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I think the position of the fingering above and below the notes on the middle part is meant to indicate which hand plays the notes.

The right hand G# F# 2 1 is fine (I don't know why another answer says it is "wrong!") if the following E F# E is the left hand 2 1 2 and then back to the right hand for the G# 2.

However this logic about what the fingering means is not consistently applied everywhere - e.g. by the same logic, the D# in page 2 bar 3 should be the right hand, but then the 1 on the right hand A doesn't make sense.

If you want an edition with more explicit directions about which hand plays what, you might like the old Czerny edition from IMSLP here reprinted by BF Wood, Boston. Of course there is more than one "right way" to finger these pieces.

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  • If you don't know why I say it is wrong I can post you a copy of my Henles edition :) Btw. s. my comment to Rosie F.
    – Albrecht Hügli
    Nov 17, 2019 at 18:37
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I first thought the lower fingerings are meant for the left hand. But it seems to be a typo (2 for G# is wrong!): You can play the G# with 3 (not 2) of the right hand and it will fit. (G#=3, F#=2, E=1)

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    Yes, if your right hand is big enough that you can play G#4 with 3 while holding E5 with 5. To return to the printed fingering, the numbers above the notes are for the right hand; the 2 above the G#4 is for the right index finger; and the 1 above the F#4 is for the right thumb (thumb on a black key, awkward, I know). But the 2 below the E4 is for the left index finger.
    – Rosie F
    Nov 17, 2019 at 17:06
  • i see that the 2 below must be for the left hand, but alternatively the left hand could also play keep the high E and the right hand would be free.
    – Albrecht Hügli
    Nov 17, 2019 at 18:33
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Try RH: 5&3, 2, 1, 3(over), 2, 1, 2. 1, 3 | 1 (under) ...

Exerpt of BMW 792 with fingering added

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  • This is similar to the Henle edition I've bought 60 years ago. I was 12 years old and my fingers weren't so long but I manage it to play it this ... and if not: never mind! If we consider that it was written for harpsichord the high E won't have been heard 3 or almost 4 beats.
    – Albrecht Hügli
    Nov 17, 2019 at 23:16

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