Friedemann Bach (film)

Infobox Film
name = Friedemann Bach


image_size =
caption =
director = Traugott Müller
producer = Gustav Gründgens
writer = Helmut Brandis, Eckart von Naso
narrator =
starring =
music = Mark Lothar
cinematography = Walter Pindter
editing = Alexandra Anatra
distributor =
released =
runtime = 102
country = Germany
language = German
budget =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
website =
amg_id =
imdb_id =

Friedemann Bach is a German 1939 film. depicting the life of Johann Sebastian Bachs son Wilhelm Friedemann Bach. The film is based on Albert Emil Brachvogels novel "Friedemann Bach". Wilhelm Friedemann Bach is shown as a gifted son trying to escape his father's shadows.

Plot

During a house concert, the Bach family gets a visit by their son Wilhelm Friedemann, who has just given up position in Dresden because ho no longer could endure the reprisals taken by his superiors. After he helps his sister Frederike to tell father Johann Sebastian about her engagement to Christoph Altnikol, the family gets a visit by a messenger from the Saxonian Court. Johann Sebastian is asked to take part in a musical competition against French composer Guy Marchand. Johann Sebastian, however, doesn't want to let his Thomanerchor down and so, he sends Friedemann to Dresden.

Friedemann wins the competition, as Guy Marchand takes flight during Friedemann's performance. Many aristocrats, among which is Comtesse Antonia Kollowrat, come to Friedemann to be tought in music; Friedemann is ordered by the court to write a balett. Friedemann and balett dancer Mariella Fiorini fall in love whit each other, which is also due the influence of Count Graf von Brühl, who has an eye on Antonia. After the balett is successfull, Friedemann is to be appointed court composer. As Antonia critizes the balett, Friedemann recognizes that the court's superficiality doesn't go together with his artistic ambitions. Friedemann and Antonia fall in love with each other. Friedemann promises to find a new position and to get Antonia to join him; his father will surely help hin.

However, Johann Sebastian dies. So, Friedemann is confronted with a series of disappointments. Being demanded again and again to play music following his father's style, he finally he passes, when applying in Braunschweig, one of his father's early compositions off as one of his own. The truth is discovered, Antonia and Christoph are unable to understand Friedemann, whois frustrated and responds that he no longer wants to be compared with his father Johann Sebastian but wants to be Wilhelm Friedemann Bach.

Embittered, he joins a group of travelling actors who regard him to be as waht he is. As Christoph comes after years to see him and tells him that Antonia hat been waiting for him in Braunschweig, Friedemann wants to see her again. Antonia, however, is meanwhile married with Count Heinrich von Brühl. When Friedemann's group gives a performance in Dresden, the Count arranges that Friedemann und Antonia meet. Although she is still willing to help him, Friedemann shows her his full embitterment; on the Count's behest, Friedemann has to leave Saxony.

Desperately, Friedemann offers one of his father's composition to a music trader. As one of the trader's client mocks Johann Sebastian Bach, Friedemann starts to argue with the client who hurts Friedemann with rapier; shortly later, Friedemann dies.

Historical Inaccuracies

In fact, it was Johann Sebastian Bach and not Wilhelm Friedemann who competed against Guy Marchand. Furthermore, Wilhelm Friedemann Bach died not that young as shown in the film.

Cast

*Gustav Gründgens — Wilhelm Friedemann Bach
*Eugen Klöpfer — Johann Sebastian Bach
*Wolfgang Liebeneiner — Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
*Lina Lossen — Anna Magdalena Bach
*Lotte Koch — Friederike Bach
*Leny Marenbach — Antonia Kollowrat
*Johannes Riemann — Heinrich Graf von Brühl
*Camilla Horn — Mariella Fiorini
*Hermine Körner — Countess Kollowrat
*Gustav Knuth — Christoph Altnikol
*Sabine Peters — Charlotte von Erdmannsdorf
*Franz Schafheitlin — Sekretär Siepmann
*Franz Arzdorf — Kammerherr am königlichen Hof in Dresden
*Paul Bildt — Musikalienhändler Lohmann
*Ernst Dernburg — Kurfürst August III.
*Erich Dunskus: Mitglied der fahrenden Theatertruppe
*Albert Florath: Gastwirt in Dresden
*Eric Helgar: Singender Gast bei Fiorini
*Karl Hellmer: Gärtner
*Liselotte Schaak: Gemahlin Josepha
*Werner Scharf: Baron am Dresdener Hof
*Just Scheu: Königlicher Kurier aus Dresden
*Alfred Schieske: Wirt in Braunschweig
*Heinrich Schroth: Gutsverwalter bei Baron von Sollnau
*Wolfgang Staudte: Musiker bei Philipp Emanual Bach
*Annemarie Steinsieck: Frau von Erdmannsdorf
*Magnus Stifter: Zeremonienmeister des Königs in Dresden
*Leopold von Ledebur: Gast bei Fiorini
*Otto Wernicke: Kunde im Musikladen
*Wolf Trutz: Franz
*Walter Werner: Prinzipal der fahrenden Theatertruppe