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There's no doubt about it.
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It is the most superior form of music.
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Love it or hate it.
4
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When you get to the sheer meat and bones
5
00:00:21,920 --> 00:00:26,309
of what classical music is
about, it's everything and more.
6
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It pulls at every emotion you
could ever bring to the table.
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It transcends everything.
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All the music for which Bach is famous
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comes after he's met Anna Magdalena.
10
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Either she was his inspiration
or she was involved.
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To have found traces of
her writing in documents
12
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where it shouldn't be was very exciting.
13
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Of course,
Anna Magdalena was a composer.
14
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I think the forensics are fantastic.
15
00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:04,539
Martin has definitely succeeded
16
00:01:04,540 --> 00:01:07,949
in putting Anna Magdalena Bach
at the scene of the crime.
17
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I've not seen anything
that would diminish
18
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or detract from his findings.
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This opens the gates to a new look
20
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at the whole history of music.
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They wanted to expunge Anna Magdalena
22
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from the history books.
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The genius of
Bach is not in doubt.
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He wrote an extraordinary amount of music,
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and some of his pieces have
been attributed to others.
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But was his wife, Anna Magdalena,
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not only his copyist, but a composer?
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Using modern forensics, this film looks
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into new and controversial concepts:
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the reality of his working environment
31
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and even the authenticity of manuscripts
32
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autographed Johann Sebastian Bach.
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Distinguished musician
34
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and forensic anthro-musicologist,
Professor Martin Jarvis,
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has spent 25 years
investigating his theory
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that Anna Magdalena could
have been a composer.
37
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But even though I write
music for a living,
38
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I found this hard to accept.
39
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Nevertheless, I was intrigued.
40
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But surely not the Cello Suites?
41
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Martin told me he'd found
17 musicological reasons
42
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why they were not by Bach.
43
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My key motivation was really to try
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to come to understand the music.
45
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And it was impossible
to understand the music
46
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when I thought it was by
Johann Sebastian Bach.
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And, of course, the more things
48
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that were thrown up in my way,
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the more hurdles I had to climb,
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the more I was challenged and the more,
51
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intellectually, I wanted
to find a solution.
52
00:03:07,320 --> 00:03:08,899
One vital challenge was
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00:03:08,900 --> 00:03:11,909
the actual calligraphy of music notation.
54
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Normal handwriting has
specific characteristics.
55
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But, does music calligraphy?
56
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Martin discovered the answer in
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a paper published in the USA in 1980
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by Forensic Document
Examiner, Jack R. Calvert.
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No doubt about it.
60
00:03:29,250 --> 00:03:32,449
Habits are there and they're established.
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And once they're
established people writing
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with a quill, or with a pen,
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00:03:36,760 --> 00:03:40,029
will write music
calligraphy in the same way.
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You should be able to look
at one manuscript and say,
65
00:03:42,470 --> 00:03:45,529
that's written by him or her, or whatever.
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Once somebody learnt how to drive a quill
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they wrote almost exactly the same
68
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as they do with a normal pen.
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The only difference being that, of course,
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a quill has to be re-inked a lot
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00:03:57,500 --> 00:04:00,729
which means there are far more pen lifts
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as the person has to re-dip the ink.
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Anna Magdalena's role
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has always been considered as a copyist.
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So can we tell whether she is composing,
76
00:04:11,120 --> 00:04:14,819
copying from her own drafts
or from her husband's?
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00:04:14,820 --> 00:04:18,569
The curious thing about Anna
Magdalena's supposed copies
78
00:04:18,570 --> 00:04:22,209
is that they don't exhibit
the kind of slowness
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00:04:22,210 --> 00:04:24,669
and heaviness that you
would normally attribute
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00:04:24,670 --> 00:04:26,639
with somebody who's trying to copy.
81
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All of them look as if that has flowed
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from somebody's brain
directly to the paper.
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00:04:34,500 --> 00:04:36,789
So what Martin's
claiming is that Anna
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is making fair copies, but
she's also making changes.
85
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That she's copying her own work.
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At the Sydney Opera House,
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he meets harpsichordist Elizabeth Anderson
88
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to discuss the provenance
of another famous piece,
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the C Major Prelude, which actually
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bears a striking resemblance to
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the first prelude of the cello suites.
92
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Presenting scientific
evidence to musicians
93
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like her just wouldn't be enough.
94
00:05:04,510 --> 00:05:06,329
He had to convince Elizabeth that
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his musical instincts were right.
96
00:05:08,920 --> 00:05:10,789
A conundrum he hopes to solve is
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the mystery of the five missing bars.
98
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This involves a prelude,
handwritten in a date order
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that Martin believes to
be incorrectly recorded.
100
00:05:20,090 --> 00:05:22,259
In the 1720 notebook, that first version
101
00:05:22,260 --> 00:05:24,929
of the first prelude,
is in her handwriting.
102
00:05:24,930 --> 00:05:28,079
It is not in Bach's handwriting,
it is in her handwriting.
103
00:05:28,080 --> 00:05:30,609
And it is obviously
not a copy of something
104
00:05:30,610 --> 00:05:31,889
because of the way it's laid out,
105
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the fact that there are
corrections and adjustments to it.
106
00:05:35,030 --> 00:05:39,749
So that's a working manuscript
which screams out to me
107
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that this is in the hand of
the composer, Anna Magdalena.
108
00:05:45,120 --> 00:05:47,559
The prelude
shows up in Anna's hand
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in a music book dated 1725
with five bars missing.
110
00:05:54,490 --> 00:05:56,703
But could this be work in progress?
111
00:05:57,670 --> 00:05:59,079
Okay, so the version as it appears
112
00:05:59,080 --> 00:06:01,519
in the Anna Magdalena book of 1725?
113
00:06:01,520 --> 00:06:02,353
- Correct.
- That's the one.
114
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That's the one we're gonna look at.
115
00:06:03,483 --> 00:06:06,009
That's the one I'm
going to play right now.
116
00:06:12,803 --> 00:06:14,339
- It's curious, isn't it?
- Yes.
117
00:06:14,340 --> 00:06:17,099
So for me, this
is the first draft of it.
118
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An earlier version.
119
00:06:18,780 --> 00:06:21,129
In the 1722
version the missing bars
120
00:06:21,130 --> 00:06:24,039
are now in place, as
in the modern version.
121
00:06:24,040 --> 00:06:27,499
So was the 1725 version an earlier draft?
122
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If so, it looks to me
as if she's composing.
123
00:06:29,880 --> 00:06:32,024
Would you like to play it now
124
00:06:32,025 --> 00:06:34,256
with those 5 bars that I added?
125
00:06:43,608 --> 00:06:44,557
Yeah, that's lovely.
126
00:06:44,558 --> 00:06:46,752
So the whole point about the mystery
127
00:06:46,753 --> 00:06:48,069
of the missing 5 bars is, in my view,
128
00:06:48,070 --> 00:06:49,719
they weren't missing at the time.
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The perception that they were missing
130
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was to say that Anna
Magdalena was incompetent
131
00:06:55,280 --> 00:06:57,613
in some way or other
and she'd miscopied it.
132
00:06:58,540 --> 00:07:00,279
I think the forensics are fantastic.
133
00:07:00,280 --> 00:07:02,339
Martin has definitely succeeded in putting
134
00:07:02,340 --> 00:07:05,043
Anna Magdalena Bach at
the scene of the crime,
135
00:07:06,080 --> 00:07:10,699
but we can't conclusively
prove that she did it.
136
00:07:10,700 --> 00:07:14,809
We can see that it's likely that
137
00:07:14,810 --> 00:07:17,389
one version of the C Major Prelude
138
00:07:17,390 --> 00:07:20,359
was an earlier composition than another.
139
00:07:20,360 --> 00:07:22,229
And we can see that, since they're both
140
00:07:22,230 --> 00:07:24,539
in Anna Magdalena's handwriting,
141
00:07:24,540 --> 00:07:27,979
that it's quite possible
that she was the composer
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00:07:27,980 --> 00:07:31,199
of both versions and
the fact that a version
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in Bach's handwriting
doesn't exist supports that.
144
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So we've got likely and
we've got quite possible.
145
00:07:41,457 --> 00:07:43,269
But I wish we had
another piece of evidence
146
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because I don't believe
that we've got proven.
147
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I'm sure that the only thing
148
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that would convince most people
149
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would be if I found a letter somewhere
150
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that said, I wrote this piece of music,
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signed Anna Magdalena Bach.
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But cellist, Tilly Cernitori,
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didn't need a signature
on a piece of paper.
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She's 27 years old, half
Japanese, half Italian,
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and regarded as one of the world's
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most gifted young soloists.
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She's won over 20 first prizes
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in International Cello Competitions,
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including the coveted Medal of
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the President of the Republic in Rome.
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She's currently training in
Vienna to be a conductor.
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As a very successful musician,
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she took quite a risk by releasing a CD
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of the Cello Suites under
Anna Magdalena's name.
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She's the first cellist
in the world to do so.
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Everyone was very much asking me,
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are you sure you want to do this?
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But you were completely sure?
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Yeah of course, I said, I'm not afraid
170
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because if you do what you believe in
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you're never gonna be wrong, you know.
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Tilly first
performed the Cello Suites
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as a tribute to Anna
Magdalena on Women's Day 2015.
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00:09:01,630 --> 00:09:04,469
And all proceeds from
the concert and the CD
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00:09:04,470 --> 00:09:08,393
go to a women's aid organization
in her hometown, Florence.
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I think this is a strong message
177
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which is important to bring out.
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It's a statement.
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I did this because I think
there is a big parallel
180
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between the physical
oppression of women today
181
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and the oppression
which was more spiritual
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and philosophical of women
composers through the centuries.
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So it's like this thing of being
184
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wiped out from history, you know.
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However, support can turn up
186
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in the most unlikely of places,
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as evidenced by the Deputy Director
188
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of RAM, Doctor Timothy Jones.
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I was fascinated by all
the work that he'd done
190
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on the forensics of Bach documents.
191
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There are some pieces by
Bach whose attributions
192
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are being questioned very seriously.
193
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And there are attributions
to other well-known,
194
00:10:02,500 --> 00:10:04,679
even canonic composers down the years
195
00:10:04,680 --> 00:10:06,899
where we might question
whether they wrote them or
196
00:10:06,900 --> 00:10:10,529
whether female relatives or
women in their creative circle,
197
00:10:10,530 --> 00:10:13,099
were responsible for some of the music.
198
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The greatness of the
music doesn't diminish
199
00:10:14,950 --> 00:10:17,373
if the attribution changes one jot.
200
00:10:18,250 --> 00:10:20,750
So what's so
unsettling about Mrs. Bach?
201
00:10:21,770 --> 00:10:24,409
Martin's colleague at
Charles Darwin University,
202
00:10:24,410 --> 00:10:27,543
Historian Dr. Alan Powell, had one theory.
203
00:10:28,630 --> 00:10:30,479
There will always be those who find
204
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themselves threatened
by any possible change.
205
00:10:33,640 --> 00:10:35,309
And this one's particularly threatening
206
00:10:35,310 --> 00:10:38,802
because it involves a woman.
207
00:10:41,360 --> 00:10:43,529
Myleene Klass is a musician,
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model and mother of two.
209
00:10:50,400 --> 00:10:53,399
She understands the
challenges only too well.
210
00:10:53,400 --> 00:10:56,680
As a woman working in the
industry that I work in now
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00:10:57,888 --> 00:11:01,169
you have to be exceptionally versatile.
212
00:11:01,170 --> 00:11:02,539
Every single thing that I do,
213
00:11:02,540 --> 00:11:05,889
even if it doesn't look directly
related to classical music,
214
00:11:05,890 --> 00:11:07,579
it's because I'm a classical musician
215
00:11:07,580 --> 00:11:08,480
that I can do these things.
216
00:11:08,481 --> 00:11:11,622
I learnt to diversify and that's
the key to classical music.
217
00:11:11,623 --> 00:11:13,379
It's the key to surviving,
218
00:11:13,380 --> 00:11:15,833
and that's Anna Magdalena
through and through.
219
00:11:17,200 --> 00:11:19,049
You do what you have to do to get by.
220
00:11:19,050 --> 00:11:21,343
And if that's what the mark for women is,
221
00:11:23,500 --> 00:11:25,969
then yeah, that's your
woman, that's Anna Magdalena.
222
00:11:25,970 --> 00:11:27,620
That's a little bit of all of us.
223
00:11:28,610 --> 00:11:31,299
The Fraunhofer
Institute in Germany
224
00:11:31,300 --> 00:11:33,613
is well known for
Digital Music Technology.
225
00:11:34,940 --> 00:11:38,099
Martin Jarvis traveled there
to meet Christof Weiss,
226
00:11:38,100 --> 00:11:40,529
a Digital Analyst who made comparisons
227
00:11:40,530 --> 00:11:43,549
between the Cello Suites and
the violin and piano works
228
00:11:43,550 --> 00:11:45,763
and got some fascinating results.
229
00:11:47,500 --> 00:11:49,919
The movements differ more than,
230
00:11:49,920 --> 00:11:53,449
for example, do the movements
of the violin solos.
231
00:11:53,450 --> 00:11:58,229
For example, the violin
pieces are matching so good
232
00:11:58,230 --> 00:12:01,980
and the Cello Suites, at least
for some movements, do not.
233
00:12:05,260 --> 00:12:08,949
In strictly technical
terms, Martin is right.
234
00:12:08,950 --> 00:12:11,899
This is clear evidence
that the musical structure
235
00:12:11,900 --> 00:12:16,053
of the Cello Suites is different
to other Bach compositions.
236
00:12:17,350 --> 00:12:18,839
So what was it that led Tilly
237
00:12:18,840 --> 00:12:21,239
to challenge the authorship of the Suites?
238
00:12:21,240 --> 00:12:23,379
What made her suspect
that Anna's involvement
239
00:12:23,380 --> 00:12:25,323
was more than originally thought?
240
00:12:27,450 --> 00:12:29,889
When I started to study the Bach Suites
241
00:12:29,890 --> 00:12:31,529
I felt it was something different.
242
00:12:31,530 --> 00:12:34,409
Of course, at the time I couldn't
say it was Anna Magdalena
243
00:12:34,410 --> 00:12:38,059
because I had no idea about her,
244
00:12:38,060 --> 00:12:40,793
but I had some kind of feeling.
245
00:12:43,460 --> 00:12:48,099
The six suites are a kind of
large spectrum of emotions
246
00:12:48,100 --> 00:12:50,849
and they're very different
from each other, you know.
247
00:12:50,850 --> 00:12:53,159
Every suite for me has
a different character.
248
00:12:53,160 --> 00:12:56,549
It's like meeting six different people.
249
00:12:56,550 --> 00:13:01,119
And, yeah, I think this contrast
250
00:13:01,120 --> 00:13:03,669
of feelings and emotion are very
251
00:13:03,670 --> 00:13:05,583
much typical of a woman, also.
252
00:13:08,710 --> 00:13:10,079
As a next step, I decided
253
00:13:10,080 --> 00:13:11,999
to visit the famous viola soloist,
254
00:13:12,000 --> 00:13:14,453
Bruno Giuranna, at his home near Venice.
255
00:13:15,710 --> 00:13:18,119
He's performed with many of
the world's great musicians,
256
00:13:18,120 --> 00:13:21,089
including Karajan and Barbarolli.
257
00:13:21,090 --> 00:13:22,679
He was also a former professor
258
00:13:22,680 --> 00:13:25,309
at the Hochschule fur Musik in Berlin,
259
00:13:25,310 --> 00:13:27,499
and International Chair
at the Royal Academy
260
00:13:27,500 --> 00:13:28,533
of Music in London.
261
00:13:29,670 --> 00:13:32,089
Significantly, he's made a lifetime study
262
00:13:32,090 --> 00:13:33,649
of the Cello Suites and is about
263
00:13:33,650 --> 00:13:35,549
to bring out his second edition,
264
00:13:35,550 --> 00:13:38,453
after more detailed study of
all available manuscripts.
265
00:13:39,960 --> 00:13:41,629
So I'd like his opinion on how
266
00:13:41,630 --> 00:13:44,583
they compare musically
to Bach's other Suites.
267
00:13:48,940 --> 00:13:51,249
The other pieces that I know well,
268
00:13:51,250 --> 00:13:55,239
because I studied them, are
the Sonatas and Partitas.
269
00:13:55,240 --> 00:13:58,739
I always felt that in the Cello Suites,
270
00:13:58,740 --> 00:14:02,559
more interpretation is necessary
271
00:14:02,560 --> 00:14:05,809
in order to produce a decent performance
272
00:14:05,810 --> 00:14:09,977
than in the Sonatas and Partitas.
273
00:14:11,730 --> 00:14:15,933
The music itself seems
to me to be more human.
274
00:14:22,356 --> 00:14:23,801
They are fantastic music.
275
00:14:23,802 --> 00:14:27,259
They are the greatest pieces of music
276
00:14:27,260 --> 00:14:31,639
and they have this quality that allows you
277
00:14:31,640 --> 00:14:35,709
to spend a whole life working on them
278
00:14:35,710 --> 00:14:37,663
and always discovering something.
279
00:14:43,480 --> 00:14:45,739
I am talking actually about my instinct
280
00:14:45,740 --> 00:14:49,639
because, of course, I can feel
this works more near to me.
281
00:14:49,640 --> 00:14:52,239
And, as I'm a woman, I think that a work
282
00:14:52,240 --> 00:14:55,363
by a woman can maybe talk more to me.
283
00:14:57,340 --> 00:15:00,619
But, of course, it's also
a matter of sensitivity,
284
00:15:00,620 --> 00:15:03,263
of musicality of the piece itself.
285
00:15:07,490 --> 00:15:09,969
I can sense the possibility that
286
00:15:09,970 --> 00:15:12,679
some suites have been
written by Anna Magdalena,
287
00:15:12,680 --> 00:15:15,129
especially with the distance of centuries.
288
00:15:15,130 --> 00:15:18,783
From whom did God borrow
the hand for writing?
289
00:15:23,070 --> 00:15:26,449
She's only known because
she was the second wife
290
00:15:26,450 --> 00:15:29,479
of him and she was a singer, period.
291
00:15:29,480 --> 00:15:31,749
Maybe she didn't write many things,
292
00:15:31,750 --> 00:15:34,429
but she was actually a composer, you know.
293
00:15:34,430 --> 00:15:35,739
But that's something which also
294
00:15:35,740 --> 00:15:38,096
happened to other women in history.
295
00:15:38,097 --> 00:15:40,463
They were just wiped out
from the history books.
296
00:15:51,450 --> 00:15:52,659
Martin's evaluation
297
00:15:52,660 --> 00:15:55,369
needs scientific corroboration.
298
00:15:55,370 --> 00:15:58,579
U.S. based Heidi Harralson
is a published author
299
00:15:58,580 --> 00:16:02,509
and respected professor in
forensic document examination.
300
00:16:02,510 --> 00:16:05,669
She authenticates important
historical documents,
301
00:16:05,670 --> 00:16:09,349
works of art, graffiti
and symbolic script.
302
00:16:09,350 --> 00:16:11,339
Recently, as an expert witness,
303
00:16:11,340 --> 00:16:14,183
she re-examined Kurt
Cobain's suicide note.
304
00:16:16,050 --> 00:16:19,099
Her unbiased opinion
of disputed manuscripts
305
00:16:19,100 --> 00:16:20,173
will be crucial.
306
00:16:22,600 --> 00:16:24,179
I am not a music scholar.
307
00:16:24,180 --> 00:16:25,459
I'm a document examiner.
308
00:16:25,460 --> 00:16:27,329
So, from my perspective,
309
00:16:27,330 --> 00:16:29,649
I don't care if Johann Sebastian Bach
310
00:16:29,650 --> 00:16:32,019
wrote them or if his wife wrote them.
311
00:16:32,020 --> 00:16:34,569
That's irrelevant to me.
312
00:16:34,570 --> 00:16:39,439
The whole point is to
use scientific methods
313
00:16:39,440 --> 00:16:42,893
to figure out who actually did
the writing on the document.
314
00:16:44,130 --> 00:16:47,159
I'm a full-time composer
and a mother of three
315
00:16:47,160 --> 00:16:48,929
and I'm aware the lack of role models
316
00:16:48,930 --> 00:16:51,129
has been an issue for me in the past.
317
00:16:51,130 --> 00:16:54,099
In the history of music women
are pretty much invisible.
318
00:16:54,100 --> 00:16:55,800
Could that have made me skeptical?
319
00:16:57,450 --> 00:16:59,449
I was quite shocked at my initial reaction
320
00:16:59,450 --> 00:17:02,299
which was, well, she
couldn't have written it.
321
00:17:02,300 --> 00:17:04,349
And then I looked at that
reaction and I realized,
322
00:17:04,350 --> 00:17:06,022
that was because, even for me,
323
00:17:06,023 --> 00:17:07,969
that was because she was a woman.
324
00:17:07,970 --> 00:17:11,999
And there is no canon of women composers
325
00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:14,009
and there are no role models.
326
00:17:14,010 --> 00:17:16,909
I started composing quite
naturally at the age of four
327
00:17:16,910 --> 00:17:19,199
and I'm sure a little boy
would have done the same.
328
00:17:19,200 --> 00:17:21,069
There's no gender difference.
329
00:17:21,070 --> 00:17:23,509
There's something that
happens in perception
330
00:17:23,510 --> 00:17:25,389
that tells little girls that this
331
00:17:25,390 --> 00:17:27,419
isn't something that they can do.
332
00:17:27,420 --> 00:17:29,099
These things go very deep.
333
00:17:29,100 --> 00:17:31,449
Is it really that hard
to believe or digest?
334
00:17:31,450 --> 00:17:32,370
Absolutely not!
335
00:17:32,371 --> 00:17:34,039
It's happening even now.
336
00:17:34,040 --> 00:17:37,229
If you look at the ratio
of female composers
337
00:17:37,230 --> 00:17:40,029
to male composers who
are working in the arena.
338
00:17:40,030 --> 00:17:43,083
I'd say it's not far off
from what it was even then.
339
00:17:48,980 --> 00:17:51,669
At Glasgow
University Martin delved
340
00:17:51,670 --> 00:17:54,139
into the psychology of women in music,
341
00:17:54,140 --> 00:17:56,479
including historical prejudices,
342
00:17:56,480 --> 00:18:00,729
with Professor John Butt, a
global expert on J.S. Bach.
343
00:18:00,730 --> 00:18:03,629
Many people are still afraid,
344
00:18:03,630 --> 00:18:07,449
or certainly not keen,
345
00:18:07,450 --> 00:18:10,825
to acknowledge that women can
be just as creative as men.
346
00:18:10,826 --> 00:18:13,279
And the problem is that quite often,
347
00:18:13,280 --> 00:18:15,099
they've not been given the
opportunities to be so.
348
00:18:15,100 --> 00:18:18,181
Anna Magdalena studies have
only really just begun.
349
00:18:18,182 --> 00:18:19,739
She seems to have been somewhat neglected.
350
00:18:19,740 --> 00:18:22,529
I feel now that we do such disservice
351
00:18:22,530 --> 00:18:23,959
to classical musicians.
352
00:18:23,960 --> 00:18:26,169
It's like we almost canonize them.
353
00:18:26,170 --> 00:18:28,369
We make them into these saints
354
00:18:28,370 --> 00:18:29,719
and the reason they could write the way
355
00:18:29,720 --> 00:18:31,759
they could is 'cause they weren't saints.
356
00:18:31,760 --> 00:18:34,159
I suppose there's a
certain degree of shock
357
00:18:34,160 --> 00:18:36,535
when you present certain
aspects of your work.
358
00:18:36,536 --> 00:18:37,909
It's almost a sort of a pious reaction,
359
00:18:37,910 --> 00:18:39,873
that you're violating a religion.
360
00:18:40,910 --> 00:18:43,839
My view of Western culture,
361
00:18:43,840 --> 00:18:45,619
particularly classical music culture,
362
00:18:45,620 --> 00:18:48,749
is that it's taken over some
of the trappings of religion.
363
00:18:48,750 --> 00:18:50,769
Therefore, people, when
they're dealing with it,
364
00:18:50,770 --> 00:18:53,499
sometimes actually behave as if you were
365
00:18:53,500 --> 00:18:56,149
talking about one of their religions.
366
00:18:56,150 --> 00:18:58,779
The emphasis
on The Great Master means
367
00:18:58,780 --> 00:19:01,329
that women composers have
to find self-assurance
368
00:19:01,330 --> 00:19:04,779
against a historical
background that excludes them.
369
00:19:04,780 --> 00:19:07,433
And women's work certainly
wasn't valued as highly.
370
00:19:08,840 --> 00:19:11,939
What's more, if Martin's
research challenges
371
00:19:11,940 --> 00:19:15,159
the very autographs on Bach documents,
372
00:19:15,160 --> 00:19:17,159
it will devalue manuscripts held
373
00:19:17,160 --> 00:19:19,661
by collectors all over the world.
374
00:19:26,960 --> 00:19:28,479
Heidi met up with Martin,
375
00:19:28,480 --> 00:19:31,253
both eager to press on with
research work in Leipzig,
376
00:19:32,560 --> 00:19:34,949
but they hit a serious problem.
377
00:19:34,950 --> 00:19:37,579
They were banned from
access to research materials
378
00:19:37,580 --> 00:19:39,849
held at the Bach archive.
379
00:19:39,850 --> 00:19:41,289
Then, it got worse.
380
00:19:41,290 --> 00:19:44,339
Senior staff there also
refused to give interviews
381
00:19:44,340 --> 00:19:46,743
or discuss any of Martin's theories.
382
00:19:47,650 --> 00:19:48,766
Well, I'm very surprised
383
00:19:48,767 --> 00:19:51,163
and very disappointed that they banned us.
384
00:19:52,400 --> 00:19:54,919
They have much to gain
from what I've discovered
385
00:19:54,920 --> 00:19:57,269
and I can't see what they've
got to lose, to be honest.
386
00:19:57,270 --> 00:19:58,699
The whole point of an archive is
387
00:19:58,700 --> 00:20:01,599
to give scholars or researchers,
388
00:20:01,600 --> 00:20:06,229
access to documents to study
and for research purposes.
389
00:20:06,230 --> 00:20:09,749
And so, I find that very
disappointing and disheartening.
390
00:20:09,750 --> 00:20:12,719
However, this
unexpected delay allowed Martin
391
00:20:12,720 --> 00:20:16,902
to share some relevant facts
and conjectures with Heidi.
392
00:20:20,440 --> 00:20:22,429
The Toccata and Fugue in D-Minor
393
00:20:22,430 --> 00:20:24,713
was one of his most celebrated works.
394
00:20:25,900 --> 00:20:28,669
Now, most Bach experts
agree that it was written
395
00:20:28,670 --> 00:20:31,713
by his pupil, Johann Ludwig Krebs.
396
00:20:33,040 --> 00:20:35,453
So what else wasn't written by Mr. Bach?
397
00:20:38,210 --> 00:20:40,659
And why should a Bach
composition attributed
398
00:20:40,660 --> 00:20:43,019
to one writer be acceptable
399
00:20:43,020 --> 00:20:45,513
and another attribution heretical?
400
00:20:46,400 --> 00:20:47,833
Simply because it's a woman?
401
00:20:49,570 --> 00:20:53,669
It's just one of those
professions that computes as male,
402
00:20:53,670 --> 00:20:57,499
like surgeon, electrician;
composer equals man.
403
00:20:57,500 --> 00:20:59,979
If you look in the Grove
Dictionary of Music,
404
00:20:59,980 --> 00:21:02,679
even the most recent one, you look up Bach
405
00:21:02,680 --> 00:21:04,349
and the family tree is there
406
00:21:04,350 --> 00:21:06,823
and all the women have been wiped out.
407
00:21:09,920 --> 00:21:13,589
There are also question marks
about Bach's life story.
408
00:21:13,590 --> 00:21:17,059
His first biography
wasn't written until 1802,
409
00:21:17,060 --> 00:21:21,403
52 years after his death, by
biographer Nikolaus Forkel.
410
00:21:22,400 --> 00:21:25,229
But much of what we
believe about Bach today
411
00:21:25,230 --> 00:21:27,979
was based on information given to Forkel
412
00:21:27,980 --> 00:21:31,349
by Bach's son, Carl Phillip Emanuel.
413
00:21:31,350 --> 00:21:35,039
It was C.P. Bach who
actually invented the story
414
00:21:35,040 --> 00:21:35,873
of his father's life, you know.
415
00:21:35,874 --> 00:21:38,049
He was very, very important in terms
416
00:21:38,050 --> 00:21:40,499
of putting the obituary together and then,
417
00:21:40,500 --> 00:21:43,569
equally, if not more
important, in informing Forkel.
418
00:21:43,570 --> 00:21:45,549
So you could say that C.P. Bach
419
00:21:45,550 --> 00:21:48,463
was one of the first Bach spin doctors.
420
00:21:49,440 --> 00:21:50,879
And I said, who wrote these?
421
00:21:50,880 --> 00:21:53,267
That's the first thing
you'd ask as a historian.
422
00:21:53,268 --> 00:21:55,019
And you find it's the followers of Bach
423
00:21:55,020 --> 00:21:57,182
and the family of Bach
who have written them.
424
00:21:57,183 --> 00:21:59,279
So they're immediately suspect
in the eyes of an historian.
425
00:21:59,280 --> 00:22:01,829
Anything that's written
by the family or friends
426
00:22:01,830 --> 00:22:04,180
you have to look beyond
that to find the truth.
427
00:22:06,160 --> 00:22:07,819
So has a biased and possibly
428
00:22:07,820 --> 00:22:10,229
distorted view of J.S. Bach's life
429
00:22:10,230 --> 00:22:13,113
and work become historical fact?
430
00:22:14,040 --> 00:22:18,179
Professor Melanie Unseld is
an historian whose specialty
431
00:22:18,180 --> 00:22:21,534
is family life in the early 18th century.
432
00:22:22,640 --> 00:22:24,536
The focus on him
433
00:22:24,537 --> 00:22:26,769
as an individual composer, standing alone,
434
00:22:26,770 --> 00:22:29,709
is also the picture that
we have of him today.
435
00:22:29,710 --> 00:22:31,409
A picture of Bach which has come
436
00:22:31,410 --> 00:22:34,049
down to us from the 19th century.
437
00:22:34,050 --> 00:22:37,339
And it is also this
process within the culture
438
00:22:37,340 --> 00:22:39,319
of remembrance, in which everyone
439
00:22:39,320 --> 00:22:43,729
around him tends to be superseded
by him as an individual,
440
00:22:43,730 --> 00:22:47,205
by his personality,
and are then forgotten.
441
00:22:48,200 --> 00:22:49,909
But not by Martin Jarvis
442
00:22:49,910 --> 00:22:51,629
who had already made the transition
443
00:22:51,630 --> 00:22:54,659
from musician to forensic detective.
444
00:22:54,660 --> 00:22:57,059
So what's the story there?
445
00:22:57,060 --> 00:22:58,669
It's in the genes.
446
00:22:58,670 --> 00:23:01,959
His late father,
Superintendant Bernard Jarvis,
447
00:23:01,960 --> 00:23:04,453
was a senior police officer in Wales.
448
00:23:05,700 --> 00:23:07,109
He became the head of Special Branch.
449
00:23:07,110 --> 00:23:09,763
My father taught me trust nobody.
450
00:23:11,350 --> 00:23:13,563
Don't trust anything that you're told.
451
00:23:14,670 --> 00:23:17,829
You need to examine
what's been said and know,
452
00:23:17,830 --> 00:23:20,459
to know that it's true and that's probably
453
00:23:20,460 --> 00:23:22,969
the most important lesson
I learnt in my life.
454
00:23:22,970 --> 00:23:25,004
Sleuthing is in the DNA, really.
455
00:23:26,270 --> 00:23:27,899
He desperately needed examples
456
00:23:27,900 --> 00:23:31,683
of musical calligraphy and
handwriting proven to be hers.
457
00:23:33,340 --> 00:23:35,479
Then, he unearthed a petition written
458
00:23:35,480 --> 00:23:37,609
by Anna to the Leipzig council
459
00:23:37,610 --> 00:23:40,059
seeking child maintenance support shortly
460
00:23:40,060 --> 00:23:42,030
after her husband's death in 1750.
461
00:23:45,000 --> 00:23:47,449
I suddenly realized that if I had
462
00:23:47,450 --> 00:23:50,449
an example of Anna Magdalena's handwriting
463
00:23:50,450 --> 00:23:52,859
and an example of her music calligraphy,
464
00:23:52,860 --> 00:23:56,669
surely if I then could find places where
465
00:23:56,670 --> 00:23:59,619
her music calligraphy and handwriting were
466
00:23:59,620 --> 00:24:01,789
where they shouldn't be then I would
467
00:24:01,790 --> 00:24:03,613
be able to prise open the door.
468
00:24:05,200 --> 00:24:06,679
This petition was exactly
469
00:24:06,680 --> 00:24:09,529
what Martin was looking
for; a large sample
470
00:24:09,530 --> 00:24:12,569
of Anna's writing, written with care.
471
00:24:12,570 --> 00:24:14,869
It meant he could deconstruct her writing
472
00:24:14,870 --> 00:24:17,119
and compare it to other manuscripts.
473
00:24:17,120 --> 00:24:18,813
It was an exciting breakthrough.
474
00:24:27,354 --> 00:24:30,219
After Martin found Anna's
petition to the council,
475
00:24:30,220 --> 00:24:33,579
two more documents dated 1713,
476
00:24:33,580 --> 00:24:36,839
the Weimar manuscripts, were discovered.
477
00:24:36,840 --> 00:24:41,599
Martin found evidence of
Anna's hand in both documents.
478
00:24:41,600 --> 00:24:46,093
A canon and an aria, a song
for soprano and strings.
479
00:24:47,650 --> 00:24:51,313
But why was the discovery of
those documents so important?
480
00:24:52,960 --> 00:24:56,159
In 1713 Bach's musical patron
481
00:24:56,160 --> 00:24:59,799
was Duke Wilhelm Ernst in Weimar.
482
00:24:59,800 --> 00:25:03,149
It was the Duke's 52nd birthday and VIP's
483
00:25:03,150 --> 00:25:06,799
from far and wide would have
attended the celebrations.
484
00:25:06,800 --> 00:25:09,549
Consequently, it's very likely that Anna
485
00:25:09,550 --> 00:25:11,869
made the 50 mile journey
from the family home
486
00:25:11,870 --> 00:25:15,249
in Zeitz to Weimar with her parents.
487
00:25:15,250 --> 00:25:17,569
Anna was only 12 years old then,
488
00:25:17,570 --> 00:25:21,409
but Bach scholars say they
didn't meet until she was 20.
489
00:25:21,410 --> 00:25:25,089
The handwriting on that document is,
490
00:25:25,090 --> 00:25:27,439
at the very least, in
part Anna Magdalena's,
491
00:25:27,440 --> 00:25:30,629
if not entirely, and, significantly,
492
00:25:30,630 --> 00:25:32,793
the music calligraphy is hers.
493
00:25:34,310 --> 00:25:37,219
The second piece that was
found in Weimar, of course,
494
00:25:37,220 --> 00:25:40,790
was found in a box which
hadn't been opened since 1713.
495
00:25:54,910 --> 00:25:56,209
The original manuscript
496
00:25:56,210 --> 00:25:58,319
of the song, "Alles Mit Gott",
497
00:25:58,320 --> 00:26:02,019
was held in the Duchess
Amalia Library in Weimar.
498
00:26:02,020 --> 00:26:05,089
Fortunately, it had been
removed for examination
499
00:26:05,090 --> 00:26:10,090
before a serious fire in
2005 destroyed 50,000 books
500
00:26:10,150 --> 00:26:12,469
and a thousand hand written notes
501
00:26:12,470 --> 00:26:14,599
reflecting the music culture in Weimar
502
00:26:14,600 --> 00:26:17,409
in the 18th and 19th centuries.
503
00:26:17,410 --> 00:26:19,889
Who knows how many other
priceless documents
504
00:26:19,890 --> 00:26:23,719
were lost forever that might
have helped Martin's research.
505
00:26:23,720 --> 00:26:25,329
While waiting for official permission
506
00:26:25,330 --> 00:26:27,459
to examine the original manuscript
507
00:26:27,460 --> 00:26:30,189
he looked at a high quality facsimile.
508
00:26:30,190 --> 00:26:33,119
No shadow of doubt in
my mind that the aria
509
00:26:33,120 --> 00:26:34,903
is in Anna Magdalena's handwriting.
510
00:26:36,780 --> 00:26:40,859
What it proves is that the
handwriting of Anna Magdalena,
511
00:26:40,860 --> 00:26:44,209
is in places where tradition
says it shouldn't be,
512
00:26:44,210 --> 00:26:46,185
which means that the relationship,
513
00:26:46,186 --> 00:26:48,014
historically, between Anna Magdalena
514
00:26:48,015 --> 00:26:50,859
and Johann Sebastian cannot
be as we have assumed.
515
00:26:50,860 --> 00:26:53,739
When you suddenly tip it and you think,
516
00:26:53,740 --> 00:26:55,119
well, hang on, if this was written
517
00:26:55,120 --> 00:26:58,839
by a woman the approach
would be completely different
518
00:26:58,840 --> 00:27:01,329
and people are uncomfortable with that.
519
00:27:01,330 --> 00:27:04,292
The fact that the revelation's come up now
520
00:27:04,293 --> 00:27:07,129
that it has been written by a woman,
521
00:27:07,130 --> 00:27:08,259
makes perfect sense to me.
522
00:27:08,260 --> 00:27:10,093
I think it's made me love Bach more.
523
00:27:10,950 --> 00:27:14,269
In Leipzig, Martin
shares his findings with Heidi,
524
00:27:14,270 --> 00:27:16,159
using comparisons with calligraphy
525
00:27:16,160 --> 00:27:19,119
from a rare example of
Anna's correspondence.
526
00:27:19,120 --> 00:27:23,779
The Aria discovered in 2005
and the Canon for Four Voices
527
00:27:23,780 --> 00:27:26,289
were probably written by Anna Magdalena
528
00:27:26,290 --> 00:27:28,866
and certainly not written
by Johann Sebastian.
529
00:27:28,867 --> 00:27:30,719
And your premise that it's not written
530
00:27:30,720 --> 00:27:33,599
by Johann Sebastian is
based upon on your research
531
00:27:33,600 --> 00:27:35,689
and looking at the
handwriting characteristics?
532
00:27:35,690 --> 00:27:36,523
Yes, absolutely.
533
00:27:36,524 --> 00:27:38,469
And you could eliminate Maria Barbara,
534
00:27:38,470 --> 00:27:41,276
his first wife, because
she was already deceased?
535
00:27:41,277 --> 00:27:42,435
That's correct, yes.
536
00:27:42,436 --> 00:27:43,489
So there's only two possible writers
537
00:27:43,490 --> 00:27:46,059
that could have written
those particular documents
538
00:27:46,060 --> 00:27:48,166
and that would have been Mr. or Mrs. Bach.
539
00:27:48,167 --> 00:27:49,000
Yes.
540
00:27:49,001 --> 00:27:50,489
In my examination of that document
541
00:27:50,490 --> 00:27:53,249
I found fundamental differences
542
00:27:53,250 --> 00:27:55,509
in Johann Sebastian Bach's writing
543
00:27:55,510 --> 00:27:58,043
in comparison to that particular document.
544
00:27:59,100 --> 00:28:02,399
And I found several
handwriting characteristics
545
00:28:02,400 --> 00:28:06,949
that I thought were
individualizing to her writing
546
00:28:06,950 --> 00:28:08,739
that would support the proposition
547
00:28:08,740 --> 00:28:10,340
that she is, indeed, the writer.
548
00:28:11,420 --> 00:28:12,420
Good, thank you.
549
00:28:13,260 --> 00:28:15,899
Tilly Cernitori
was a child prodigy,
550
00:28:15,900 --> 00:28:18,839
playing the cello
proficiently at only nine.
551
00:28:18,840 --> 00:28:21,369
We believe that Bach began
collaborating musically
552
00:28:21,370 --> 00:28:23,653
with Anna Magdalena when she was 12.
553
00:28:24,510 --> 00:28:27,423
So, is it possible that Anna
was also a child prodigy?
554
00:28:28,470 --> 00:28:31,279
There are child prodigies today,
555
00:28:31,280 --> 00:28:33,223
so why not in the past?
556
00:28:34,150 --> 00:28:35,999
My next stop is the Middle East,
557
00:28:36,000 --> 00:28:38,793
to catch up with a young
English/Israeli composer.
558
00:28:39,750 --> 00:28:41,609
She's about to hear her work performed
559
00:28:41,610 --> 00:28:45,128
at the Tel Aviv Opera House
and she's here for rehearsals.
560
00:28:46,540 --> 00:28:49,919
The entire Deutscher family; father Guy,
561
00:28:49,920 --> 00:28:52,859
mother Janie, and younger daughter Helen,
562
00:28:52,860 --> 00:28:56,099
are all gathered here for
a very special occasion:
563
00:28:56,100 --> 00:28:58,563
the premiere of Alma's new opera.
564
00:28:59,660 --> 00:29:03,569
A pianist at two, violinist at four
565
00:29:03,570 --> 00:29:07,259
and composer for full
symphony orchestra at six,
566
00:29:07,260 --> 00:29:09,803
she's still only 10 years old.
567
00:29:10,690 --> 00:29:15,379
I've just finished
composing my whole opera,
568
00:29:15,380 --> 00:29:19,687
Cinderella, and it's going
to be put on in a few days.
569
00:29:22,090 --> 00:29:24,399
I started
composing when I was four,
570
00:29:24,400 --> 00:29:27,329
so I was very interested
in how Alma created music,
571
00:29:27,330 --> 00:29:28,959
to see if there were any common factors
572
00:29:28,960 --> 00:29:31,863
at play relative to our
lives and experiences.
573
00:29:33,110 --> 00:29:37,399
I can't just press a button
and get an idea, a melody.
574
00:29:37,400 --> 00:29:40,509
I usually get it when I'm resting.
575
00:29:40,510 --> 00:29:43,399
For instance, before I fall asleep
576
00:29:43,400 --> 00:29:44,959
or just when I'm waking up.
577
00:29:44,960 --> 00:29:47,863
Also, when I'm skipping and
melodies pour into my head.
578
00:29:49,200 --> 00:29:51,804
Also, when I'm improvising at the piano
579
00:29:51,805 --> 00:29:56,805
and then I hear sometimes a
human voice singing in my head,
580
00:29:57,760 --> 00:30:00,596
or a violin, or a whole orchestra.
581
00:30:07,470 --> 00:30:10,519
But where do those
human voices come from?
582
00:30:10,520 --> 00:30:12,599
I was curious about the building blocks
583
00:30:12,600 --> 00:30:15,669
behind Alma's compositional skills.
584
00:30:15,670 --> 00:30:18,749
I have an imaginary
land called Transylvanian.
585
00:30:18,750 --> 00:30:22,589
Inside it are also lots
of imaginary composers
586
00:30:22,590 --> 00:30:25,379
and musicians and sometimes,
from the best of them,
587
00:30:25,380 --> 00:30:28,779
I steal music from them
and use it as my own.
588
00:30:28,780 --> 00:30:30,086
So, there are lots of composers
589
00:30:30,087 --> 00:30:32,009
and some of the best ones are Anton
590
00:30:32,010 --> 00:30:35,470
and Yellowsink and Shell and Flara
591
00:30:36,350 --> 00:30:39,849
and Bluegold and Greensilver.
592
00:30:39,850 --> 00:30:44,489
Usually my most beautiful
melodies come from them.
593
00:30:44,490 --> 00:30:46,399
I can imagine J.S. Bach spotting
594
00:30:46,400 --> 00:30:47,999
the potential of Anna Magdalena,
595
00:30:48,000 --> 00:30:50,343
at the age of 12, as we now suspect.
596
00:30:51,210 --> 00:30:52,719
It seems to me she could well have been
597
00:30:52,720 --> 00:30:54,863
unusually accomplished for her age.
598
00:30:55,958 --> 00:31:00,379
Alma's parents are musicians
and she's home educated.
599
00:31:00,380 --> 00:31:02,269
Anna would have been, too,
600
00:31:02,270 --> 00:31:04,453
and her father and uncle were musicians.
601
00:31:05,640 --> 00:31:07,099
What does Alma think of a time
602
00:31:07,100 --> 00:31:09,489
when women were prevented from performing
603
00:31:09,490 --> 00:31:11,493
or being credited as composers?
604
00:31:12,744 --> 00:31:14,669
300 years ago then women weren't,
605
00:31:14,670 --> 00:31:17,511
and girls weren't,
encouraged to be composers,
606
00:31:17,512 --> 00:31:18,889
weren't allowed to be composers.
607
00:31:18,890 --> 00:31:20,959
And I think I would be
quite angry and frustrated.
608
00:31:20,960 --> 00:31:23,819
I wouldn't have been able to compose.
609
00:31:23,820 --> 00:31:26,219
By the 18th
century women simply didn't
610
00:31:26,220 --> 00:31:28,969
have the opportunity to
write large concert works
611
00:31:28,970 --> 00:31:31,179
or at least to hear them performed.
612
00:31:31,180 --> 00:31:34,030
Meaning that they often stuck
to chamber music and songs.
613
00:31:34,980 --> 00:31:37,449
Anna Magdalena may well
have had the advantage
614
00:31:37,450 --> 00:31:40,029
over her later counterparts
in that she could
615
00:31:40,030 --> 00:31:43,299
have had the opportunity
to complete large pieces.
616
00:31:43,300 --> 00:31:45,419
However, these works would automatically
617
00:31:45,420 --> 00:31:47,383
have been credited to her husband.
618
00:31:49,870 --> 00:31:52,170
She would have written
under the family brand.
619
00:31:53,680 --> 00:31:55,889
What does Alma think about that?
620
00:31:55,890 --> 00:31:57,259
I would have minded it very much
621
00:31:57,260 --> 00:32:00,310
because it's not their music, it's mine.
622
00:32:00,311 --> 00:32:05,311
And I know actually,
that Felix Mendelssohn,
623
00:32:05,700 --> 00:32:09,029
he visited England and he
visited Queen Victoria.
624
00:32:09,030 --> 00:32:11,329
And Queen Victoria wanted to sing some
625
00:32:11,330 --> 00:32:14,329
of Mendelssohn's songs with
Mendelssohn accompanying.
626
00:32:14,330 --> 00:32:17,009
And so Mendelssohn said, "Well,
choose your favorite song."
627
00:32:17,010 --> 00:32:20,199
And Victoria chose and Mendelssohn blushed
628
00:32:20,200 --> 00:32:22,246
a little bit and said,
"Well, that's actually
629
00:32:22,247 --> 00:32:25,208
"not my song, it was
composed by my sister".
630
00:32:26,260 --> 00:32:28,059
So even in the 19th century,
631
00:32:28,060 --> 00:32:29,789
the true composer was unveiled
632
00:32:29,790 --> 00:32:32,203
by accident, rather than by design.
633
00:32:33,630 --> 00:32:37,269
But how does Alma think she
has achieved so much, so young?
634
00:32:37,270 --> 00:32:39,859
It's a bit of both of
talent and education.
635
00:32:39,860 --> 00:32:42,259
Of course, one needs to
have talent or inherit it,
636
00:32:42,260 --> 00:32:44,639
but then one also has to know how
637
00:32:44,640 --> 00:32:49,019
to develop it and have education.
638
00:32:49,020 --> 00:32:50,819
And then, also, it's another talent
639
00:32:50,820 --> 00:32:53,474
to be able to work and concentrate.
640
00:33:00,584 --> 00:33:01,609
It's very easy for us now sitting
641
00:33:01,610 --> 00:33:04,109
in the 21st century to say well,
642
00:33:04,110 --> 00:33:06,099
the frustration, the
anger, all of those things
643
00:33:06,100 --> 00:33:07,309
would have been there and she would
644
00:33:07,310 --> 00:33:09,522
have been trying to right the wrongs,
645
00:33:09,523 --> 00:33:11,670
but I very much doubt that
would have been the case.
646
00:33:11,671 --> 00:33:13,663
I think, yes, maybe the
frustration and the anger,
647
00:33:13,664 --> 00:33:16,329
but certainly what society
was dictating at the time
648
00:33:16,330 --> 00:33:18,209
wouldn't maybe necessarily
have allowed her to think
649
00:33:18,210 --> 00:33:21,119
that she could have potentially gone
650
00:33:21,120 --> 00:33:22,409
out there and written those pieces.
651
00:33:22,410 --> 00:33:23,959
Even in the 21st century we don't allow
652
00:33:23,960 --> 00:33:27,109
for her to have written those pieces.
653
00:33:27,110 --> 00:33:30,689
So, I think at the time of writing
654
00:33:30,690 --> 00:33:33,523
did women have that recognition?
655
00:33:34,890 --> 00:33:37,279
I would say the answer is probably not.
656
00:33:37,280 --> 00:33:38,589
But, how could a young girl,
657
00:33:38,590 --> 00:33:40,739
living in the early 18th century,
658
00:33:40,740 --> 00:33:44,192
ever achieve such an
advanced level of education?
659
00:33:45,870 --> 00:33:46,850
A family sought
660
00:33:46,851 --> 00:33:49,329
the best possible
opportunities for education
661
00:33:49,330 --> 00:33:52,429
within the context of
their family network.
662
00:33:52,430 --> 00:33:54,879
That can mean, for example,
that children are sent
663
00:33:54,880 --> 00:33:57,329
to school, or they receive instruction
664
00:33:57,330 --> 00:34:00,359
at home in addition to
this general education.
665
00:34:00,360 --> 00:34:02,879
Or, for girls in
particular, that they are,
666
00:34:02,880 --> 00:34:06,609
in fact, taught at home, by
members of the family network.
667
00:34:06,610 --> 00:34:08,699
It could be an aunt or a tutor brought
668
00:34:08,700 --> 00:34:10,643
into the home for this purpose.
669
00:34:18,810 --> 00:34:21,019
However, in order to compose,
670
00:34:21,020 --> 00:34:23,423
you need more than school education.
671
00:34:24,660 --> 00:34:27,499
Because we know that she
was trained as a singer,
672
00:34:27,500 --> 00:34:32,159
we can surmise that she did
indeed have a musical education,
673
00:34:32,160 --> 00:34:34,623
that she received musical instruction.
674
00:34:36,430 --> 00:34:38,829
So Anna was musically educated
675
00:34:38,830 --> 00:34:41,169
and gifted as a child.
676
00:34:41,170 --> 00:34:42,829
How do professionals who live
677
00:34:42,830 --> 00:34:45,299
and breathe Bach react to that?
678
00:34:45,300 --> 00:34:48,173
Like the Director of the
Bach Museum, Jorge Hansen?
679
00:34:49,459 --> 00:34:50,679
That Anna Magdalena
680
00:34:50,680 --> 00:34:53,395
might have produced
musical notation at the age
681
00:34:53,396 --> 00:34:55,633
of 12 or 13 would not
be surprising at all.
682
00:34:58,440 --> 00:35:00,199
Further documents suggest Anna
683
00:35:00,200 --> 00:35:02,789
could well have been a pupil of Bach.
684
00:35:02,790 --> 00:35:04,839
Her handwriting appears
on the cover of a book
685
00:35:04,840 --> 00:35:08,459
of organ works, while
she was still a teenager.
686
00:35:08,460 --> 00:35:11,123
This signature is written
by her, not by him.
687
00:35:14,120 --> 00:35:16,453
And what might he have
been like as a tutor?
688
00:35:17,290 --> 00:35:18,629
If he thought of himself as superior
689
00:35:18,630 --> 00:35:20,919
it was as superior among equals.
690
00:35:20,920 --> 00:35:22,519
He would have had a God-given mission
691
00:35:22,520 --> 00:35:24,309
to do music and to do it well.
692
00:35:24,310 --> 00:35:27,209
I mean, he had this real sense of career
693
00:35:27,210 --> 00:35:29,589
and the notion, you know,
that if anybody insulted
694
00:35:29,590 --> 00:35:32,239
his art he could get really angry.
695
00:35:32,240 --> 00:35:34,849
His rage spilled
over after demanding
696
00:35:34,850 --> 00:35:38,319
a transfer to the Court of
Prince Leopold in Kothen.
697
00:35:38,320 --> 00:35:40,759
Duke Wilhelm Ernst at the Court of Weimar
698
00:35:40,760 --> 00:35:44,229
reacted badly and Bach was jailed.
699
00:35:44,230 --> 00:35:45,829
The dispute was resolved when,
700
00:35:45,830 --> 00:35:48,969
in 1717, his demands
were met and he finally
701
00:35:48,970 --> 00:35:51,583
got the job of Kapellmeister at Kothen.
702
00:35:52,841 --> 00:35:55,469
The Kapellmeister is responsible
703
00:35:55,470 --> 00:35:58,309
for everything musical
that happens at court.
704
00:35:58,310 --> 00:36:00,839
That is, he directs the ensembles,
705
00:36:00,840 --> 00:36:03,399
rehearses the works and composes too,
706
00:36:03,400 --> 00:36:05,409
but he is not a composer.
707
00:36:05,410 --> 00:36:08,049
This term does not yet exist in the period
708
00:36:08,050 --> 00:36:10,623
in question, rather he is Kapellmeister.
709
00:36:14,500 --> 00:36:16,489
A few years
later, Anna Magdalena,
710
00:36:16,490 --> 00:36:19,359
now 20, got a job there as a singer
711
00:36:19,360 --> 00:36:22,321
and she was hired by Johann Sebastian.
712
00:36:25,410 --> 00:36:27,249
But she was far from home.
713
00:36:27,250 --> 00:36:28,283
Where did she live?
714
00:36:30,550 --> 00:36:33,689
She's a young girl come into Kothen.
715
00:36:33,690 --> 00:36:35,859
So, where is she gonna stay?
716
00:36:35,860 --> 00:36:37,819
The logical thing is for her to come in
717
00:36:37,820 --> 00:36:41,901
as a tutor living in a household,
718
00:36:41,902 --> 00:36:44,359
in this case, the Bach household.
719
00:36:44,360 --> 00:36:46,119
To many people, the very idea
720
00:36:46,120 --> 00:36:47,316
that Anna Magdalena lived with
721
00:36:47,317 --> 00:36:49,863
the Bach family is unacceptable.
722
00:36:53,560 --> 00:36:54,939
It went without saying that
723
00:36:54,940 --> 00:36:57,879
within musical families
and among musicians,
724
00:36:57,880 --> 00:37:00,049
a network was always sought to accommodate
725
00:37:00,050 --> 00:37:01,923
musicians who were passing through.
726
00:37:02,870 --> 00:37:04,509
And she was doing precisely that
727
00:37:04,510 --> 00:37:07,089
when she came to Kothen as a singer.
728
00:37:07,090 --> 00:37:08,779
And so, it is entirely possible
729
00:37:08,780 --> 00:37:11,439
that she was a guest of the Bach family,
730
00:37:11,440 --> 00:37:12,549
that she stayed with them,
731
00:37:12,550 --> 00:37:15,519
and that she was part of
the everyday musical life
732
00:37:15,520 --> 00:37:18,233
of the Bach family as a matter of course.
733
00:37:21,760 --> 00:37:23,109
A possible indication
734
00:37:23,110 --> 00:37:25,559
that Anna lived in the Bach family home
735
00:37:25,560 --> 00:37:28,419
is the appearance of Anna's
handwriting in a notebook
736
00:37:28,420 --> 00:37:31,989
for Wilhelm Friedemann, Bach's eldest son.
737
00:37:31,990 --> 00:37:33,863
The first thing I needed to do was
738
00:37:33,864 --> 00:37:35,949
establish whose handwriting was
739
00:37:35,950 --> 00:37:38,349
in the first prelude as it exists
740
00:37:38,350 --> 00:37:39,700
in the Friedemann notebook.
741
00:37:40,700 --> 00:37:45,610
I brought in some examples of
Anna Magdalena's handwriting
742
00:37:46,790 --> 00:37:50,009
and I could see quite
clearly that we had a match.
743
00:37:50,010 --> 00:37:53,795
It appears to be the same
writer, that's very clear.
744
00:37:58,990 --> 00:38:00,309
What is known is that when
745
00:38:00,310 --> 00:38:02,389
she arrived in Kothen she already had
746
00:38:02,390 --> 00:38:05,169
an impressive reputation as a singer.
747
00:38:05,170 --> 00:38:09,023
Anna's status was reflected
in her unusually high salary.
748
00:38:11,200 --> 00:38:12,953
Why was she paid so much money?
749
00:38:14,030 --> 00:38:17,739
She was a 20 year old woman,
only female member of Court,
750
00:38:17,740 --> 00:38:19,903
second most highly paid member of Court,
751
00:38:20,750 --> 00:38:22,609
paid as much as 10 times as much
752
00:38:22,610 --> 00:38:24,449
as any of the other musicians.
753
00:38:24,450 --> 00:38:25,969
Well, clearly she must have been doing
754
00:38:25,970 --> 00:38:29,679
something very special
and it wasn't copying.
755
00:38:29,680 --> 00:38:32,779
Interestingly enough, the
Court records identify
756
00:38:32,780 --> 00:38:35,893
the copyists and Anna Magdalena's
name is not amongst them.
757
00:38:38,000 --> 00:38:40,469
So we know, John, that Anna Magdalena
758
00:38:40,470 --> 00:38:42,563
was paid a large amount of money.
759
00:38:43,660 --> 00:38:45,599
What do you think she
was doing for that money?
760
00:38:45,600 --> 00:38:47,989
I mean, certainly singers
did tend to get paid more.
761
00:38:47,990 --> 00:38:49,759
I mean, that's common in opera
762
00:38:49,760 --> 00:38:51,589
and often they get paid
more than composers.
763
00:38:51,590 --> 00:38:54,059
It might be Bach pulling
a fast one, you know,
764
00:38:54,060 --> 00:38:58,169
but clearly the height of
that salary is indicative
765
00:38:58,170 --> 00:39:00,283
of some level of value and excellence.
766
00:39:07,410 --> 00:39:08,689
Every summer the rich
767
00:39:08,690 --> 00:39:11,049
and famous flocked to the town of Karlsbad
768
00:39:11,050 --> 00:39:14,033
for the spa waters and lavish parties.
769
00:39:14,940 --> 00:39:17,439
Prince Leopold and Kapellmeister Bach
770
00:39:17,440 --> 00:39:21,159
were enthusiastic followers
of this popular tradition.
771
00:39:21,160 --> 00:39:22,929
Whether Bach
was having an affair
772
00:39:22,930 --> 00:39:26,559
with Anna Magdalena is, of
course, completely unknown,
773
00:39:26,560 --> 00:39:30,599
but it does seem to fit the evidence.
774
00:39:30,600 --> 00:39:33,570
Bach goes off to Karlsbad with the Prince
775
00:39:34,450 --> 00:39:35,993
and he takes some musicians.
776
00:39:38,340 --> 00:39:40,659
Classical musicians, let us not forget,
777
00:39:40,660 --> 00:39:42,649
were the pop stars of their time.
778
00:39:42,650 --> 00:39:44,399
They'd be hell-raisers today.
779
00:39:44,400 --> 00:39:46,509
The things that they got
up to in their private life
780
00:39:46,510 --> 00:39:48,679
spilled over into their work life.
781
00:39:48,680 --> 00:39:50,919
A lot of them were rogues.
782
00:39:50,920 --> 00:39:52,499
A lot of them were alcoholics.
783
00:39:52,500 --> 00:39:55,725
A lot of them would be
making the headlines today.
784
00:39:57,940 --> 00:40:00,439
Even today, guests
attend the closing party
785
00:40:00,440 --> 00:40:03,149
of the famous Karlovy Vary Film Festival
786
00:40:03,150 --> 00:40:05,049
in the very same rooms Bach and
787
00:40:05,050 --> 00:40:08,599
his musicians knew almost 300 years ago.
788
00:40:08,600 --> 00:40:10,419
You really would take a singer,
789
00:40:10,420 --> 00:40:13,209
somebody to sing some pretty music
790
00:40:13,210 --> 00:40:15,099
when people are having dinner.
791
00:40:15,100 --> 00:40:18,839
So my conjecture is that Anna Magdalena
792
00:40:18,840 --> 00:40:21,803
accompanied Sebastian on
this trip to Karlsbad.
793
00:40:29,300 --> 00:40:31,329
Clearly, that party atmosphere
794
00:40:31,330 --> 00:40:33,499
would lend itself well to perhaps
795
00:40:33,500 --> 00:40:35,309
some goings-on that might be considered
796
00:40:35,310 --> 00:40:38,857
to be unseemly back in Kothen.
797
00:40:55,216 --> 00:40:56,749
Whatever the
truth of the matter,
798
00:40:56,750 --> 00:40:59,249
Bach returned from Karlsbad to be informed
799
00:40:59,250 --> 00:41:02,289
that his wife was dead and already buried.
800
00:41:02,290 --> 00:41:04,509
The cause of death remains unknown.
801
00:41:04,510 --> 00:41:07,828
She was hastily laid to
rest in an unmarked grave.
802
00:41:09,200 --> 00:41:11,379
Only a commemorative stone exists
803
00:41:11,380 --> 00:41:14,369
in the vast parkland where she was buried
804
00:41:14,370 --> 00:41:17,093
and no one knows exactly
where her body lies.
805
00:41:19,090 --> 00:41:20,949
Not being buried in holy ground
806
00:41:20,950 --> 00:41:23,749
is indeed an indication
that something untoward
807
00:41:23,750 --> 00:41:25,939
may have occurred before death.
808
00:41:25,940 --> 00:41:27,809
But we can go no further than to say
809
00:41:27,810 --> 00:41:30,163
that this remains a question mark for us.
810
00:41:31,470 --> 00:41:33,099
He didn't hear about this,
811
00:41:33,100 --> 00:41:35,379
according to his second eldest son,
812
00:41:35,380 --> 00:41:38,209
Carl Philipp Emanuel, until
he walked through the door.
813
00:41:38,210 --> 00:41:40,659
First of all, it was the middle of summer
814
00:41:40,660 --> 00:41:42,879
so she could have had
a contagious disease.
815
00:41:42,880 --> 00:41:45,869
But the death certificate
doesn't say what she died of.
816
00:41:45,870 --> 00:41:47,169
Bearing in mind that only a couple
817
00:41:47,170 --> 00:41:50,453
of years earlier she'd lost the twins.
818
00:41:51,430 --> 00:41:53,159
I think she was probably very depressed
819
00:41:53,160 --> 00:41:55,169
and may well have been depressed
820
00:41:55,170 --> 00:41:57,589
because Johann Sebastian was showing
821
00:41:57,590 --> 00:41:59,749
an interest in Anna Magdalena.
822
00:41:59,750 --> 00:42:01,883
So, she may well have committed suicide.
823
00:42:04,320 --> 00:42:08,019
17 months later
Bach married Anna Magdalena.
824
00:42:08,020 --> 00:42:09,353
But not in a church.
825
00:42:12,550 --> 00:42:13,869
In general, one can say
826
00:42:13,870 --> 00:42:15,999
that weddings were
subject to a very strict
827
00:42:16,000 --> 00:42:18,469
set of rules, depending on whether it was
828
00:42:18,470 --> 00:42:20,749
the first marriage or the second.
829
00:42:20,750 --> 00:42:23,259
And in that context it
was absolutely normal
830
00:42:23,260 --> 00:42:26,479
for the second marriage not
to be contracted in public,
831
00:42:26,480 --> 00:42:29,359
but rather that it should
be concluded at home.
832
00:42:29,360 --> 00:42:31,229
He was directed, the word is directed,
833
00:42:31,230 --> 00:42:32,879
to get married in his own home.
834
00:42:32,880 --> 00:42:34,369
So what was the reason?
835
00:42:34,370 --> 00:42:35,529
Was it because there was some sort
836
00:42:35,530 --> 00:42:39,093
of social stigma associated
with his relationship with Anna?
837
00:42:41,450 --> 00:42:42,929
Whatever the circumstances,
838
00:42:42,930 --> 00:42:44,519
Bach married a successful,
839
00:42:44,520 --> 00:42:47,659
talented young woman almost half his age.
840
00:42:47,660 --> 00:42:50,729
Life in Kothen seemed
secure, surrounded by love,
841
00:42:50,730 --> 00:42:53,409
promise and creative freedom.
842
00:42:53,410 --> 00:42:56,213
But for Anna did that include composing?
843
00:43:00,301 --> 00:43:02,649
As the wife
of Johann Sebastian Bach,
844
00:43:02,650 --> 00:43:05,389
she holds a thoroughly preeminent position
845
00:43:05,390 --> 00:43:08,373
within this social fabric, namely as wife.
846
00:43:09,240 --> 00:43:11,329
And the functions of husband and wife
847
00:43:11,330 --> 00:43:13,419
are indeed very strictly regulated
848
00:43:13,420 --> 00:43:15,283
in the 18th century family.
849
00:43:16,280 --> 00:43:18,819
The husband is indeed
the head of the family,
850
00:43:18,820 --> 00:43:22,209
but the wife is directly
at his side to the extent
851
00:43:22,210 --> 00:43:25,443
that she may also deputize
for him when he is absent.
852
00:43:31,640 --> 00:43:33,009
It was understood that the whole family
853
00:43:33,010 --> 00:43:36,929
was behind the Kappellmeister
and Anna Magdalena
854
00:43:36,930 --> 00:43:39,309
was absolutely the Kappellmeisterin.
855
00:43:39,310 --> 00:43:42,179
She would have been doing
all the things Bach was
856
00:43:42,180 --> 00:43:44,283
doing and the job included composing.
857
00:43:46,170 --> 00:43:49,043
The partnership was
successful and life was good.
858
00:43:50,650 --> 00:43:53,419
However, a shock was
in store for the Bachs
859
00:43:53,420 --> 00:43:56,029
with the arrival of Fredericka Henrietta,
860
00:43:56,030 --> 00:43:58,579
bride-to-be of Prince Leopold.
861
00:43:58,580 --> 00:44:03,580
She suddenly shuts down
the funding for the Court.
862
00:44:04,010 --> 00:44:05,739
So he then finds himself in the situation
863
00:44:05,740 --> 00:44:08,390
where he's got to look for
employment somewhere else.
864
00:44:10,310 --> 00:44:12,819
Was this because
Princess Frederica Henrietta
865
00:44:12,820 --> 00:44:16,009
disliked music, as Bach concluded,
866
00:44:16,010 --> 00:44:18,329
or was she jealous of
the close relationship
867
00:44:18,330 --> 00:44:20,510
between the Prince and the Kapell?
868
00:44:21,880 --> 00:44:23,739
Martin might surmise
that a whiff of scandal
869
00:44:23,740 --> 00:44:26,639
from Karlsbad was still
hanging in the air.
870
00:44:26,640 --> 00:44:28,069
We'll never know.
871
00:44:28,070 --> 00:44:31,919
Whatever the reason, Bach
applied for the job of Cantor,
872
00:44:31,920 --> 00:44:35,313
teaching Latin at St.
Thomas's School in Leipzig.
873
00:44:36,550 --> 00:44:39,659
The move was probably
not a social disaster
874
00:44:39,660 --> 00:44:41,659
and Bach faced bold new challenges
875
00:44:41,660 --> 00:44:44,639
and a fresh outlet for his creativity.
876
00:44:44,640 --> 00:44:47,483
But for Anna it must
have been heartbreaking.
877
00:44:49,750 --> 00:44:51,419
For his wife it was indeed
878
00:44:51,420 --> 00:44:53,409
a more serious setback, because she was
879
00:44:53,410 --> 00:44:55,723
no longer able to perform in public.
880
00:44:56,880 --> 00:44:59,079
This ruling
against female performers
881
00:44:59,080 --> 00:45:01,679
was specific to Leipzig and must have been
882
00:45:01,680 --> 00:45:04,609
a devastating blow to a
young woman who enjoyed
883
00:45:04,610 --> 00:45:07,999
a prestigious career and
a substantial salary.
884
00:45:08,000 --> 00:45:10,919
And, to add insult to
injury, her husband was not
885
00:45:10,920 --> 00:45:12,968
even first choice for the job.
886
00:45:12,969 --> 00:45:15,053
Not even the
second choice I believe?
887
00:45:15,054 --> 00:45:16,162
Not even the second choice, no, no.
888
00:45:16,163 --> 00:45:18,599
I mean, this is partly to do
with the politics of Leipzig.
889
00:45:18,600 --> 00:45:19,490
Right, yeah.
890
00:45:19,491 --> 00:45:22,046
And what was expected of a cantor.
891
00:45:22,047 --> 00:45:23,729
And one thing that was
expected of a cantor
892
00:45:23,730 --> 00:45:25,479
was that he would play a big role in
893
00:45:25,480 --> 00:45:27,659
the academic Latin teaching of the school.
894
00:45:27,660 --> 00:45:29,859
And his Latin was probably
not particularly good
895
00:45:29,860 --> 00:45:32,299
and he wasn't keen on doing it anyway.
896
00:45:32,300 --> 00:45:35,409
So, therefore, he
appealed more to the party
897
00:45:35,410 --> 00:45:38,399
in the town council that
wanted a star musician.
898
00:45:38,400 --> 00:45:39,989
Now, in this respect, Bach was
899
00:45:39,990 --> 00:45:42,319
a good musician but he was not a star.
900
00:45:42,320 --> 00:45:45,069
In Leipzig he's a teacher at a school.
901
00:45:45,070 --> 00:45:47,959
He's not even really there
as a composer in residence.
902
00:45:47,960 --> 00:45:50,969
He's there to supervise the Latin.
903
00:45:50,970 --> 00:45:52,819
He's doing some music, obviously,
904
00:45:52,820 --> 00:45:54,763
but his principal role really is,
905
00:45:55,850 --> 00:45:58,959
basically, as a housemaster in a school.
906
00:45:58,960 --> 00:45:59,930
How Anna coped with
907
00:45:59,931 --> 00:46:02,739
this upheaval is, of course, unknown.
908
00:46:02,740 --> 00:46:05,469
And one can only speculate
on the family dynamic
909
00:46:05,470 --> 00:46:07,809
between a teenage girl and a stepmother
910
00:46:07,810 --> 00:46:10,163
who was only five years older than her.
911
00:46:12,070 --> 00:46:14,480
The relationship between Anna Magdalena
912
00:46:14,481 --> 00:46:15,639
and Catharina Dorothea must have
913
00:46:15,640 --> 00:46:17,119
been a very interesting one.
914
00:46:17,120 --> 00:46:22,019
A 15 year old girl who's
just lost her own mother
915
00:46:22,020 --> 00:46:23,999
has a stepmother who she now has
916
00:46:24,000 --> 00:46:25,879
to call mother who's five years older.
917
00:46:25,880 --> 00:46:29,369
I think, I don't think human
beings have changed that much.
918
00:46:29,370 --> 00:46:32,227
I think it would be all-out war.
919
00:46:34,290 --> 00:46:37,419
Ultimately, Anna
had 13 children of her own.
920
00:46:37,420 --> 00:46:38,843
Only six survived.
921
00:46:40,350 --> 00:46:44,673
So the key question is, could
Anna have had time to compose?
922
00:46:48,170 --> 00:46:49,379
It goes without saying
923
00:46:49,380 --> 00:46:50,839
that there were servants.
924
00:46:50,840 --> 00:46:53,239
That is, a cantor household had servants
925
00:46:53,240 --> 00:46:56,559
as a matter of course, but
his and her families belonged
926
00:46:56,560 --> 00:46:59,769
to a very extensive
musical family network.
927
00:46:59,770 --> 00:47:02,929
That is, everyone assumed
tasks which were possible
928
00:47:02,930 --> 00:47:06,269
for them to undertake
and which were necessary.
929
00:47:06,270 --> 00:47:09,369
There's been so much said about
930
00:47:09,370 --> 00:47:12,129
how she couldn't have been a composer.
931
00:47:12,130 --> 00:47:13,100
She couldn't have done it
932
00:47:13,101 --> 00:47:15,119
because she had all those children.
933
00:47:15,120 --> 00:47:17,849
Because she wouldn't
have had the education.
934
00:47:17,850 --> 00:47:20,653
Well, all those things have
been knocked on the head.
935
00:47:23,080 --> 00:47:27,949
You mentioned that you improvise
and extemporize yourself.
936
00:47:27,950 --> 00:47:29,557
Do you think there's something
937
00:47:29,558 --> 00:47:31,299
that stops you from being a composer?
938
00:47:31,300 --> 00:47:34,839
I always had music in my
head but I never wrote it down.
939
00:47:34,840 --> 00:47:37,789
If you grow up and you always hear
940
00:47:37,790 --> 00:47:39,589
women cannot do this and this and that,
941
00:47:39,590 --> 00:47:41,159
they can only do this and this and that,
942
00:47:41,160 --> 00:47:43,369
of course you have a mental conditioning
943
00:47:43,370 --> 00:47:45,529
and that creates psychological blocks.
944
00:47:45,530 --> 00:47:49,719
And not every woman is able to get free
945
00:47:49,720 --> 00:47:51,839
from these mental cages, you know.
946
00:47:51,840 --> 00:47:53,759
It's not easy if you have a society
947
00:47:53,760 --> 00:47:55,999
around you which says what you have to do,
948
00:47:56,000 --> 00:47:58,533
what you cannot do and things like this.
949
00:48:04,310 --> 00:48:06,389
Even at the age of only 10,
950
00:48:06,390 --> 00:48:09,163
Alma is feeling the pressure
to make difficult choices.
951
00:48:10,565 --> 00:48:13,139
When I was little then I said I wanted
952
00:48:13,140 --> 00:48:15,169
to play the violin like Perlman
953
00:48:15,170 --> 00:48:19,209
and play the piano like Barenboim
and compose like Mozart.
954
00:48:19,210 --> 00:48:24,210
But now, I realize that I can't
really do all these things.
955
00:48:24,640 --> 00:48:27,249
People say that I will
have to choose later,
956
00:48:27,250 --> 00:48:30,529
when I grow older, between
playing the violin and piano.
957
00:48:30,530 --> 00:48:34,129
And all the pianists say,
"Oh, you must choose piano."
958
00:48:34,130 --> 00:48:36,789
And all the violinists say,
"You must choose violin."
959
00:48:36,790 --> 00:48:39,209
But it's better this way
than the other way round,
960
00:48:39,210 --> 00:48:41,499
if the pianist says,
"You must choose violin."
961
00:48:41,500 --> 00:48:44,499
And the violinists say,
"You must choose piano."
962
00:48:44,500 --> 00:48:46,203
I want to be a woman composer.
963
00:48:48,040 --> 00:48:49,040
Children just hear a piece
964
00:48:49,041 --> 00:48:51,549
and they like it for what it is.
965
00:48:51,550 --> 00:48:53,769
They hear a piece and they want
to know the story behind it.
966
00:48:53,770 --> 00:48:57,429
Classical music is the
key to so many stories
967
00:48:57,430 --> 00:49:00,319
and opening up your imagination.
968
00:49:00,320 --> 00:49:02,599
Suddenly, the purist
police come in and say,
969
00:49:02,600 --> 00:49:04,439
well actually no, this
is what the composer
970
00:49:04,440 --> 00:49:06,649
was trying to say and this
is how he wanted to play it
971
00:49:06,650 --> 00:49:09,152
and these are the rules
and these are more rules
972
00:49:09,153 --> 00:49:11,019
and all the fun comes out of it.
973
00:49:11,020 --> 00:49:12,209
Who cares who wrote it?
974
00:49:12,210 --> 00:49:14,909
It's the fact it was
written in the first place.
975
00:49:14,910 --> 00:49:17,679
It's the fact that when
we hear those notes
976
00:49:17,680 --> 00:49:19,493
do they touch your soul or not?
977
00:49:22,059 --> 00:49:23,759
I started playing the
piano when I was four
978
00:49:23,760 --> 00:49:26,118
and the thing that I do remember about it
979
00:49:26,119 --> 00:49:27,813
is having to sit on a cushion and having
980
00:49:27,814 --> 00:49:29,309
these two little legs just dangling.
981
00:49:29,310 --> 00:49:31,239
It's nice to know who
wrote it but, ultimately,
982
00:49:31,240 --> 00:49:33,309
when you play a piece to a child
983
00:49:33,310 --> 00:49:35,393
and they'll tell you the honest truth.
984
00:49:36,290 --> 00:49:39,069
They just want to know if
they like the piece or not.
985
00:49:39,070 --> 00:49:39,903
It's as simple as that.
986
00:49:39,904 --> 00:49:41,213
It's as black and white as that.
987
00:49:42,580 --> 00:49:45,839
And Tilly Cernitori
wants to be a conductor.
988
00:49:45,840 --> 00:49:48,249
But generally, it seems
to have taken much longer,
989
00:49:48,250 --> 00:49:50,593
in music, for women to emerge.
990
00:49:51,750 --> 00:49:54,019
So, what is it about music that appears
991
00:49:54,020 --> 00:49:56,409
to make it more difficult for women?
992
00:49:56,410 --> 00:50:01,219
I think some men are really
jealous of our creative power
993
00:50:01,220 --> 00:50:05,199
because women already have
creative power in life,
994
00:50:05,200 --> 00:50:08,819
and they kind of feel a bit threatened
995
00:50:08,820 --> 00:50:10,789
if they can create also art.
996
00:50:10,790 --> 00:50:12,508
Even though there are
997
00:50:12,509 --> 00:50:13,669
more women now coming into music,
998
00:50:13,670 --> 00:50:17,282
as performers, there are
still very few composers.
999
00:50:17,283 --> 00:50:19,719
I just don't know why that is.
1000
00:50:19,720 --> 00:50:23,019
I think it's the whole
psychological conditioning.
1001
00:50:23,020 --> 00:50:27,089
Because I have been prevented
also to be a conductor.
1002
00:50:27,090 --> 00:50:30,079
People always said no, you are
a girl, you cannot conduct.
1003
00:50:30,080 --> 00:50:32,119
And then I see great women conductors,
1004
00:50:32,120 --> 00:50:35,209
so you just stand up
and say I'm gonna do it.
1005
00:50:35,210 --> 00:50:37,089
You can't write women out of history,
1006
00:50:37,090 --> 00:50:39,505
ultimately, we just won't let it happen.
1007
00:50:40,338 --> 00:50:41,477
It's just not gonna happen.
1008
00:50:43,383 --> 00:50:44,849
Of one thing there's no doubt:
1009
00:50:44,850 --> 00:50:47,609
the Leipzig years produced
a prolific upsurge
1010
00:50:47,610 --> 00:50:50,173
of music in the Bach household.
1011
00:50:54,690 --> 00:50:56,779
The money comes into the same coffers.
1012
00:50:56,780 --> 00:51:00,399
I think that's the case
with a family team.
1013
00:51:00,400 --> 00:51:03,410
That you might work on something together
1014
00:51:04,320 --> 00:51:08,159
and you might not really mind
very much about the ownership
1015
00:51:08,160 --> 00:51:11,259
of it as long as the money's coming in.
1016
00:51:11,260 --> 00:51:12,319
It's so much to do with that.
1017
00:51:12,320 --> 00:51:13,720
It's about making ends meet.
1018
00:51:14,630 --> 00:51:16,879
So, Johann Sebastian was, effectively,
1019
00:51:16,880 --> 00:51:19,993
the managing director of
the Bach family business.
1020
00:51:22,840 --> 00:51:24,969
Is it really team composing now?
1021
00:51:24,970 --> 00:51:26,359
She's composing it.
1022
00:51:26,360 --> 00:51:27,320
He's polishing it.
1023
00:51:27,321 --> 00:51:29,593
They're producing the
final result together.
1024
00:51:37,570 --> 00:51:39,869
If you knew that the person behind
1025
00:51:39,870 --> 00:51:43,559
these pieces had to write, or hide rather,
1026
00:51:43,560 --> 00:51:47,209
under this cloak because it
wouldn't have been accepted.
1027
00:51:47,210 --> 00:51:49,739
That, to me, adds another
layer to the story.
1028
00:51:49,740 --> 00:51:51,629
For her to be writing and assisting him
1029
00:51:51,630 --> 00:51:53,829
and maybe even the fact that we have
1030
00:51:53,830 --> 00:51:56,080
to recognize he was
treating her as an equal,
1031
00:51:57,150 --> 00:52:00,529
trusting her with these
pieces, at that level.
1032
00:52:00,530 --> 00:52:02,649
I think that's one of the greatest musical
1033
00:52:02,650 --> 00:52:04,173
and love stories ever told.
1034
00:52:07,230 --> 00:52:09,139
If Anna
Magdalena was alive today
1035
00:52:09,140 --> 00:52:11,439
she would certainly have
relished the opportunity
1036
00:52:11,440 --> 00:52:13,773
to perform in this iconic building.
1037
00:52:15,110 --> 00:52:17,349
Nobody knows who wrote the beautiful theme
1038
00:52:17,350 --> 00:52:19,573
of the famous Goldberg Variations.
1039
00:52:20,480 --> 00:52:22,689
But the original is in Anna's hand.
1040
00:52:22,690 --> 00:52:26,359
The aria on which the
Goldberg Variations is based,
1041
00:52:26,360 --> 00:52:27,910
I think it's by Anna Magdalena.
1042
00:52:29,340 --> 00:52:31,489
She's written herself a little tune.
1043
00:52:31,490 --> 00:52:35,189
So he takes that tune and
writes the variations for it.
1044
00:52:35,190 --> 00:52:38,579
He starts with the aria
and finishes with the aria.
1045
00:52:38,580 --> 00:52:41,133
This is, to my knowledge, unique.
1046
00:52:43,030 --> 00:52:46,369
Bach as a composer,
to my way of thinking,
1047
00:52:46,370 --> 00:52:48,779
is more an attitude towards music
1048
00:52:48,780 --> 00:52:50,979
and towards music that pre-exists.
1049
00:52:50,980 --> 00:52:53,359
So, from that point of view,
it doesn't actually matter,
1050
00:52:53,360 --> 00:52:54,519
as far as Bach's concerned,
1051
00:52:54,520 --> 00:52:57,020
whether the aria's written
by him or someone else.
1052
00:52:58,880 --> 00:53:01,363
Music is people speaking to people.
1053
00:53:02,910 --> 00:53:05,339
I think, irrespective of if it's
1054
00:53:05,340 --> 00:53:06,749
a man that's written it or a woman
1055
00:53:06,750 --> 00:53:09,329
that's written it, that shouldn't matter.
1056
00:53:09,330 --> 00:53:14,330
However, it does,
because people have known
1057
00:53:14,340 --> 00:53:17,709
that they've been speaking
to Bach all this time.
1058
00:53:17,710 --> 00:53:20,299
And it's like someone sort of
just pulled out the jack lead,
1059
00:53:20,300 --> 00:53:22,779
pulled out the line and said,
actually hold the line caller,
1060
00:53:22,780 --> 00:53:25,080
you're actually speaking
to this lady instead.
1061
00:53:27,040 --> 00:53:29,789
In spite of all
the positive corroboration,
1062
00:53:29,790 --> 00:53:32,259
Martin wanted me to talk to
someone who was skeptical
1063
00:53:32,260 --> 00:53:34,609
about his findings and suggested I meet
1064
00:53:34,610 --> 00:53:37,749
Bach expert Ruth Tatlow in Leipzig.
1065
00:53:37,750 --> 00:53:40,299
So, is there anything to
say that Anna Magdalena
1066
00:53:40,300 --> 00:53:42,259
actually could have been a composer?
1067
00:53:42,260 --> 00:53:44,019
I suppose she may have written an aria
1068
00:53:44,020 --> 00:53:48,663
and Bach just chose to
write the variations on it.
1069
00:53:50,090 --> 00:53:51,899
It's a very four square.
1070
00:53:51,900 --> 00:53:54,629
I mean, it's a total rigid binary form,
1071
00:53:54,630 --> 00:53:57,179
so you could say it is very simple.
1072
00:53:57,180 --> 00:53:58,419
What makes us think that because
1073
00:53:58,420 --> 00:54:01,329
it's simple it might be by a woman?
1074
00:54:01,330 --> 00:54:03,459
If she was an apprentice composer,
1075
00:54:03,460 --> 00:54:05,459
she was learning the skills.
1076
00:54:05,460 --> 00:54:09,009
This is more of the style of piece
1077
00:54:09,010 --> 00:54:11,092
that she could have composed.
1078
00:54:13,400 --> 00:54:15,859
But the Cello
Suites are much more complex
1079
00:54:15,860 --> 00:54:18,579
than the theme to the Goldberg Variations.
1080
00:54:18,580 --> 00:54:21,339
It's Martin's assertion that
they were written by Anna
1081
00:54:21,340 --> 00:54:23,679
that has caused the most controversy.
1082
00:54:23,680 --> 00:54:25,099
I most certainly can put my hand on
1083
00:54:25,100 --> 00:54:29,279
my heart and say that Anna
Magdalena was the composer.
1084
00:54:29,280 --> 00:54:32,229
Mostly of the Cello Suites, right.
1085
00:54:32,230 --> 00:54:34,539
She's the principal composer.
1086
00:54:34,540 --> 00:54:37,549
I do believe that Johann
Sebastian had some input.
1087
00:54:37,550 --> 00:54:39,050
The Cello Suites are
1088
00:54:40,160 --> 00:54:42,009
they're more intimate, they're in a way
1089
00:54:42,010 --> 00:54:44,719
more inward than the Violin Partitas,
1090
00:54:44,720 --> 00:54:46,659
for instance, which are very virtuosic
1091
00:54:46,660 --> 00:54:49,199
and they're performance pieces.
1092
00:54:49,200 --> 00:54:50,929
So, it's not showing off.
1093
00:54:50,930 --> 00:54:53,799
It's not pushing the
technique to the limits,
1094
00:54:53,800 --> 00:54:56,239
but it's just really exploring
1095
00:54:56,240 --> 00:54:57,819
the strengths of the instrument.
1096
00:54:57,820 --> 00:54:59,429
The question of the Cello
Suites is a difficult one.
1097
00:54:59,430 --> 00:55:02,441
I don't have any problem at
all with them being by Bach.
1098
00:55:02,442 --> 00:55:04,039
They seem to me perfectly within
1099
00:55:04,040 --> 00:55:07,489
the general spectrum of which Bach works.
1100
00:55:07,490 --> 00:55:10,259
But, with that proviso in mind,
1101
00:55:10,260 --> 00:55:12,475
there's not much we know about them.
1102
00:55:12,476 --> 00:55:13,609
And I think part of the problem with
1103
00:55:13,610 --> 00:55:15,959
the Cello Suites is
actually the instrument.
1104
00:55:15,960 --> 00:55:17,899
We literally don't know
what the instrument was.
1105
00:55:17,900 --> 00:55:19,639
There's a huge theory at the moment
1106
00:55:19,640 --> 00:55:22,198
that the Cello Suites
might have been designed
1107
00:55:22,199 --> 00:55:25,623
played like a huge violin.
1108
00:55:26,460 --> 00:55:28,879
So the cello was not a fixed instrument.
1109
00:55:28,880 --> 00:55:32,059
And there's virtually no precedent
1110
00:55:32,060 --> 00:55:33,999
for unaccompanied music for cello.
1111
00:55:34,000 --> 00:55:36,629
I think there's tremendous
value in this research
1112
00:55:36,630 --> 00:55:38,939
because there's absolutely no reason
1113
00:55:38,940 --> 00:55:42,209
to believe that there
weren't women composing.
1114
00:55:42,210 --> 00:55:44,089
And the question is,
what happened to them?
1115
00:55:44,090 --> 00:55:45,609
What happened to their music?
1116
00:55:45,610 --> 00:55:47,629
And I think it's absolutely believable
1117
00:55:47,630 --> 00:55:50,483
that a lot of them published
under their husbands' names.
1118
00:55:51,660 --> 00:55:54,029
One piece of documentary
evidence did appear
1119
00:55:54,030 --> 00:55:56,529
to support Anna as a composer.
1120
00:55:56,530 --> 00:55:59,869
Bach family friend, Heinrich
Ludwig Schwanenberger,
1121
00:55:59,870 --> 00:56:02,629
had added a credit to
Anna on the front cover
1122
00:56:02,630 --> 00:56:06,139
of her personal beautifully
handwritten manuscript.
1123
00:56:06,140 --> 00:56:08,299
It seemed unambiguous.
1124
00:56:08,300 --> 00:56:13,094
So given that there's no
original manuscript of Bach,
1125
00:56:13,095 --> 00:56:18,095
and one of the main sources is
Anna Magdalena's manuscript,
1126
00:56:18,865 --> 00:56:21,429
is there anything to
suggest that she might
1127
00:56:21,430 --> 00:56:23,719
actually have been the composer?
1128
00:56:23,720 --> 00:56:25,429
I would say no, there isn't.
1129
00:56:25,430 --> 00:56:28,119
But I've taken Martin Jarvis's evidence
1130
00:56:28,120 --> 00:56:30,339
very seriously and I've followed it up.
1131
00:56:30,340 --> 00:56:32,289
His argument for Anna Magdalena as
1132
00:56:32,290 --> 00:56:36,889
the composer hangs on one
small piece of evidence,
1133
00:56:36,890 --> 00:56:39,349
which is at the bottom of the title page.
1134
00:56:39,350 --> 00:56:44,209
It says, ecrite par
Madame Bach son epouse.
1135
00:56:44,210 --> 00:56:47,299
And Martin Jarvis takes this to mean
1136
00:56:47,300 --> 00:56:50,749
that Anna Magdalena was the composer.
1137
00:56:50,750 --> 00:56:54,009
But, he actually failed
to emphasize the fact
1138
00:56:54,010 --> 00:56:56,399
that on the title page it also said,
1139
00:56:56,400 --> 00:56:58,444
in Schwanenberger's handwriting,
1140
00:56:58,445 --> 00:57:02,597
composee par Johann Sebastian
Bach or J.S. Bach, twice.
1141
00:57:03,830 --> 00:57:07,149
We have to consider why
Schwanenberger wrote those words.
1142
00:57:07,150 --> 00:57:08,929
What was he trying to tell us?
1143
00:57:08,930 --> 00:57:11,129
Was he trying to tell
us that he was grateful
1144
00:57:11,130 --> 00:57:13,469
for Anna Magdalena copying them?
1145
00:57:13,470 --> 00:57:15,459
Well, I don't think so.
1146
00:57:15,460 --> 00:57:17,439
Why would he do such a thing?
1147
00:57:17,440 --> 00:57:19,853
Now, in fact, I did a little experiment.
1148
00:57:20,704 --> 00:57:23,779
I looked up in Christian Ludwig's
1149
00:57:23,780 --> 00:57:26,129
English-German-French dictionary published
1150
00:57:26,130 --> 00:57:29,959
in 1706 and I looked up three words.
1151
00:57:29,960 --> 00:57:34,960
I looked up compose, copy,
and I looked up the word write
1152
00:57:35,640 --> 00:57:39,139
to see which of these
words came up as ecrirer.
1153
00:57:39,140 --> 00:57:42,029
So these are the results that,
1154
00:57:42,030 --> 00:57:44,169
it is not given, the word ecrite,
1155
00:57:44,170 --> 00:57:48,789
is not given as a synonym
for compose in any respect.
1156
00:57:48,790 --> 00:57:53,469
The word ecrite is not given
as a synonym for copy either.
1157
00:57:53,470 --> 00:57:55,989
The word ecrite is given as a synonym
1158
00:57:55,990 --> 00:58:00,901
for the physical act of writing
by hand or transcribing.
1159
00:58:00,902 --> 00:58:05,609
And Martin's argument
lies in the word ecrite,
1160
00:58:05,610 --> 00:58:08,279
which he says has a dual meaning
1161
00:58:08,280 --> 00:58:12,109
of both composed by
and physically written.
1162
00:58:12,110 --> 00:58:15,609
His support for this
is a modern dictionary
1163
00:58:15,610 --> 00:58:17,759
and this points to the
fact that there are some
1164
00:58:17,760 --> 00:58:21,869
methodological flaws in his
approach, unfortunately.
1165
00:58:21,870 --> 00:58:24,169
The fact of the matter is
that manuscript describes
1166
00:58:24,170 --> 00:58:27,709
Bach as the composee, the
person who put it together.
1167
00:58:27,710 --> 00:58:32,702
Composee means to put together,
not to compose the music.
1168
00:58:32,703 --> 00:58:35,239
Ecrit is the verb that I understand,
1169
00:58:35,240 --> 00:58:37,029
from the Paris Conservatoire,
1170
00:58:37,030 --> 00:58:39,839
was the verb used to
describe the composer.
1171
00:58:39,840 --> 00:58:41,119
If people don't want to believe,
1172
00:58:41,120 --> 00:58:43,001
if they don't want to get on board
1173
00:58:43,002 --> 00:58:45,619
because it suits their
purpose not to get on board,
1174
00:58:45,620 --> 00:58:48,094
well, that tells you everything
you need to know already.
1175
00:58:48,095 --> 00:58:49,369
It tells you the uphill
struggle that Mrs. Bach
1176
00:58:49,370 --> 00:58:51,079
would have had and why she wrote,
1177
00:58:51,080 --> 00:58:55,239
or didn't write, in such a public arena.
1178
00:58:55,240 --> 00:58:58,509
Because, even now,
centuries down the line,
1179
00:58:58,510 --> 00:59:00,539
people still won't accept it.
1180
00:59:00,540 --> 00:59:02,409
In any event,
surely it would have
1181
00:59:02,410 --> 00:59:05,639
been remarkable for anyone
other than Johann Sebastian
1182
00:59:05,640 --> 00:59:08,079
to have been credited on the cover page.
1183
00:59:08,080 --> 00:59:10,949
After all, he was the Kappelmeister, and,
1184
00:59:10,950 --> 00:59:14,169
in those days all music came from God.
1185
00:59:14,170 --> 00:59:15,759
We don't think twice now when you see
1186
00:59:15,760 --> 00:59:18,439
these massive factories,
and that's the only way
1187
00:59:18,440 --> 00:59:20,219
you can actually describe them,
1188
00:59:20,220 --> 00:59:22,809
of film composers who are putting
1189
00:59:22,810 --> 00:59:25,289
out score after score after score.
1190
00:59:25,290 --> 00:59:27,259
Why wouldn't it be possible that
1191
00:59:27,260 --> 00:59:28,749
somebody else is helping copywrite?
1192
00:59:28,750 --> 00:59:31,119
In fact, I don't think it
can be anything but possible
1193
00:59:31,120 --> 00:59:33,607
that someone else is helping to copy-write
1194
00:59:33,608 --> 00:59:35,539
these pieces or helping
to additionally write.
1195
00:59:35,540 --> 00:59:39,649
And yet, the fact that it's a
woman just changes everything.
1196
00:59:39,650 --> 00:59:41,729
But a question mark still exists
1197
00:59:41,730 --> 00:59:44,819
over the words, written by Mrs. Bach.
1198
00:59:44,820 --> 00:59:49,259
The Cover Page shows two
parts, or pars, in Latin,
1199
00:59:49,260 --> 00:59:50,919
and Shwanenberger's note is added
1200
00:59:50,920 --> 00:59:53,489
to the second part, the Cello Suites.
1201
00:59:53,490 --> 00:59:58,179
Also, according to the French
Academy Dictionary of 1694,
1202
00:59:58,180 --> 01:00:01,409
the word ecrire figuratively means
1203
01:00:01,410 --> 01:00:03,443
composing a spiritual work.
1204
01:00:04,380 --> 01:00:08,599
Figuratively is derived from
the Latin word figurare,
1205
01:00:08,600 --> 01:00:11,349
which means to form or fashion.
1206
01:00:11,350 --> 01:00:13,819
So, go figure!
1207
01:00:13,820 --> 01:00:16,069
Why do you think there
are so many mistakes
1208
01:00:16,070 --> 01:00:18,399
in Anna Magdalena's manuscript?
1209
01:00:18,400 --> 01:00:21,079
She's not very accurate,
1210
01:00:21,080 --> 01:00:24,179
especially in slurs and articulations.
1211
01:00:24,180 --> 01:00:26,889
She's very, I would say, enthusiastic.
1212
01:00:26,890 --> 01:00:31,313
She doesn't seem to care too
much about those little things.
1213
01:00:45,030 --> 01:00:47,479
I find that young
composers very often forget
1214
01:00:47,480 --> 01:00:49,899
to put the details into their scores.
1215
01:00:49,900 --> 01:00:52,249
For instance, whether a
note is slurred or short,
1216
01:00:52,250 --> 01:00:55,519
because they hear it so
clearly in their own head.
1217
01:00:55,520 --> 01:00:58,029
So, could Anna Magdalena
have made this fair copy
1218
01:00:58,030 --> 01:01:00,863
of the Cello Suites from
her own draft manuscript?
1219
01:01:05,460 --> 01:01:08,719
I find that there is
a different substance,
1220
01:01:08,720 --> 01:01:11,929
musical substance in the Suites
1221
01:01:11,930 --> 01:01:14,859
than in the Sonatas and Partitas.
1222
01:01:14,860 --> 01:01:16,963
For that reason I say, hmm, why not?
1223
01:01:19,870 --> 01:01:21,549
It's actually called ornamentation.
1224
01:01:21,550 --> 01:01:24,663
It's a Baroque practice which
was very common at the time.
1225
01:01:25,810 --> 01:01:28,399
I learned it actually
with my recorder studies,
1226
01:01:28,400 --> 01:01:31,719
but I have never seen
applied to the Cello Suites.
1227
01:01:31,720 --> 01:01:35,233
I think it's very much
in the style of the time.
1228
01:01:37,070 --> 01:01:42,070
I always felt that the suites
need more interpretation,
1229
01:01:43,530 --> 01:01:48,530
or interpreting decisions,
than Sonatas and Partitas.
1230
01:01:49,330 --> 01:01:52,179
When I read the book, I had the feeling
1231
01:01:52,180 --> 01:01:54,859
that something had a resonance in myself.
1232
01:01:54,860 --> 01:01:57,179
So there was
something that rang true
1233
01:01:57,180 --> 01:01:59,719
in Martin's book that
made you think, well.
1234
01:01:59,720 --> 01:02:04,043
Yes, exactly, made me
think exactly, well, why not?
1235
01:02:10,715 --> 01:02:12,099
But what was Heidi Harralson's
1236
01:02:12,100 --> 01:02:15,999
professional opinion, based
solely on her interpretation
1237
01:02:16,000 --> 01:02:18,979
of handwriting on the Cello Suites?
1238
01:02:18,980 --> 01:02:20,488
Do you think that there's
1239
01:02:20,489 --> 01:02:22,059
enough evidence to support the hypothesis
1240
01:02:22,060 --> 01:02:24,223
that Anna Magdalena was the composer?
1241
01:02:25,060 --> 01:02:27,679
Based upon my examination
of the Cello Suites
1242
01:02:27,680 --> 01:02:30,989
I would conclude that Anna Magdalena
1243
01:02:30,990 --> 01:02:32,969
can be identified as the author.
1244
01:02:32,970 --> 01:02:35,369
And I would eliminate
Johann Sebastian Bach
1245
01:02:35,370 --> 01:02:38,253
as the author of the Cello Suites.
1246
01:02:39,220 --> 01:02:40,919
To take the tooth
fairy away from so many
1247
01:02:40,920 --> 01:02:45,324
of these respected, esteemed
professors and purists,
1248
01:02:45,325 --> 01:02:48,019
you're rocking their very foundations.
1249
01:02:48,020 --> 01:02:49,729
And I don't even think it's their fault.
1250
01:02:49,730 --> 01:02:52,919
They can't believe.
1251
01:02:52,920 --> 01:02:55,489
It's not even they don't
want to, they just can't,
1252
01:02:55,490 --> 01:02:57,629
because you're basically telling them
1253
01:02:57,630 --> 01:02:59,803
that black is white, that night is day.
1254
01:03:01,100 --> 01:03:04,349
Martin also had
questions over Bach's eyesight.
1255
01:03:04,350 --> 01:03:07,179
The Centre for Anatomy
and Human Identification
1256
01:03:07,180 --> 01:03:09,539
in Dundee, Scotland is renowned
1257
01:03:09,540 --> 01:03:14,289
for identifying war victims
and recreating famous faces.
1258
01:03:14,290 --> 01:03:17,699
Forensic anthropologist,
Dr. Caroline Wilkinson,
1259
01:03:17,700 --> 01:03:19,809
took on the challenge of re-creating
1260
01:03:19,810 --> 01:03:22,559
the head of Johann Sebastian Bach.
1261
01:03:22,560 --> 01:03:24,939
The original is in the sarcophagus.
1262
01:03:24,940 --> 01:03:27,739
All we had was the cast that was made
1263
01:03:27,740 --> 01:03:29,999
and we made a copy of that.
1264
01:03:30,000 --> 01:03:33,449
We used the skull from
when it was exhumed.
1265
01:03:33,450 --> 01:03:35,309
The process that we use is anatomical,
1266
01:03:35,310 --> 01:03:38,059
so we build the muscles
of the face directly
1267
01:03:38,060 --> 01:03:39,999
onto the skull, using the shape
1268
01:03:40,000 --> 01:03:41,839
and proportions of the skull to tell us
1269
01:03:41,840 --> 01:03:44,269
about the shape and size of the muscles.
1270
01:03:44,270 --> 01:03:48,303
Then we build the features
based on anatomical standards.
1271
01:03:49,200 --> 01:03:51,819
So, the nasal aperture
tells us about the nose.
1272
01:03:51,820 --> 01:03:54,549
The teeth tell us about the lips.
1273
01:03:54,550 --> 01:03:56,549
The orbits tell us about the eyes.
1274
01:03:56,550 --> 01:03:59,769
Once we have the finished
shape of his head,
1275
01:03:59,770 --> 01:04:01,579
that's then given to our animator
1276
01:04:01,580 --> 01:04:04,229
who puts the textures and
skin color and eye color
1277
01:04:04,230 --> 01:04:07,333
and hair et cetera, onto the animation.
1278
01:04:08,170 --> 01:04:10,189
So, what were
the important clues
1279
01:04:10,190 --> 01:04:12,699
about Johann Sebastian's lifestyle,
1280
01:04:12,700 --> 01:04:15,199
and critically, his eyesight?
1281
01:04:15,200 --> 01:04:16,699
There's nothing about his face
1282
01:04:16,700 --> 01:04:19,059
that tells us about his personality.
1283
01:04:19,060 --> 01:04:20,259
But there are a number of things
1284
01:04:20,260 --> 01:04:21,739
that tell us about his life.
1285
01:04:21,740 --> 01:04:24,169
So, for example, we know that he had quite
1286
01:04:24,170 --> 01:04:27,449
swollen eyelids and had a
lot of surgery on his eyes,
1287
01:04:27,450 --> 01:04:29,909
which probably contributed to his death.
1288
01:04:29,910 --> 01:04:32,809
And also, his age and the
weight he was carrying.
1289
01:04:32,810 --> 01:04:34,529
All of those things
will have had an effect
1290
01:04:34,530 --> 01:04:37,030
on his appearance and how
other people judged him.
1291
01:04:37,930 --> 01:04:40,119
Bach's eyesight was deteriorating
1292
01:04:40,120 --> 01:04:43,029
from quite a young age, actually.
1293
01:04:43,030 --> 01:04:48,030
And certainly, by 1740, his
sight was getting very bad.
1294
01:04:48,330 --> 01:04:50,653
So somebody else was writing the music.
1295
01:04:51,550 --> 01:04:54,269
I think that the pain
that he will have suffered
1296
01:04:54,270 --> 01:04:56,169
with his eyes must have been significant.
1297
01:04:56,170 --> 01:04:58,979
So that would have had an
effect on him emotionally
1298
01:04:58,980 --> 01:05:01,349
and may have affected his
musical ability as well,
1299
01:05:01,350 --> 01:05:04,156
if he wasn't able to see as
well as he could have done.
1300
01:05:05,760 --> 01:05:07,799
Anna may have copied this work,
1301
01:05:07,800 --> 01:05:10,309
the Credo from the B-Minor Mass.
1302
01:05:10,310 --> 01:05:12,149
This complex music appears to be
1303
01:05:12,150 --> 01:05:15,799
in her hand when Bach was virtually blind.
1304
01:05:15,800 --> 01:05:17,919
Did he dictate it to her?
1305
01:05:17,920 --> 01:05:19,913
Or what, exactly, was her role?
1306
01:05:21,020 --> 01:05:23,279
Taking music from
dictation also requires
1307
01:05:23,280 --> 01:05:26,059
somebody of a very high musical skill.
1308
01:05:26,060 --> 01:05:27,760
If you're going to take music down
1309
01:05:28,920 --> 01:05:33,920
without any errors then you are likely
1310
01:05:34,080 --> 01:05:35,649
to be sufficiently skilled to write
1311
01:05:35,650 --> 01:05:37,089
the stuff yourself, of course.
1312
01:05:37,090 --> 01:05:38,239
That's the point.
1313
01:05:38,240 --> 01:05:40,993
If she had time to copy
she had time to compose.
1314
01:05:42,660 --> 01:05:44,569
And now things really shift.
1315
01:05:44,570 --> 01:05:48,259
Heidi even questions the
authenticity of Bach's signature,
1316
01:05:48,260 --> 01:05:51,938
let alone the precision required
to put notes onto a page.
1317
01:05:51,939 --> 01:05:54,189
It would help us to learn more about
1318
01:05:54,190 --> 01:05:55,879
the actual movement of the writing.
1319
01:05:55,880 --> 01:05:59,369
We can trace these signatures
on a digital tablet
1320
01:05:59,370 --> 01:06:01,649
to understand kinematic handwriting
1321
01:06:01,650 --> 01:06:05,309
motor movement in greater detail.
1322
01:06:05,310 --> 01:06:07,429
What we can immediately see is that
1323
01:06:07,430 --> 01:06:10,609
the 1720 signature appears to be
1324
01:06:10,610 --> 01:06:12,329
more fluently written in the sense
1325
01:06:12,330 --> 01:06:14,275
that there's more connecting strokes.
1326
01:06:14,276 --> 01:06:15,109
Yeah, yeah.
1327
01:06:15,110 --> 01:06:16,689
I would even say, as I was writing it,
1328
01:06:16,690 --> 01:06:19,599
it actually felt like a cursive signature,
1329
01:06:19,600 --> 01:06:24,600
a formal cursive signature
with a great deal of fluency.
1330
01:06:24,810 --> 01:06:28,889
What I found interesting
about the 1748 signature,
1331
01:06:28,890 --> 01:06:32,009
Bach was effectively blind.
1332
01:06:32,010 --> 01:06:35,169
I highly question the
ability for a blind person
1333
01:06:35,170 --> 01:06:38,459
to be able to write this fluently.
1334
01:06:38,460 --> 01:06:41,899
In studies about
blindness and handwriting,
1335
01:06:41,900 --> 01:06:45,049
what we have found is
that people who are blind
1336
01:06:45,050 --> 01:06:48,459
cannot maintain an alignment
on their signature base line
1337
01:06:48,460 --> 01:06:50,809
and this signature is quite aligned.
1338
01:06:50,810 --> 01:06:54,442
There's also problems
with size and proportions.
1339
01:06:54,443 --> 01:06:56,409
Even the spacing between letters
1340
01:06:56,410 --> 01:06:59,229
and this is spaced very well.
1341
01:06:59,230 --> 01:07:03,969
In fact, the manual control
required to effectively print
1342
01:07:03,970 --> 01:07:07,933
this name in some form of
calligraphy is quite high.
1343
01:07:08,780 --> 01:07:10,789
I think there would be a correlation
1344
01:07:10,790 --> 01:07:12,989
between the inability
to write one's signature
1345
01:07:12,990 --> 01:07:14,869
and to write music
calligraphy because writing
1346
01:07:14,870 --> 01:07:17,779
one's signature is actually
an easier activity.
1347
01:07:17,780 --> 01:07:22,129
So, if Bach was not able
to sign his signature
1348
01:07:22,130 --> 01:07:25,199
in the late 1740's I
think it's highly unlikely
1349
01:07:25,200 --> 01:07:27,493
he could write music calligraphy either.
1350
01:07:28,580 --> 01:07:32,199
In the late 1740's,
Bach's existing myopia
1351
01:07:32,200 --> 01:07:35,543
was considerably worsened by
the development of cataracts.
1352
01:07:36,450 --> 01:07:39,179
And working in poor light,
or even by candlelight,
1353
01:07:39,180 --> 01:07:40,559
could have affected his ability
1354
01:07:40,560 --> 01:07:42,993
to notate music quite seriously.
1355
01:07:44,370 --> 01:07:46,419
Martin had already looked into blindness
1356
01:07:46,420 --> 01:07:49,009
and calligraphy and decided to consult
1357
01:07:49,010 --> 01:07:52,099
his optometrist
brother-in-law, Melvyn Kaufman
1358
01:07:52,100 --> 01:07:54,997
and Martin's musician sister, Clare.
1359
01:07:54,998 --> 01:07:58,769
Bach and, I have to
say the City Council,
1360
01:07:58,770 --> 01:08:02,419
were very worried that as Bach's eyesight
1361
01:08:02,420 --> 01:08:06,689
was getting worse it was
going to impact on them,
1362
01:08:06,690 --> 01:08:09,319
because he wouldn't be
able to write as much.
1363
01:08:09,320 --> 01:08:14,219
So, in 1749,
1364
01:08:14,220 --> 01:08:17,249
he was persuaded to actually have
1365
01:08:17,250 --> 01:08:20,799
the operation done by Dr. John Taylor.
1366
01:08:20,800 --> 01:08:23,989
Today, Taylor is
recognized as a quack doctor:
1367
01:08:23,990 --> 01:08:28,839
a charlatan whose operations
and purgatives often failed.
1368
01:08:28,840 --> 01:08:32,719
He submitted himself
to a couching operation,
1369
01:08:32,720 --> 01:08:35,299
which was quite horrendous, really.
1370
01:08:35,300 --> 01:08:38,149
What they did was they sat people,
1371
01:08:38,150 --> 01:08:41,219
on a chair and someone would actually
1372
01:08:41,220 --> 01:08:43,479
put their arms round them to hold them
1373
01:08:43,480 --> 01:08:47,289
in place so that they couldn't move.
1374
01:08:47,290 --> 01:08:49,949
Remember that we're talking, in Europe,
1375
01:08:49,950 --> 01:08:54,950
pre-anesthesia,
pre-antiseptic, pre-antibiotic.
1376
01:08:56,550 --> 01:09:01,550
So, what Dr. John Taylor did
was to get a very sharp needle
1377
01:09:02,610 --> 01:09:05,799
and to very quickly put the needle
1378
01:09:05,800 --> 01:09:10,529
into the eye to knock the lens backwards.
1379
01:09:10,530 --> 01:09:15,479
He decided after seven days
to do another operation
1380
01:09:15,480 --> 01:09:17,889
because the first operation seemed to work
1381
01:09:17,890 --> 01:09:21,479
for a day or two, but
then it wasn't any good.
1382
01:09:21,480 --> 01:09:24,489
So, he operated on Bach's second eye
1383
01:09:24,490 --> 01:09:27,003
and then that was catastrophic for Bach.
1384
01:09:33,210 --> 01:09:36,149
After Bach's death in 1750,
1385
01:09:36,150 --> 01:09:40,869
his elder sons moved on, both
musically and geographically.
1386
01:09:40,870 --> 01:09:42,819
They abandoned Anna Magdalena,
1387
01:09:42,820 --> 01:09:45,799
leaving her to survive
on City Council handouts
1388
01:09:45,800 --> 01:09:46,893
until she died.
1389
01:09:48,130 --> 01:09:51,729
Anna died on February 27th, 1760
1390
01:09:51,730 --> 01:09:54,433
and was buried in St.
John's church in Leipzig.
1391
01:09:55,800 --> 01:09:59,379
The entry in the City
Register of Deaths reads:
1392
01:09:59,380 --> 01:10:02,529
a mendicant woman from the Haynstrasse,
1393
01:10:02,530 --> 01:10:06,619
aged 59 years, Anna
Magdalena, nee Wilcken,
1394
01:10:06,620 --> 01:10:09,689
widow of Mr. Johann Sebastian Bach,
1395
01:10:09,690 --> 01:10:12,043
Cantor of the St. Thomas School.
1396
01:10:16,590 --> 01:10:19,959
So, what actually did
happen after Anna's death?
1397
01:10:19,960 --> 01:10:23,649
The elder sons achieved
great success as musicians
1398
01:10:23,650 --> 01:10:25,963
and publicly lauded their great father.
1399
01:10:26,910 --> 01:10:30,359
But stepmother Anna is never referred to.
1400
01:10:30,360 --> 01:10:33,359
Most mysterious of all is
that all of Bach's letters
1401
01:10:33,360 --> 01:10:37,869
and letters to Anna
Magdalena all vanished.
1402
01:10:39,550 --> 01:10:41,959
The day books all vanished, as well.
1403
01:10:41,960 --> 01:10:44,579
Of course, paperwork
often gets thrown out.
1404
01:10:44,580 --> 01:10:47,059
We'll never know who was responsible,
1405
01:10:47,060 --> 01:10:50,009
or why personal records weren't preserved,
1406
01:10:50,010 --> 01:10:52,649
but very little survived.
1407
01:10:52,650 --> 01:10:54,745
The portrait of Anna Magdalena
1408
01:10:54,746 --> 01:10:57,346
that he had painted in the
mid-1730's also vanished.
1409
01:10:58,560 --> 01:11:01,799
So, it's as if somebody quite deliberately
1410
01:11:01,800 --> 01:11:05,389
wanted to destroy any history that,
1411
01:11:05,390 --> 01:11:07,383
in my view, pointed to Anna Magdalena.
1412
01:11:10,690 --> 01:11:12,326
That's one of the most
shameful aspects of it
1413
01:11:12,327 --> 01:11:17,327
and one that I hope will
be set to rest, finally.
1414
01:11:17,520 --> 01:11:20,029
They did, I think, try extremely hard
1415
01:11:20,030 --> 01:11:22,649
to keep her out of the picture altogether.
1416
01:11:22,650 --> 01:11:26,129
And made, and that's
particularly suspicious
1417
01:11:26,130 --> 01:11:28,889
because if she hadn't
done anything worthwhile,
1418
01:11:28,890 --> 01:11:31,140
anything significant,
why would they do that?
1419
01:11:32,470 --> 01:11:33,927
What's the point?
1420
01:11:33,928 --> 01:11:36,536
Daybooks exist
for most other composers.
1421
01:11:36,537 --> 01:11:38,779
And it does seem surprising that something
1422
01:11:38,780 --> 01:11:42,069
as valuable as a family
portrait should vanish.
1423
01:11:42,070 --> 01:11:44,759
Could it really have been deliberate?
1424
01:11:44,760 --> 01:11:46,229
And other questions are raised
1425
01:11:46,230 --> 01:11:48,899
in the issue of Bach's signatures.
1426
01:11:48,900 --> 01:11:52,529
This was a collection of
what was considered known,
1427
01:11:52,530 --> 01:11:54,519
or authentic, examples...
Yeah, yeah.
1428
01:11:54,520 --> 01:11:57,599
Of Johann Sebastian Bach's signature.
1429
01:11:57,600 --> 01:12:01,139
If these are supposed
to be Bach's signatures,
1430
01:12:01,140 --> 01:12:04,329
there's what we would term,
in handwriting identification,
1431
01:12:04,330 --> 01:12:06,969
as a significant range of variation.
1432
01:12:06,970 --> 01:12:08,409
Meaning that there's a lot of internal
1433
01:12:08,410 --> 01:12:11,679
variance within and
between the signatures.
1434
01:12:11,680 --> 01:12:15,639
For example, very different
capital letter forms,
1435
01:12:15,640 --> 01:12:17,879
such as what appears
to be a very different
1436
01:12:17,880 --> 01:12:20,919
form of B in the 1713 signature.
1437
01:12:20,920 --> 01:12:24,729
Another different form of
B in the 1720 signature.
1438
01:12:24,730 --> 01:12:26,519
And then even moving forward we have
1439
01:12:26,520 --> 01:12:30,693
yet another form of B
in the 1748 signature.
1440
01:12:31,870 --> 01:12:34,869
So it now seems
possible that some Bach signatures
1441
01:12:34,870 --> 01:12:38,459
on Bach manuscripts are not actually his.
1442
01:12:38,460 --> 01:12:40,479
This has huge implications,
1443
01:12:40,480 --> 01:12:42,919
not only for the owners
of these manuscripts,
1444
01:12:42,920 --> 01:12:45,233
but also for music history itself.
1445
01:12:47,070 --> 01:12:49,313
It seems a fresh look is needed.
1446
01:12:51,750 --> 01:12:53,969
In order to progress the investigation,
1447
01:12:53,970 --> 01:12:57,129
an example of an undisputed Bach signature
1448
01:12:57,130 --> 01:12:58,233
needs to be found.
1449
01:13:01,580 --> 01:13:03,569
Finally, success.
1450
01:13:03,570 --> 01:13:06,269
The Priest at St. Agnes Church in Kothen
1451
01:13:06,270 --> 01:13:10,089
set out the Church Register,
opened a certain page,
1452
01:13:10,090 --> 01:13:13,880
and there it was, the
signature; Kappellmeister Bach.
1453
01:13:15,140 --> 01:13:19,316
This is a book that's dated 1719 to 1728
1454
01:13:19,317 --> 01:13:21,799
and it contains the signatures
1455
01:13:21,800 --> 01:13:25,069
of those coming to confess in this church.
1456
01:13:25,070 --> 01:13:26,849
And this is an original book, too.
1457
01:13:26,850 --> 01:13:28,826
It's fantastic, isn't it?
1458
01:13:28,827 --> 01:13:29,919
What does this title refer to?
1459
01:13:29,920 --> 01:13:32,114
Original Bach manuscripts
1460
01:13:32,115 --> 01:13:33,399
are certainly in short supply.
1461
01:13:33,400 --> 01:13:36,139
But Martin and Heidi hear
that an elusive original
1462
01:13:36,140 --> 01:13:39,109
is held at the Bachhaus
museum in Eisenach.
1463
01:13:39,110 --> 01:13:41,839
I was very enthusiastic and excited
1464
01:13:41,840 --> 01:13:45,599
about doing the examination
of the original,
1465
01:13:45,600 --> 01:13:48,949
authentic example of
Johann Sebastian Bach's
1466
01:13:48,950 --> 01:13:50,479
music calligraphy.
1467
01:13:50,480 --> 01:13:54,029
We were allowed to do microscopic analysis
1468
01:13:54,030 --> 01:13:55,609
of that particular document.
1469
01:13:55,610 --> 01:13:58,899
And we were able to also
take microscopic photographs
1470
01:13:58,900 --> 01:14:01,719
of some of the more important
aspects of that document
1471
01:14:01,720 --> 01:14:03,959
as being highly identifying between
1472
01:14:03,960 --> 01:14:07,097
both Bach's writing and
his wife, Anna Magdalena.
1473
01:14:08,370 --> 01:14:10,429
We learned
that the lines on the paper
1474
01:14:10,430 --> 01:14:13,299
were also drawn by Johann Sebastian Bach.
1475
01:14:13,300 --> 01:14:15,349
That was unknown before and it still
1476
01:14:15,350 --> 01:14:17,969
doesn't tell you in the new Bach-Edition.
1477
01:14:17,970 --> 01:14:21,423
It means that Bach drew the
lines himself to save money.
1478
01:14:23,780 --> 01:14:25,679
These are very fascinating methods
1479
01:14:25,680 --> 01:14:27,663
and I think they promise new insights.
1480
01:14:28,650 --> 01:14:31,199
The whole separation between
musician and composer,
1481
01:14:31,200 --> 01:14:33,853
and copyist, that is all nonsense.
1482
01:14:36,570 --> 01:14:39,403
In the Baroque period, all was one.
1483
01:14:40,620 --> 01:14:43,103
Of course, Anna Magdalena
was also a composer.
1484
01:14:44,200 --> 01:14:46,929
It seems composers
were supported by a team,
1485
01:14:46,930 --> 01:14:49,439
like Stradivarius and Michelangelo.
1486
01:14:49,440 --> 01:14:52,159
Ownership wasn't the issue it is today.
1487
01:14:52,160 --> 01:14:55,159
And when music was regarded
as coming from God anyway,
1488
01:14:55,160 --> 01:14:58,899
perhaps the hand holding
the pen wasn't important.
1489
01:14:58,900 --> 01:15:00,699
I've not seen anything
that would diminish
1490
01:15:00,700 --> 01:15:02,399
or detract from his findings.
1491
01:15:02,400 --> 01:15:03,849
Scribal work is going to be
1492
01:15:03,850 --> 01:15:07,379
very regimented, formal and structured.
1493
01:15:07,380 --> 01:15:10,409
Instead, what we're seeing
in some of those works
1494
01:15:10,410 --> 01:15:14,759
is missing elements, editorial notes,
1495
01:15:14,760 --> 01:15:17,379
things that would suggest
that it is a manuscript
1496
01:15:17,380 --> 01:15:20,183
being written spontaneously
rather than copied.
1497
01:15:22,040 --> 01:15:23,879
Art and science
have had a special,
1498
01:15:23,880 --> 01:15:27,403
almost mystical, connection
since Galileo and Copernicus.
1499
01:15:28,320 --> 01:15:30,549
Martin and Heidi have now presented papers
1500
01:15:30,550 --> 01:15:32,289
at numerous forensic document
1501
01:15:32,290 --> 01:15:35,259
examination seminars worldwide.
1502
01:15:35,260 --> 01:15:39,289
Not one of their scientific
findings has been contested.
1503
01:15:39,290 --> 01:15:41,409
This was presented in the proceedings
1504
01:15:41,410 --> 01:15:44,659
of the International Graphonomics Society.
1505
01:15:44,660 --> 01:15:48,989
And that particular
society is a collaboration
1506
01:15:48,990 --> 01:15:51,339
between forensic handwriting examiners,
1507
01:15:51,340 --> 01:15:53,179
handwriting neuroscientists,
1508
01:15:53,180 --> 01:15:56,279
people working in
robotics and engineering.
1509
01:15:56,280 --> 01:15:58,329
So this was a scientific paper presented
1510
01:15:58,330 --> 01:15:59,569
at those proceedings.
1511
01:15:59,570 --> 01:16:01,419
It was well received.
1512
01:16:01,420 --> 01:16:04,059
It is rare to have one where we're using
1513
01:16:04,060 --> 01:16:06,509
forensic handwriting
examination techniques
1514
01:16:06,510 --> 01:16:10,319
to understand authorship
in music manuscripts.
1515
01:16:10,320 --> 01:16:11,709
I think it's very important because
1516
01:16:11,710 --> 01:16:14,559
it's bringing actual
facts to the research.
1517
01:16:14,560 --> 01:16:18,089
And I think it's a kind of
revolution to bring science
1518
01:16:18,090 --> 01:16:22,283
into arts which was before
kind of unthinkable.
1519
01:16:23,310 --> 01:16:25,759
I peripherally worked
on the Dead Sea Scrolls.
1520
01:16:25,760 --> 01:16:27,079
I think it's especially interesting
1521
01:16:27,080 --> 01:16:30,379
to apply forensic techniques to
1522
01:16:30,380 --> 01:16:33,639
the investigation of
historical manuscripts.
1523
01:16:33,640 --> 01:16:36,739
But to some degree, as
a Forensic Scientist,
1524
01:16:36,740 --> 01:16:40,119
one needs to also maintain neutrality
1525
01:16:40,120 --> 01:16:42,909
and a calm perspective.
1526
01:16:42,910 --> 01:16:47,023
So I stay focused on the
technical components of this.
1527
01:16:47,910 --> 01:16:50,892
It's left to someone else
to interpret the level
1528
01:16:50,893 --> 01:16:55,263
of nuance that this has on music history.
1529
01:16:59,310 --> 01:17:00,170
The first part of
1530
01:17:00,171 --> 01:17:02,309
the investigation was successful.
1531
01:17:02,310 --> 01:17:04,189
But now, they urgently need access
1532
01:17:04,190 --> 01:17:07,319
to original documents
containing both Anna's
1533
01:17:07,320 --> 01:17:11,819
and Johann's writing to
date and verify accurately.
1534
01:17:11,820 --> 01:17:14,569
Conservation staff at the
Duchess Amalia Library
1535
01:17:14,570 --> 01:17:17,479
finally allowed access to
the original manuscript
1536
01:17:17,480 --> 01:17:21,869
of "Alles Mit Gott",
thought to be dated 1713.
1537
01:17:21,870 --> 01:17:25,529
Martin had identified Anna's
handwriting on a facsimile.
1538
01:17:25,530 --> 01:17:28,709
Now, he had a chance
to verify the original.
1539
01:17:28,710 --> 01:17:31,243
This was a historically vital moment.
1540
01:17:32,330 --> 01:17:35,189
I approach reading music calligraphy
1541
01:17:35,190 --> 01:17:37,079
from a handwriting perspective
1542
01:17:37,080 --> 01:17:38,689
the way I would a foreign language.
1543
01:17:38,690 --> 01:17:40,329
And we can analyze the handwriting
1544
01:17:40,330 --> 01:17:41,559
of a foreign language even if we
1545
01:17:41,560 --> 01:17:43,319
don't know the language ourselves.
1546
01:17:43,320 --> 01:17:45,629
Because we're not really
analyzing the language,
1547
01:17:45,630 --> 01:17:48,079
we're analyzing the graphic
components of the letters
1548
01:17:48,080 --> 01:17:50,869
and their individualizing characteristics.
1549
01:17:50,870 --> 01:17:53,303
Well, looking at this microscopically,
1550
01:17:55,100 --> 01:17:58,480
what we find very interesting is that
1551
01:18:00,180 --> 01:18:04,609
under 40x magnification we can see that
1552
01:18:04,610 --> 01:18:08,949
there does appear to be
what you were thinking.
1553
01:18:08,950 --> 01:18:10,509
You were thinking that
there was an overwrite
1554
01:18:10,510 --> 01:18:12,129
and it does appear to be overwritten.
1555
01:18:12,130 --> 01:18:14,609
You can see here on the screen
1556
01:18:14,610 --> 01:18:16,489
that there's two different pens involved.
1557
01:18:16,490 --> 01:18:19,299
One is a kind of brownish looking ink
1558
01:18:19,300 --> 01:18:21,139
and one that's a little darker.
1559
01:18:21,140 --> 01:18:23,799
The t and the o are overwriting
1560
01:18:23,800 --> 01:18:25,879
the original word and we can see
1561
01:18:25,880 --> 01:18:28,269
the original ink underwritten.
1562
01:18:28,270 --> 01:18:31,179
And this is suggestive that there is more
1563
01:18:31,180 --> 01:18:34,395
than one writer involved in this document.
1564
01:18:35,350 --> 01:18:36,839
This has been my first sight
1565
01:18:36,840 --> 01:18:38,599
of Bach's handwriting.
1566
01:18:38,600 --> 01:18:42,009
The exciting thing is
that Anna's is there, too.
1567
01:18:42,010 --> 01:18:44,529
We can determine that the actual
1568
01:18:44,530 --> 01:18:47,759
music calligraphy was
written by J.S. Bach.
1569
01:18:47,760 --> 01:18:49,889
But the handwriting on the document
1570
01:18:49,890 --> 01:18:52,199
was written by Anna Magdalena.
1571
01:18:52,200 --> 01:18:53,879
You can say
that definitely, can you?
1572
01:18:53,880 --> 01:18:54,870
Yes.
1573
01:18:54,871 --> 01:18:59,870
So that would place her at
Bach's side at the age of 12?
1574
01:19:00,280 --> 01:19:01,359
Yes, it would.
1575
01:19:01,360 --> 01:19:04,039
I think that there's even
more layers to this woman.
1576
01:19:04,040 --> 01:19:05,699
I think that she's so admirable
1577
01:19:05,700 --> 01:19:07,259
because she had to make choices
1578
01:19:07,260 --> 01:19:09,029
that she probably definitely
didn't want to make,
1579
01:19:09,030 --> 01:19:13,069
but just purely for salvation,
had to, in order to survive.
1580
01:19:13,070 --> 01:19:15,629
In order to remain as Mrs. Bach,
1581
01:19:15,630 --> 01:19:18,200
she was gonna have to
be really super savvy
1582
01:19:19,240 --> 01:19:20,729
and she was gonna have to help
1583
01:19:20,730 --> 01:19:23,449
and she was gonna have to
be written out of history.
1584
01:19:23,450 --> 01:19:25,542
And in so doing, it's
quite funny, isn't it?
1585
01:19:25,543 --> 01:19:27,929
Because she's smashed right back in there
1586
01:19:27,930 --> 01:19:31,113
because she's made a huge impact.
1587
01:19:33,240 --> 01:19:34,849
Harvard University houses
1588
01:19:34,850 --> 01:19:38,223
the most important document
in the entire investigation;
1589
01:19:39,090 --> 01:19:41,453
the Perpetual Canon for Four Voices.
1590
01:19:42,670 --> 01:19:45,529
Martin believes it's in
Anna Magdalena's hand.
1591
01:19:45,530 --> 01:19:48,473
It's dated 1713, when she was 12.
1592
01:19:52,430 --> 01:19:55,599
If Heidi can verify it,
then Mr. and Mrs. Bach
1593
01:19:55,600 --> 01:19:59,259
had a long and fruitful
writing relationship.
1594
01:19:59,260 --> 01:20:01,289
And if this is so, we have to take
1595
01:20:01,290 --> 01:20:03,619
a new look at Anna Magdalena.
1596
01:20:03,620 --> 01:20:04,830
Come on in.
1597
01:20:04,831 --> 01:20:06,312
Thank you.
1598
01:20:06,313 --> 01:20:07,146
And possibly at many other
1599
01:20:07,147 --> 01:20:09,493
female relatives of great composers.
1600
01:20:11,119 --> 01:20:13,689
We were able to verify that
it is an original document.
1601
01:20:13,690 --> 01:20:15,869
It is written with iron-gall ink,
1602
01:20:15,870 --> 01:20:19,209
which is typical of the time period.
1603
01:20:19,210 --> 01:20:21,589
In today's examination
one of the most important
1604
01:20:21,590 --> 01:20:23,029
things that we were looking at
1605
01:20:23,030 --> 01:20:26,849
was whether the date of 1713 was written
1606
01:20:26,850 --> 01:20:29,929
contemporaneously on the document.
1607
01:20:29,930 --> 01:20:33,459
It's important to point out that
1608
01:20:33,460 --> 01:20:36,499
some people looking at this document
1609
01:20:36,500 --> 01:20:38,769
would assume that Johann Sebastian Bach's
1610
01:20:38,770 --> 01:20:40,929
signature is on this document.
1611
01:20:40,930 --> 01:20:43,759
And yet, the context of the document shows
1612
01:20:43,760 --> 01:20:46,439
that it's not intended as a signature.
1613
01:20:46,440 --> 01:20:49,403
It's not a signature and
it's not his handwriting.
1614
01:20:50,750 --> 01:20:53,809
Nothing in my analysis could disprove that
1615
01:20:53,810 --> 01:20:57,519
that date was erroneous or
written at a later time.
1616
01:20:57,520 --> 01:20:59,619
It looked contemporaneous.
1617
01:20:59,620 --> 01:21:02,469
The ink was similar, the
handwriting was similar.
1618
01:21:02,470 --> 01:21:04,959
It does place Anna Magdalena's handwriting
1619
01:21:04,960 --> 01:21:09,209
in 1713 on that document,
the Canon for Four Voices.
1620
01:21:09,210 --> 01:21:12,759
From age 12, Anna
was the Master's apprentice.
1621
01:21:12,760 --> 01:21:14,799
Her family were professional musicians
1622
01:21:14,800 --> 01:21:17,269
and she had a musical education.
1623
01:21:17,270 --> 01:21:19,089
Music history has perpetuated
1624
01:21:19,090 --> 01:21:21,569
the image of the sole male creator.
1625
01:21:21,570 --> 01:21:23,799
But was it really like that?
1626
01:21:23,800 --> 01:21:27,529
We now know Anna had the
time and ability to compose.
1627
01:21:27,530 --> 01:21:29,409
So there's every possibility that
1628
01:21:29,410 --> 01:21:33,029
the Cello Suites were
written by Mrs. Bach.
1629
01:21:33,030 --> 01:21:36,809
What's crystallized
in this is that there
1630
01:21:36,810 --> 01:21:39,149
are issues to do with
the involvement of women
1631
01:21:39,150 --> 01:21:43,329
in composition from the
17th century, probably,
1632
01:21:43,330 --> 01:21:46,459
all the way through the
18th and 19th century.
1633
01:21:46,460 --> 01:21:50,463
A problem of establishing
recognition for female composers.
1634
01:21:51,870 --> 01:21:53,769
There is a sense that, finally,
1635
01:21:53,770 --> 01:21:55,663
she's going to get recognition.
131239
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