Bach Cello Suites and Anna Magdalena Bach

[Bonn1827]

http://www.cdu.edu.au/research/profi...ile_jarvis.htm

This is a link to a site by an academic working in Australia, Martin Jarvis, who argues that Anna Magdalena Bach wrote the Cello Suites of JS Bach. The site lists the areas of interest of Jarvis. I've just had a conversation with a fellow (a former music academic) who belongs in the music group I go to, and he told me all about his controversial research. Now this might be known information to some of you, but it's entirely new to me. Apparently Martin Jarvis has written a book about his research on JS and Anna Magdalena Bach and the Cello Suites. It sounds far-fetched, but I thought it worth mentioning anyway. Perhaps this is old news for some of you who are specialists!!

[Peter]

Yes I believe this theory has been around a while (at least since 2002). Anna Magdalena is not known to have had much musical training but she is also known to have copied many of Bach's works. Not surprising (considering the amazing amount he produced and all his other commitments) that her help would have been much appreciated. I think it highly unlikely that they were written by her and even if she had written them I would think it nigh on impossible to prove.

[Quijote]

As a 'cellist I'm not going down this path without a detailed map (for there be dragons ...). Musicologists have to earn their living, you know, and need to publish! True or not, what do I care? OK, an interesting posit, but if Anna Magdalena did in fact write the 'cello suites, then praise the deity of your choice, I say! If she did, then she had a pretty profound knowledge of the 'cello's capabilities (especially suites 4-6). I suppose by the same logic she also wrote JS Bach's sonatas for viola da gamba? Did Martin Jarvis conduct a stylistic/forensic analysis of those?

[Chris]

Yes, this seems highly unlikely to me, and even if it somehow were true, it could never be proven unless the originals or other copies with new clues turned up. But she did at least have some musical training. She came from a musical family and was employed as a singer. Obviously that's not enough to establish that she could have written the cello suites, but she at least knew music.

[Quijote]

And whilst I have not studied the question at all, it does strike me that the solo 'cello parts in the Bach Cantatas bear a similar "imprint" or hand. As I said, this is just a quick off-the-cuff remark.

[Quijote]

Actually, this makes me think about Fanny Mendelssohn and Clara Schumann. Did their (respectively) brother/husbands ever publish something "not strictly" theirs, so to speak? Bonn raises an interesting point. Though as far as Beethoven is concerned, we may be sure all the ink he ever spilt was his. Or was it?

Here is one of my little sketches that helps illuminate this question :

Scene: Vienna, circa 1807, Beethoven's apartment.

The Players :
LvB : Himself
Frau Schnapps (B's housekeeper) : Herself.

Frau Schnapps : Hey, cloth ears ! Time for me to go to the market to buy food and stuff. Where's the money?
LvB : Vas?
Frau Schnapps : You heard, mischogonna !
LvB : Ok, ok, give me a break will you, old hag!
Frau Schnapps : Enough already of the excuses! You wanna eat or what?
LvB : Foul dog. Alright, here's the deal. Listen, I got this commission for some Triple Concerto or something. I got the slow movement already. It's good, I promise. Listen, you write the other two movements and we'll split the fee, OK?
Frau Schnapps : Crook, is what you are. It's a deal. Now give me an advance on the fee and we can eat tonight. Dig?
LvB : Jeez, women !!!!!

[Quijote]

So, in light of my sketch above, the Es muss sein mystery has finally been cleared up. Remember, you read it here first. Maynard Solomon, go eat your heart out!

[Sorrano]

Well expressed, Philip!

[Quijote]

Plenty more sketches I have (he says in a sort of Germanic way, with the verb at the end; rather like that little fellow Joda in Star Wars).
You guys keep posting, and I'll give you my "slant", so to speak.

[Zevy]

http://www.cdu.edu.au/research/profi...ile_jarvis.htm

This is a link to a site by an academic working in Australia, Martin Jarvis, who argues that Anna Magdalena Bach wrote the Cello Suites of JS Bach. The site lists the areas of interest of Jarvis. I've just had a conversation with a fellow (a former music academic) who belongs in the music group I go to, and he told me all about his controversial research. Now this might be known information to some of you, but it's entirely new to me. Apparently Martin Jarvis has written a book about his research on JS and Anna Magdalena Bach and the Cello Suites. It sounds far-fetched, but I thought it worth mentioning anyway. Perhaps this is old news for some of you who are specialists!!

IMHO it is far-fetched. The proof is in the Suite #5 (Cm) , which is originally a Lute suite by JS in the key of g minor. We have his autograph for that Suite.

Zevy