Mary took her arm, and Staci looked around sharply to see Lady Beth and Bach approaching, arm in arm. She started to withdraw, but Mary’s grip held her fast. She couldn’t pull away without causing a scene, which she didn’t dare to do in front of the patrons. So she froze.
Lady Beth and Bach—Johann—came to a stop in front of them. His eyes clung to her gaze, his face was solemn, his free hand seemed to be shaking just a bit, judging by the dregs of wine in the bottom of his glass.
“Fräulein Anastasia Matowski,” Mary said, “allow me to introduce you to Herr Johann Bach.” Mary’s glance turned to him. “Herr Bach, Fräulein Matowski.”
* * *
Johann bowed, deeply. “Fräulein Matowski, I am very honored to make your acquaintance,” he said, his voice husky and with the faintest of tremors in it. “I understand you are a dancer. I think that is wonderful. I am certain that you are superb at your art, and I wish you the best of fortune as you pursue your art and your dreams.”
He transferred his glass to his left hand, and held his right hand out. His hand trembled a little; he could see it, but try as he might, he couldn’t hold it still. The smile he tried to make also felt a bit shaky.
Johann, at the end of his hope, at the end of his plan, at the end of his strength, looked at his dream, and waited.
* * *
Mary and Lady Beth had released them and stepped back.
Staci looked at Johann. His hand was shaking; his wobbly smile slipped away.
She had never seen yearning so rawly expressed before. She had never seen naked pleading in a pair of eyes before. It hurt to look at him, he was so exposed before her.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” she asked in a quiet tone.
Johann gave a sharp convulsive nod. His hand remained outstretched.
Staci looked at Johann. Her heart resisted for a long moment, then the walls around it melted. She smiled, reached out and took his hand.
His smile was like the dawning of the sun. It almost blinded her.
Coda
From “The Fall of Fire: The Coming of Grantville and the Music of Europe”
Charles William Battenberg, B.A., M.A.,
Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music,
Schwarzberg Chair of Musicology, Oxford University
1979, Oxford University Press
CHAPTER 9 THE GENERATIONS THAT CAME AFTER
…of the clans and families that arose in the aftermath of the Ring of Fire that were prominent in music and the arts, second only to the Linder-Sylwester clan were the Magdeburg Bachs, descended from three brothers: Johann, Christoph, and Heinrich. They took up the challenge of the heritage and legacy of Johann Sebastian Bach from the future. They founded the Bach Gesellschaft, which vied with the Grantville Music Trust for over two hundred years in providing guidance and leadership to the music scenes of Europe. They were also prominent in ballet and the dance, especially the percussive tap dancing.
…for one hundred fifty years after the Ring of Fire, every male child of the Magdeburg Bach clan was named either Johann or Sebastian—but never both at once.
Cast of Characters
Abati, Andrea
Noted castrato from Rome, known to Francesca.
Bach, Christoph
Second-oldest of the three Bach brothers who will be known as the Magdeburg Bachs, purported grandfather of Grantville’s Johann Sebastian Bach, who will never be born.
Bach, Heinrich
Youngest of the three Bach brothers who will be known as the Magdeburg Bachs.
Bach, Johann
Oldest of the three Bach brothers who will be known as the Magdeburg Bachs.
Bandini, Carlo
Friend of Davit’s in Brescia.
ben Israel, Jachobe
Jewish merchant and moneylender in Bologna who assists Francesca.
ben Jachobe, Davit
Son of Jachobe.
Bocchardi, Benvenuto
Rider and guard for Jachobe.
Bonaro, Marcello
Captain of the USE airship.
Brenzona, Ercole
Palace guard at the Grand Duke’s court, duped by Francesca.
Brother Johann
Benedictine monk who specializes in researching the Grantville libraries.
Caccini, Francesca
Leading musician at the court of the Grand Duke of Tuscany in Firenze (Florence), known as La Cecchina, and sometimes called the Nightingale of Firenze.
Callas, Barbara
Actress at the Teatro Mediceo who performed under the stage name of Isabella.
Carissimi, Giacomo
Noted composer from Rome, known to Francesca.
Charducci, Antonio
Driver for Jachobe.
Chastelina, Maria da la
Christine’s attendant and seneschal.
Cintoia, Sansone
Employee of Jachobe.
Comagni, Guillermo
Medic on the airship.
Compenius, Ludwig
Member of the organ-building Compenius family.
Corsinis, Giulio
A driver who helps Francesca begin her journey.
Cuno, Tobias
Pastor of St. Peter’s Church.
Dauth, Georg
Big Georg, carpenter on the Royal Opera House project.
de Joseph, Bigliamino
Another man who helps Francesca, part of a network of associates.
Decennius, Matthias
Caplan Im Dom, senior pastor in Magdeburg.
Tazzera, Piero del
Ferdinando’s page and attendant.
Falconieri, Cesare
Captain of the palace guard in Firenze.
Fremdling, Isaac
Musician friend of Marla and Franz.
Furttenbach, Josef
Architect, senior partner of Furttenbach and Parigi.
Gagliardi, Paolo
Roberto’s sergeant from his condottiere days, now his companion.
Haygood, Jere
Up-timer, engineer, and Lady Beth’s husband.
Haygood, Lady Beth
Up-timer, assistant and right-hand woman to Mary Simpson, headmistress at the Duchess Elisabeth Sofie Secondary School for Girls.
Higham, Amber
Up-timer, wife of Heinrich Schütz.
Iacho, Clara
Jachobe’s cook.
Jordan, Elizabeth
Up-timer musician, married to Carissimi.
Katzberg, Hermann
Musician friend of Marla and Franz.
Köppe, Georg
Old Georg, carpenter on the Royal Opera House Project.
Landa, Giuseppe
Palace guard at the Grand Duke’s court, duped by Francesca.
Langfeldt, Jacob
Bartender at Lady Beth Haygood’s salon.
Lenzi, Bartolomeo
Employee of Jachobe.
Linder, Marla
Up-timer musician, superb vocalist, married to Franz Sylwester.
Lorraine, Christine de
Dowager Grand Duchess of Tuscany, Ferdinando’s grandmother, and Francesca’s real employer.
Luder, Phillip
Whitesmith who will help build Johann’s organ.
Matowski, Anastasia (Staci)
Up-timer, dancer, teacher at the Duchess Elisabeth Sofie Secondary School for Girls.
Matowski, Melanie
Up-timer, Staci’s sister, electrician on the Royal Opera Hall project.
Medici, Ferdinando II de
Grand Duke of Tuscany, and Francesca’s official employer.
Del Migliore, Roberto
Minor noble, former condottiere, now palace major for Ferdinando.
Mozo, Guido
A bakery boy Marco meets in the streets of Firenze.
Murphy, Brendan
Up-timer, comedian.
Murphy, Catrina
Up-timer, Brendan’s wife.
Nerinni, Allesandro
Roberto’s assistan
t.
Nofri, Bastiano
Palace guard from the Grand Duke’s court.
Odermann, Barnabas
Bartender at Lady Beth Haygood’s salon.
Parigi, Antonio
Architect, junior partner of Furttenbach and Parigi.
Peltzer, Kaspar
Detective Sergeant, Magdeburg Polizei.
Pritchard, Nissa
Up-timer, employee at the Grantville Power Plant.
Rusche, Anna
Server at Walcha’s Coffee House.
Sabatini, Marco
Young attendant and traveling companion of Francesca Caccini.
Salvi, Ricardo
Driver/smuggler who helped Francesca travel to Bologna.
Schockley, Carl
Up-timer, project manager for the Royal Opera House project for Kelly Construction.
Schütz, Heinrich
Down-timer German composer, Father of German Music.
Simpson, Mary
Lady of Magdeburg, wife of USE Admiral John Simpson, head of the Magdeburg Arts League.
Stevenson, Casey
Up-timer, dancer, teacher at the Duchess Elisabeth Sofie Secondary School for Girls, fiancée to Carl Shockley.
Sylwester, Franz
Down-timer musician from Mainz, husband of Marla Linder, dirigent/conductor of the Magdeburg Symphony Orchestra.
Terci, Renata
Another actress at the Teatro Mediceo.
Toro, Ernani
Palace servant in Firenze.
Traugottin, Kreszentia
Baker the Bachs patronize.
Wendell, Marcus
Up-timer, Grantville high school band director.
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