A Baroque soprano married one of history’s greatest composers and became a key figure in preserving his musical legacy. Anna Magdalena Bach not only bore and raised children but copied scores and prepared publications of her husband’s works. After his death, she battled poverty, abandoned by institutions her husband had served for decades.
Childhood in a musical family
The daughter of court trumpeter Karl Friedrich Wilcke was born in September 1701 in Zeitz. Her mother Rosina Elisabeth Bernarda also belonged to the musical milieu. Raised among instruments and singing, the girl developed her own vocal talent and began a professional career as a singer.
In 1721, twenty-year-old Anna Magdalena Wilcke worked as a court vocalist in Weimar. There she met Johann Sebastian Bach, employed at the court of Duke Wilhelm Ernst. The composer had recently been widowed after his first wife Mary Barbara died in June of the previous year.
Bach became interested in the young singer both for her skills and personality. The couple entered into marriage in December 1721, when the groom was thirty-six years old. The age difference was sixteen years, which was typical for the era.
Relocation to Leipzig and family
Seven children were born from the marriage, five of whom survived – Gottfried, Johann Christoph, Johanna Carolina, Regina Susanna, and Carl Philipp Emanuel. In February 1723, the family moved to Leipzig, where the composer assumed the position of cantor at St. Thomas Church. He was also responsible there for musical education in the school associated with the parish.
Anna Magdalena supported her husband by copying his compositions by hand, which enabled their dissemination. In 1725, she received a birthday gift from her husband – a manuscript known as the first notebook containing his works and fragments by other authors. Five years later, Bach prepared a second notebook with dance pieces and arias.
Publishing work and preservation of legacy
The composer’s wife did not limit herself to transcribing notes but engaged in the printing publication process. This required precision and thorough knowledge of musical principles and notation. In 1730, together with son Carl Philipp, she published the second volume of Clavier-Übung containing keyboard works.
After her husband’s death in July 1750, she initiated a project commemorating him and raising funds for the family. Her edition included a statement emphasizing service to music, not just to her husband. In 1742, together with her son, she published the third volume of Clavier-Übung with organ chorales.
Struggle for survival after widowhood
She remained alone with orphans and for a year maintained the family thanks to a stipend from the Leipzig City Council. The Council reduced support in 1755, and a year later completely suspended it. The situation was worsened by war devastation affecting the region during this period.
Anna Magdalena filed formal petitions for restoration of aid for five years. In 1760, the Council granted her only a symbolic ten thalers annually. The children left home – Carl Philipp worked in Berlin, Johann Christoph in Ohrdruf, leaving their mother in difficult financial circumstances.
Final months of life
The widow of the great composer lived in poverty despite years of dedication to her husband’s music. Institutions that Bach had served for decades proved ungrateful toward his family. She died in February 1760 in Leipzig, aged fifty-eight years.
Her contribution to preserving Bach’s musical heritage remained underappreciated for centuries. Without her work of copying and publishing, many compositions might have been lost. History remembered the composer but forgot the woman who helped save his works for future generations.