A trilogy of surviving manuscripts associated with the Bach dynasty are referred to as the "Little Keyboard Books" or "notebooks" ("Clavierbüchlein"), of which the most famous are the two compiled by Johann Sebastian for his second wife Anna Magdalena, in 1722 (the year after their marriage) and 1725. These are preserved at Berlin State Library, while the earliest of the three, the Clavier-Büchlein vor Wilhelm Friedemann Bach (presented to the composer's eldest son soon after his ninth birthday in 1720) is housed at Yale University.

Considered as a whole, these three volumes provide numerous invaluable insights into the way Bach himself undertook the musical education of his immediate family members. Moreover, their use of straightforward, popular material from a variety of sources (not exclusively by Bach himself) provided a backdrop for the teaching of music in eighteenth-century Germany, the influence of which is still felt in modern musical education.

The earlier of the two Anna Magdalena notebooks (of 1722), however, consists entirely of music by Bach himself, and includes many first versions of movements which would appear subsequently in his "French" Suites, in addition to a selection of fragmentary dance movements. One interesting feature of the Berlin Staatsbibliothek manuscript is that a considerable number of its pages have been removed, presumably by the composer himself. Later annotations and additions also demonstrate that, while the volume had been originally intended as wedding gift, once it had outlived its usefulness, Bach had no compunction about using it as a sketch book for other compositions. This was not really surprising when one considers that writing books, ink, and manuscript paper were expensive and highly-prized commodities in Bach's day.

In 1725, Anna Magdalena Bach received her second "note book," in which the content was markedly different. Here we find a varied compendium of material, almost all of which is by other composers. Bach must have selected these pieces for their pedagogical value, while others were clearly included for purely recreational purposes. Anna Magdalena must have enjoyed playing these herself, although later entries in the hands of her own children show that she must also have used this volume in coaching and instructing them. The most important contributions from Bach himself were the two early versions of the keyboard Partitas in A minor and E minor, placed near the beginning. Later, we encounter many dance movements, whose authorship was not credited, along with chorales and other vocal transcriptions. The identities of some of the composers are known, however, and the volume includes music by the Dresden organist Christian Pezold, C.P.E. Bach, Hasse, and Couperin. Finally, as David Schulenberg, an authority on Bach's keyboard music has pointed out, "several pieces are given twice, with different bass lines or otherwise varied; these would have furnished lessons in composition or improvisation, as would some brief rules for figured bass realization included at the end."

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2.Menuet in G, BWV Anh.114 (attrib. Christian Petzold)

This is the second of ten minuets in the 1725 second collection of keyboard works given to Anna Magdalena Bach (née Wilcke), the composer's second wife. Shortly after their 1721 marriage, Bach gave her the first volume of pieces, all works written by him. For a time, some believed the compositions in the second collection were also his, but it is now widely known that his son Carl Philipp Emanuel and other composers wrote some of them. This Minuet, and the others in "Anna Magdalena's Notebook," are thought to be the work of someone other than J.S. Bach. This G major effort is the most popular of the Minuets, its main theme quite recognizable to most listeners even in non-classical realms. It has a childlike simplicity and has undoubtedly been used by many music box manufacturers. The melody is short and has an arch-like contour, both in its short phrases and overall structure. It is charming and playful, innocent and joyful, even in the somewhat reflective trio section. The Minuet in G minor (Anh. 115) features a related theme, and the Minuet in G major (Anh. 116) is built on a variant of this first Minuet in G major's melody.

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3.Menuet in G-, BWV Anh.115

This is one of a number of works that are typically given the tag "From Anna Magdalena's Notebook." Anna Magdalena Wilcke was a singer and musician who became Bach's second wife in 1721. The year after their marriage, he presented her with a volume of keyboard compositions as a gift. Three years later, she received a second collection of pieces, this one containing works from other composers as well as from her husband. Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, the composer's second oldest son from his first marriage, is known to have written some music in the second volume. From that collection comes this Minuet in G minor, once attributed to J.S. Bach but now generally believed to be the work of another composer. The Minuet features a gentle, elegant theme slowly paced in rather simple writing. The melody is attractive in its mixture of innocence and repose, of delicacy and wistfulness. The music's somewhat intimate character and barren harmonic and thematic manner would seem at odds with J.S. Bach's more garrulous, richer style. The work, with its mostly upper-register sonorities and child-like simplicity, has an almost music-box-like quality. Most listeners will find this minute-and-half piece a charming, if minor effort.

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5.Menuet in G, BWV Anh.116

In 1721, widower J.S. Bach married Anna Magdalena Wilcke, a singer and musician of some skill, and a year later presented her with the gift of a volume of keyboard works. Another collection of keyboard pieces was given to her in 1725, but not all of its compositions were written by her husband. Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, the second oldest son from Bach's first marriage, and other composers contributed to the effort. This Minuet G major appeared in that second volume and has been attributed to J.S. Bach in the past, but is likely the work of another. Still, it is charming and quite attractive in its simplicity. The Minuet opens with a graceful and gentle but sprightly theme whose combination of warmth and innocence, along with its less-compelling contrapuntal activity, place it a good distance from J.S. Bach's busier, more extroverted world. The music is playful and elegant and quite cheerful, too, though the second subject turns a bit reflective and almost wistful at times. The melody here is a variant on the main theme in the Minuet in G major (Anh. 114). Lasting a bit under two minutes, this charming offshoot will appeal to a wide audience.

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14.March in D, BWV Anh.122 (probably by C.P.E.Bach)

This piece appeared in the second of two volumes of works that Bach presented to his wife Anna Magdalena (née Wilcke), a prominent singer who married the composer the year after the death of his first wife. Works in those books are typically given the tag "From Anna Magdalena's Notebook." A number of the compositions in the second volume are of questionable authorship, though they are still listed on J.S. Bach's works list. Other family members, including Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, are known to have written some of the pieces, one of which might have been this charming March in D major. That said, the work is still of immensely satisfying quality for a light, rather simple composition. Its main theme is perky and playful, with that kind of irresistible charm and bouncy exuberance that typified so much of Mozart's early and lighter keyboard works. The tempo is quite lively, the light-treaded gait of this march hinting at nothing martial but at something more akin to the ballroom during festive times. This colorful piece lasts just under a minute, but will offer plentiful rewards to the listener.

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21.Musette in D, BWV Anh.126

Anna Magdalena Bach, Johann Sebastian's wife, was presented with her famous Notebook by her husband in 1725. He started her out with a fine gift of two partitas, and left the rest blank for her to collect compositions herself. The Musette in D, BWV Anh. 126, is one of those collected compositions. Because all the entries are anonymous, it is impossible to know for certain whether or not Johann Sebastian actually composed this brief, simple musette. Certain things about it, most notably its somewhat boisterous mood, suggest the work of one of Johann Sebastian's sons. The boisterousness chiefly manifests itself in witty alternations between broken octave bass accompaniment and unison in the statement of the perky theme, and some tricky, less-than-completely sweet harmonies in the contrasting material. Yet the musette is essentially simple and charming, like much of the notebook's contents, and regardless of its authorship, it does Johann Sebastian's reputation no harm to be associated with it.

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35.Menuet in D-, BWV Anh.132 (doubtful)

This is one of a number of minuets of doubtful authorship from "Anna Magdalena Bach's Notebook," a collection of keyboard pieces given to her by her husband J.S. Bach. There were two volumes comprising that collection, the first, from 1722, containing works by him; the second, from 1725, housing works by various composers, including Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach and possibly her husband. This Minuet in D minor is quite simple and straightforward, quite at odds with the style of J.S. Bach, though he cannot absolutely be ruled out as the work's author. Like several of the minuets in the collection, it is quite easy to play and although its manner is fairly serious, it's not the kind of innocent music-box style associated with the three minuets (Anh. 114-116). It is reflective in its elegance, intimate in its gracefulness, and quite catchy in its simple, melodic charm. Some may hear tinges of melancholy in the work, others an emotional neutrality. This Minuet lasts less than a minute and will have appeal both for listeners and for novice keyboard students.

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