
Did Johann Bach's wife write the Cello Suites?
A new documentary, 'Written by Mrs Bach', raises claims that Johann Bach’s second wife Anna Magdalena was actually the composer behind his Cello Suites.
The theory, put forward by Professor Martin Jarvis of Charles Darwin University is dismissed by British cellist Steven Isserlis
"There's no evidence whatsoever, it's madness. It's all based on a copy of the violin works and the cello suites... and it says very clearly twice composed by Bach, and it the bottom right hand corner; written by Mrs Bach," he said.
The composer Dr Sally Beamish is the narrator of ‘Written by Mrs Bach’, she was intrigued by the idea as she initially thought Magdalena couldn't have written the music as she was a woman.
"For me this programme is a giant 'what if?' and it is about women composers for me," she said.
Duration:
This clip is from
More clips from 20/03/2015
-
MSF on ‘Ebola-proof’ tablet
Duration: 01:24
More clips from Today
-
Tim Curry on stardom and life after having a stroke
Duration: 04:41
-
Badenoch wants PM to address China spy case questions
Duration: 02:50
-
Freed activist 'doing much better' than expected
Duration: 11:15
-
The new EU fingerprint travel system - explained
Duration: 06:37