This very special disc from Australia's best known harpsichord virtuoso, Elizabeth Anderson, and her son, boy soprano, Jacob Lawrence features the much loved Anna Magdalena notebook including many well known tracks such as the timeless 'Bist du bei mir' and the aria that forms the theme of the Goldberg variations.

Anna Magdalena Bach was the second wife of Johann Sebastian Bach. Recent research has indicated Anna Magdalena Bach, was not only the second highest paid professional musician at the Cothen Court behind her husband Johann, but was also a fine composer. There is strong evidence to suggest that she herself may have been the author of several of the works contained within this book, including the aria on which the Goldberg variations are based, and the famous C major prelude later used by Gounod as the basis of his famous 'Ave Maria'.

The tuning system used in this recording follows the diagram left by Bach himself on the cover of the on the title page of his Well-Tempered Clavier (1722). This fine CD is sure to appeal to all lovers of fine music, not just early music enthusiasts.

“...this transcendental music is performed with outstanding expertise and expressiveness...”

— New Classics, UK

“As Lawrence's experience continues to expand, he will develop an even greater sense of line and rhtymic flow ... this mixture of harpsichord, organ and vocal music makes for pleasnat listening.”

— Tony Way, The Age Green Guide

“Anderson's keyboard virtuosity, as soloist and sympathetic accompanist, shines...”

— Bob Crimeen, Sunday Herald Sun

“It takes a musician of high order, such as Elizabeth Anderson (in superb form) to reveal the magic enshrined in these deceptively easy minatures and her every contribution provides unalloyed listening delight”

— Neville Cohn, Oz Arts Review

Prelude in C download

Gib dich zu frieden download

In this track list the details of each work are listed exactly as they appear in the manuscript. Any additional information is given in parenthesis. Except where otherwise stated, attribution of composers is by Georg von Dadelsen. The following abbreviations are used: AMB - Anna Magdalena Bach, JSB - Johann Sebastian Bach.

1 Bist du bei mir (Gottfried Heinrich Stolzel, copied AMB) BWV 508
2 Menuet (anon. copied AMB) BWV 120
3 No title (Prelude in C major from the Well-tempered Clavier, Anna Magdalena Bach? attribution by Martin Jarvis) BWV 846
4 Menuet (anon. copied AMB) BWV 121
5 Schaff's mit mir (JS Bach? copied AMB) BWV 514

Suite 2de pour le Clavessin fait par JS Bach
(French Suite No.2 in c minor, JS Bach, copied AMB)
6 Allemande
7 Courante
8 Sarabande

9 Aria: Gedenke doch, mein Geist, zurucke (anon. copied AMB) BWV 509
10 Marche (anon. copied AMB) BWV Anhang 127
11 Choral von JS Bach: Dir, Dir Jehova (JS Bach autograph) BWV 299
12 Choral von JS Bach: Wer nur den lieben Gott lasst walten
(attribution by CPE Bach, copied AMB) BWV 691
13 No title (Les Bergeries, François Couperin, copied AMB) BWV Anhang 183
14 Aria di Giovannini: Willst du dein Herz mir schenken (anon. unknown copyist)
BWV 518
15 Solo per il Cembalo (CPE Bach, Wotquenne 65/7, copied AMB)
16 J.S.B. Gib dich zu frieden und sei stille (JS Bach, attribution by CPE Bach, copied AMB)
BWV 511/512

17 Polonoise (CPE Bach autograph) BWV Anhang 123
18 Menuet(s) (Christian Petzold, copied AMB) BWV Anhang 115
19 Menuet (anon, copied AMB) BWV Anhang 116
20 No title (Aria, Anna Magdalena Bach? attribution by Martin Jarvis,
later the theme for the "Goldberg Variations") BWV 988
21 Aria: Warum betrubst du dich (Johann Sebastian Bach? copied AMB) BWV 516
22 Wie wohl ist mir, o Freund der Seelen (anon. copied AMB) BWV 517

Suite 1re pour le Clavessin par J.S. Bach (French Suite in d minor, copied AMB) BWV 812
23 Allemande
24 Courante
25 Sarabande
26 Menuet 1re
27 Menuet 2de
28 Gigue

29 No title (Polonaise, anon. copied AMB) BWV Anhang 128
30 Musette (anon. copied AMB) BWV Anhang 126
31 Menuet (anon. copied AMB) BWV Anhang 132
32 March (CPE Bach autograph) BWV Anhang 122

33 Menuet (anon. copied AMB) BWV Anhang 118
34 Poloneise (anon. copied AMB) BWV Anhang 119
35 March (CPE Bach autograph) BWV Anhang 124
36 Polonoise (CPE Bach autograph) BWV Anhang 125
37 Aria: So oft ich meine Tobackspfeife (melody by Johann Gottfried Heinrich Bach?
bass line JSB, copied AMB) BWV 515
38 Menuet fait par Mons. Bohm (Georg Bohm, copied JSB)
39 Polonaise (Johann Adolph Hasse? copied AMB) BWV Anhang 130

No title (Partita No.3 in a minor, JS Bach autograph) BWV 827
40 Prelude (later titled Fantasia)
41 Allemande
42 Corrente
43 Sarabande
44 Menuet (later titled Burlesca)
45 Gigue

46 No title (Choral: Gib dich zu frieden und sei stille, child's hand?) BWV 510
47 Choral: O Ewigkeit, du Donnerwort (JS Bach? copied AMB) BWV 513
48 Polonoise (anon. copied AMB) BWV Anhang 117
49 Menuet (anon. copied AMB) BWV Anhang 114
50 No title (Piece in F major, JC Bach?) BWV Anhang 131
51 Rezit: Ich habe genug (JS Bach, copied AMB, later part of the cantata: Ich habe genug) BWV 82, 2
52 Aria: Schlummert ein (JS Bach, copied AMB, later part of the cantata: Ich habe genug) BWV 82, 3