More about Notebook

["Mark Williamson" <mwilliamson@alston.com>]

     When I went home on Friday night, I flipped through my 
     Notebook for AM Bach to see what is there.  Two partitas and 
     two French suites, to start with.  I thought I had 
     remembered some movements from the Overture in French Style 
     but I must have been mistaken.  Several works that are 
     clearly indicated as being by composers other than JSB, 
     including Mr. Couperin.  A few chorale settings and the like 
     that I think we would all agree are by JSB.  And dozens and 
     dozens of miniature pieces that are presumed to be by JSB 
     but I can certainly dig the notion that some of them might 
     not be.
     
     Some of these miniatures are extraordinarily groovy, IMHO.  
     It is easy to dismiss them as music for children and 
     amateurs, but there are many strokes of brilliance 
     throughout.  Much keen insight on how a piece of music 
     should be organized, be it long or short.  Seems to indicate 
     the work of the master but still true regardless of who the 
     composer is . . .
     
     Incidentally, in flipping through my reference materials, 
     what does seem to have been dismissed by scholars is the 
     notion that JSB was primarily responsible for the *content* 
     of the Notebook.  Apparently he got it started with a few 
     works of his own and then ignored it, so that AMB was 
     primarily responsible for what went into the notebook during 
     her lifetime.  She just included a lot of her spouse's work. 
     Is that consistent with what you have read?
     
     Mark