Jean-Marie Straub, Danièle Huillet - Chronik der Anna Magdalena Bach (1968)

Bold in its stylistic modesty, sublime in its narrative simplicity, Jean-Marie Straub's CHRONICLE OF ANNA MAGDALENA BACH offers one of the purest film-listening experiences in the history of cinema. New Yorker Video




Featuring the unadorned but historically accurate presentation of live recordings of more than twenty Bach compositions by one of the twentieth century's preeminent interpreters of the master's work, the Dutch harpsichordist and organist Gustav Leonhardt, CHRONICLE utilizes music, as Straub himself once said, not as an accompaniment, nor as commentary, but as aesthetic material. New Yorker Video




Co-written by Straub's wife and longtime collaborator, Daniele Huillet, the film relies on excerpts gleaned from historical records, which are brought to life by Leonhardt's Bach and fellow harpsichordist Christiane Lang's portrayal of Anna Magdalena, Bach's second wife. In voice-over readings from Anna Magdalena's diary, Lang provides the dramatic context of this unconventional biopic, wherein the tension and release of the day-to-day hardships of a great composer are granted fullest expression in extended scenes of orchestral performance. New Yorker Video




CHRONICLE exemplifies cinemas unique ability to exalt the beauty to be found in its fellow art forms. New Yorker Video




A chronicle of Johann Sebastian Bach's life, eschewing drama to focus almost entirely on his music. Narrated by his wife Anna in voiceover, it consists largely of static scenes of Bach conducting and/or playing his brilliant compositions. (http://imdb.com/title/tt0062804/plotsummary)