Conclusion

Both Dueling Banjos and Invention No. 8 are connected through their use of polyphony and homorhythm. While Smith uses polyphony in Dueling Banjos to outline the battle between two instruments and Bach uses polyphony in Invention No. 8 as a means to challenge piano students, both pieces develop polyphonic textures through imitation and sequences. Smith uses homorhythm to bring two melodic lines together while homorhythm in Invention No. 8 is a result of sequencing and imitation throughout the piece. However, both pieces are alike in their use of homorhythm to emphasize certain motifs. While differences exist in the pieces, such as instrumentation, genre, and notation, the two connecting links, polyphonic and homorhythmic textures, show the similarities between the genres of blue-grass and classical music.