> Andrew wrote:... Bach Solo Cello Suites. Our Professor Jarvis over
her in Australia believes there is strong evidence for the composer to have
been Anna Magdalena. Part of the evidence is the title page to the copy of
the Violin Solos and Cello Suites by Schwanberg, stating 'ecrite par Madame
Bachen'. There are academic fisticuffs and much blood spilt over whether
'ecrite' means copied or composed, and this particular specific piece of
evidence is not settled in my view. 

But most other musicologists think otherwise, for the contrary evidence is
significant: (a) The style and the masterly writing is 100% J.S. Bach.
(b) The Cello Suites are dated c.1720: Anna Magdalena was barely 19 at the
time. Had she been such an outstanding and mature composer as a teenager,
and had she composed for the cello (instrument rarely played by women at the
time), it is difficult to understand why she did not leave other
masterpieces.

> But what has had me puzzled just this week is why a German would write a
cover page for Bach works in French.

Bach - for whichever reason - gave French titles to many works that were
truly in Italian style (for example the Piece d'orgue). So perhaps his wife
did too.

All the best!

CDV


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