Bach

Forkel tells the following anecdote:—Bach, while still at Weimar, had advanced so far in clavier playing that he said to a friend that he believed he could play anything at first sight. His friend invited him to breakfast in a week’s time, and for a joke placed on the harpsichord a newly composed piece which looked simple enough. While the friend was preparing breakfast in the next room, Bach instinctively began playing what he saw on the harpsichord, but was not able to advance very far. He tried several times, but always with the same result. On joining his friend, he laughingly acknowledged that no one could play everything at first sight, it was not possible.

Amongst other things Bach began to study Italian instrumental music at Weimar, especially with regard to the forms then in use, the concerto, the suite and the sonata. To this period may therefore perhaps be assigned some of the concertos for clavecin and other instruments, the suites for violin, etc., and the sonatas for harpsichord and violin.

The sonata of this date was usually performed by two violins and a violoncello, with a figured bass part for a harpsichord or organ (e.g. the twelve sonatas of Purcell in Italian style, and the four sets of twelve sonatas each by Corelli op. 1, 2, 3, 4). These sonatas had nothing in common with the modern sonata as begun by Emanuel Bach and perfected by Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven.

Bach has left some examples in the sonatas for two violins and clavier (Peters, 237); for flute, violin, and clavier (Peters, 237): by clavier must be understood here a part for figured bass, which would be played by violincello or double bass and harpsichord. Besides this, he adopted the form for other combinations, such as violin and figured bass, flute and figured bass (Peters, 232 to 235) viola da gamba and figured bass, etc. (Peters, 239).

Bach and Walther had plenty of encouragement in this kind of music, since the Duke’s nephew Joh. Ernst (who unfortunately died young) had considerable skill on the violin, and also was a fair composer. They vied with one another in arranging Italian concertos for the harpsichord and organ. Sixteen of Vivaldi’s violin concertos were arranged by Bach for the harpsichord (Peters, 217) and three for the organ (Peters, 247).[28] Walther arranged thirteen for organ from the works of Torelli, Taglietti, Albinoni, etc., and they are preserved in MS. in the Royal Library at Berlin. The arranging of these concertos led Bach to the use of the new form for clavier compositions, of which the well-known Italian concerto is an example. Is it possible that the friendly rivalry was the commencement of the estrangement with Walther?

Bach was in the habit of making expeditions to try different organs, or for other musical purposes, and his reputation began to spread through North and Central Germany. He invented a peculiar form of fingering for keyboard instruments in order to increase his facility, and his use of the pedal rose to unheard-of heights. He also became an expert in questions of organ construction, and was often called upon to give his opinion in this respect. He was very ingenious in his use of the stops and of artistic combinations, but, unfortunately, with one small exception, none of his registering has come down to us. He was never in command of a really fine instrument, and the above exception, which consists of the chorale “Ein feste Burg,” Peters, vol. vi., No. 22, seems to have been written for the newly arranged organ at Mühlhausen. It is for three manuals—the left hand has to play on a “fagott,” and over the right hand is written “sesquialtera.” These directions are omitted in Peters’ edition, but are given in Walther’s collection at Königsberg.

In 1713 he went to Halle, where a large organ of sixty-three stops had recently been placed in the Liebfrauenkirche. Here he won laurels by his magnificent playing, and, since the post was vacant through the death of F. W. Zachau, he offered his services to the Council as organist. He remained long enough to go through the prescribed test of composing and conducting a cantata, after which he returned to Weimar in haste to fulfil his engagements. The authorities of the church wrote to him stating the salary and conditions, but Bach, considering that the payment was inadequate to the amount of work, returned the agreement they had sent him to sign. The Halle authorities then said that Bach had only opened the negotiations in order to obtain an increase of salary at Weimar. This naturally annoyed him, and drew from him a firm and dignified answer to the affront.

In 1714 Bach went to Cassel to try an organ, which had been recently renovated. His extraordinary execution, especially on the pedals, so astonished the Crown Prince Friedrich (afterwards King of Sweden) that he drew a valuable ring from his finger and presented it to him.

On the first Sunday in Advent 1714 he paid his first visit to Leipsic, where he conducted his cantata, “Nun Komm, der Heiden Heiland,” and made the acquaintance of Kuhnau, Cantor of the Thomas Church, whose works he much admired.

The autograph score of this cantata is still in existence, and on it is noted, in Bach’s own hand, the order of the service in just the same way as any modern organist, who was taking a service in a strange church, would note it. The order on this occasion was a prelude on the organ, then a motet, then the kyrie, which was preceded by a prelude on the organ. Then came the epistle, the litany (which was sung), and the prelude to the chorale. Then the gospel, and after this the cantata, which was also preceded by a prelude. To this followed the sermon, then the Communion, during which he had to extemporise another prelude to a chorale, and the service concluded with a voluntary on the organ.

The organ solo portions of the service were all called “Preludes”; and it does not seem that a concluding “voluntary” was usual. The prelude was played at the beginning of the service, and before the chorales. With us it is customary to simply play through the tune of a hymn or chant, in order to let the congregation know what they are to sing, and to give them time to find their places in the books. In Germany an artistic and somewhat elaborate prelude, in which the organist is expected to show his skill, precedes each chorale.

A hymn was sung between the epistle and gospel, in the place of the “Gradual” of the Roman service, and here the most elaborate prelude was introduced, based on the melody of the hymn.

Before the “church music,” which takes the place of our anthem, an extempore prelude was played in order to allow the instruments to be tuned. This was in the form of a fantasia, in which the performer had to remain longest in the key which most coincided with the strings to be tuned. The prelude had to stop on a sign from the conductor that the instrumentalists were ready. It was supposed to have some connection with the piece that was to follow, but the unhappy effusions of incompetent organists led to occasional remonstrance from the Council.

In 1716 the Council of the Liebfrauenkirche at Halle invited him to examine their organ, which was now completed. He answered their invitation very politely, and with Kuhnau of Leipsic and Ch. F. Rolle of Quedlinburg began the examination in the second week after Easter. The organ was built by Cuncius of Halberstadt, and the three examiners reported that he had carried out the work (which had occupied three years) in the most satisfactory way possible, the only part requiring alteration being the bellows. After many difficulties, owing to the smallness of the salary, the authorities eventually found an efficient organist in G. Kirchoff, a pupil of Zachau and a man of the same age as Bach.

About 1716 the friend of Bach’s youth, G. Erdmann, visited him. He had held a legal post under the Russian government since 1713.

In the autumn of 1717 Bach made a journey to Dresden to hear the performances at the theatre, which was supported by Friedrich August I. There happened to be visiting Dresden a famous French organist and harpsichord player Jean Louis Marchand, organist at Versailles, and of several churches at Paris. He enjoyed an immense reputation as player and composer, though his compositions have not borne the test of time, and are now entirely forgotten. Vain, arrogant, and conceited, the spoilt idol of French society, he came to Dresden, where his playing became much in favour at the Court and he was given two medals. Soon after Bach’s arrival there arose a discussion among the artists as to which was the greater performer. The Court musicians took the part of Marchand, while the members of the orchestra, who were mostly Germans, preferred Bach. The matter ended in Bach’s being persuaded by his friends to write to Marchand, offering to go through any musical test that Marchand might suggest, on condition that he would undergo the same test.

The challenge was accepted; a date was fixed for a meeting at the house of Field Marshal von Flemming,[29] a jury of musicians was chosen, and a brilliant company assembled. Bach and the jury arrived punctually, but Marchand did not appear. After a time he was sent for, when it was found that he had departed by express coach that morning from Dresden, certain, no doubt, of being defeated. Marchand seems to have heard Bach privately beforehand; while Bach was already familiar with Marchand’s works, and admired them much. Spitta[30] considers that they are not inferior to those of Couperin in variety and grace, but are rather thin for the more solid German taste. The news of Bach’s victory soon spread far and wide, and did much to enhance his already great reputation. He, however, never seems to have obtained any recognition from the Court at Dresden.

Chapter IV

Bach returned from Dresden to prepare for a jubilee at Weimar, in commemoration of the two hundredth anniversary of the Reformation. The festival took place from October 31st to November 2nd, and for it Bach composed at least one cantata and perhaps two. On this occasion the Duke established a fund, of which the interest was to be distributed yearly, the Court organist to receive 3 gülden from it.

The old capellmeister, Samuel Drese, had for twenty years been too much out of health to fulfil his duties. The duke, however, would not dismiss him, but gave him a deputy, G. C. Strattner, at a salary of 200 gülden. Drese died on December 1, 1716, and it would seem natural that Bach should be appointed in his place. For some reason, however, he was passed over, and Drese’s son (who had succeeded Strattner as deputy capellmeister) was installed. Bach, therefore, accepted an offer made by Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Cöthen of a capellmeister-ship, and in November 1717 moved to Cöthen. His post at the Weimar Castle organ was filled by his pupil Schubart.

Amongst Bach’s duties at Weimar was that of composing and conducting a certain number of sacred pieces every year, to texts by Franck, the secretary to the Superior Consistory of the Principality of Weimar, and librarian to the duke. Franck was a good poet, and had written excellent masques, besides occasional pieces for weddings, etc.

Bach’s fine playing naturally attracted many pupils. In those days there were no Conservatoires or Academies of Music; and pupils were “articled,” as in our own country, to eminent organists, taking much the same place as apprentices in any trade—in fact, they were called apprentices. His first pupil, who was also his amanuensis, was J. M. Schubart; of J. C. Vogler, Gerber says that Bach considered him his best organ pupil. He became Court organist and burgomaster of Weimar.

Another pupil was Joh. T. Krebs, who, however, did not begin studying till he was married and had already a post as organist at Buttestädt near Weimar, whence he used to walk weekly to Weimar, for seven years, to obtain instruction from Walther, and afterwards from Bach.

Krebs’ son, Joh. Ludwig, became a pupil of Bach at Leipsic at the age of thirteen, and Bach had a very high opinion of him. He received the appointment of organist of Buttestädt. According to Gerber, he was Bach’s pupil and assistant at the harpsichord for nine years, and was second only to Vogler in eminence.

In repayment for his elder brother’s care at Ohrdruf, Bach took charge of his nephew Bernhard[31] at Easter, 1715, teaching him the clavier and composition. Bernhard afterwards was appointed organist of Ohrdruf, in succession to his father. Some of his compositions still exist in MS. and show the influence of his uncle.

Bach’s duties at Cöthen did not comprise any organ playing or church music: in fact, he never held an organistship after he left Weimar. The organ of the castle was merely a little chamber instrument, with only thirteen stops, of which ten belonged to the two manuals and three to the pedals.

The Prince was highly cultivated, with a great taste for music, which had been developed by travels in Italy. After the custom of German princes of that time, he became a patron of art, practising it himself. Spitta (vol. ii. p. 3) infers from an inventory in the ducal archives at Cöthen, that he played the violin, gamba, and harpsichord.

There is no sign of there having been a trained chorus at Cöthen. One of the members of the band was Chr. F. Abel, who afterwards became famous as a viola-da-gambist, while his second son Karl Friedrich was the well-known virtuoso on this instrument.

J. Schneider became a pupil of Bach’s at this time. He was a violinist in the band, but afterwards became organist of the Nicolai-church at Leipsic. Bach’s salary here amounted to 400 thalers (about £60); it commenced from August 1, though he remained in office at Weimar until November.

The private performances at the castle were full of zeal for art. The Prince would not part with Bach, even for a short time, and took him on his journeys; Bach reciprocated this feeling, and cherished his memory after his early death. In the Royal Library at Berlin is the autograph of a serenade written for the Prince’s birthday. It is scored for soprano and bass solo voices, string band, harpsichord, two flutes and one bassoon: this being the entire resources available. The words, which are very meagre, are by an unknown author, probably Bach himself. The cantata itself is not published, but its music is used with other words in the Whitsuntide Cantata “Erhöhtes Fleisch und Blut.”[32]

In May 1718, and again in 1720, Bach and six members of the orchestra accompanied the Prince to Carlsbad. In November 1718 the Prince and his younger brother and sister stood god-parents to Bach’s seventh child, Leopold August, who died in the following year. The fact of so many high personages standing sponsor to this child is a proof of the estimation in which the Prince’s capellmeister was held.

Bach’s artistic journeys were continued from time to time, and on December 16, 1717, he found himself at Leipsic again, in response to an invitation to examine a large new organ recently erected in the University Church of St Paul. The builder was Johann Scheibe, and Bach declared it to be one of the best organs in Germany.

In July 1720, on his return from the second visit with Prince Leopold to Carlsbad, he was met with the terrible news that his wife had died, and had been buried on the 7th of that month. She was only thirty-six, and was in good health when he left her. She had borne him seven children, had been the best of companions, and was keenly sympathetic towards her husband’s work.

He went to Hamburg to perform a new cantata on the text “He that exalteth himself shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted,” in November 1720. He found Reinken still playing the organ of St Catherine, though now ninety-seven years old. Reinken, though a very great artist, was vain, and jealous, and it was a question how he would receive Bach. Mattheson, who did not love him, said that he was a “constant admirer of the fair sex, and much addicted to the wine cellar of the Council,” though he admitted that he had no equal on the organ in his own style. Moreover, he kept his instrument in excellent tune, and was always talking of it. When Bach came, an appointment was made, and he played for more than two hours, half an hour of which was occupied in a masterly improvisation on the chorale “By the waters of Babylon,” in motet style. After the performance, at which the chief men of the city were present, Reinken came to him, and saying, “I thought this art was dead, but I perceive that it still lives in you,” invited him to visit him, and treated him with every attention. Reinken’s praise was the more complimentary, because he himself had composed and published a very successful arrangement of the same chorale.[33]

The organ at St Catherine had four manuals and pedal, with an abundance of good reeds, of which Bach was fond (a specification is in Niedt, Mus. Handl. II., p. 176). There was also a posaune, a 32 ft. open diapason, and a mixture of 10 ranks. It dated from the sixteenth century, and had been renovated in 1670 by Besser of Brunswick.[34]

A still larger instrument was that of St James’ Church in the same city, built by Arp Schnitker between 1688 and 1693, containing sixty stops, four manuals and pedal. The organist of this church, H. Friese, had recently died, and Bach, being tempted by the organ, and the prospect of again having an opportunity of composing cantatas, offered himself for the post.

There were seven other candidates, the two most important being a son of Vincentius Lübeck, and Wiedeburg, capellmeister to the Count of Gera. An examination was fixed for November 28, the examiners being the elders of the church, together with Gerstenbüttel the cantor, Reinken, and two other Hamburg organists, Kniller and Preuss. Wiedeburg, Lübeck and one other candidate retired. The tests were performances of the two chorales “O lux beata Trinitas,” and “Helft mir Gott’s Güte preisen,” and an extemporised fugue on a given theme.

Bach could not wait for the examination, since his duties at Cöthen required him to return home. He was, however, excused having to submit to the test, on account of his great reputation, and arranged to announce by letter whether he would accept the post. He wrote in the affirmative, though the contents of his letter are not known. The committee had his letter publicly read, and then elected an entirely unknown man, J. Joachim Heitmann, who had done nothing for the art of music, but who on January 6, 1721, paid to the treasury of the church four thousand marks, which he had promised in the event of his being elected. The committee came to the conclusion that “the sale of a post of organist should not become a custom, since it pertained to the service of God; but if, after election, a person of his own free will should show his gratitude by money payment, the church should not refuse it.”

Neumeister, a famous preacher, who had not been able to prevent this extraordinary transaction, left the committee in anger. Mattheson thus describes the state of public opinion when it became known.[35] “I remember, and no doubt other people still remember likewise, that some years ago a great musician, who since then has, as he deserves, obtained an important appointment as cantor, appeared in a certain town of some size, boldly performed on the largest and finest instruments, and attracted universal admiration by his skill. At the same time, among other inferior players, there offered himself the son of a well-to-do artisan, who could prelude better with thalers than with his fingers, and the office fell to him, as may easily be guessed, although almost everyone was angry about it. It was nigh upon Christmas-tide, and an eloquent preacher, who had not consented to this simony, expounded very beautifully the Gospel concerning the angelic music at the birth of Christ, which very naturally gave him the opportunity of expressing his opinions as to the recent event as regarded the rejected artist, and of ending his discourse with this noteworthy epiphonema: ‘He believed quite certainly that if one of the angels of Bethlehem came from heaven, who played divinely, and desired to be organist of St James’ Church, if he had no money he would have nothing to do but to fly away again.’”

Bach had no equal in Germany as an organ player—this was soon admitted on all sides.[36] Handel’s fame had reached Germany from England, both as a composer and organ player. Comparisons were made between Handel’s oratorios and Bach’s cantatas and Passion music—the former were widely known, while the latter were hardly yet appreciated, and were forgotten after the death of the composer.

We have a contemporary opinion in Mattheson, who had often heard Handel. “No one,” says he, “can easily surpass Handel in organ playing, unless it were Bach of Leipsic, for which reason these two are mentioned first, out of their alphabetical order. I have heard them in the prime of their powers, and have often competed with the former both in Hamburg and Lübeck.”[37] Handel, however, did not devote himself so entirely to the organ and organ compositions as Bach; he left no unaccompanied solos for that instrument. Moreover, it is doubtful if he found instruments of respectable size in England.

Bach and Handel never met, though they were twice very near one another. Handel came to Halle, his native town, in 1719, while on a journey as impresario for the opera in London. Bach hearing of it, made a journey to Halle from Cöthen, but unfortunately arrived there the very day Handel had left. In 1729, he made another attempt to meet Handel by sending him a polite invitation, through his son Friedemann, to come to Leipsic; but Handel refused the invitation. On a third visit of Handel to Halle, Bach was dead. Bach greatly admired Handel’s music, and copied some of it for his own use.

We have seen that Bach’s first wife died in 1720. It was not at all in accordance with the family traditions to remain widower, and in 1721 he began to think of re-marrying. He opened negotiations in this year with Anna Magdalena Wülken, a Court singer at Cöthen, twenty-one years old, and the youngest daughter of the Court trumpeter, and was married to her on December 3 in the same year.

Bach’s second wife was a good musician, and had a fine soprano voice, which she used for the performance of her husband’s works in the privacy of the home circle. She had lessons from her husband in clavier and figured bass playing, and also gave him immense help in copying music; amongst other things, her MS. copy of a great part of Handel’s Passion-music still exists.

Just before Bach’s second marriage the widow of his uncle Tobias Lämmerhirt died, leaving him part of her estate. This was the uncle who died just before Bach’s first marriage, leaving him a legacy. The second accession of money caused some trouble. The distribution under the will of the widow was disputed in the names of five relations, Joh. Christoph Bach of Ohrdruf, Joh. Jacob Bach, Joh. Sebastian Bach, Maria Wiegand (born Bach), and Anna Zimmermann (born Lämmerhirt). Unfortunately for the petitioners, they had used the names of the three Bachs without ever informing them. As a matter of fact, Joh. Christoph was already dead, and Joh. Jacob was in Sweden; Joh. Sebastian was most indignant when he heard of it, and wrote to the Council of Erfurt disclaiming both for himself and his brother all desire to dispute the will; saying that they were perfectly satisfied with their share, and that the petition was drawn up without any notice being sent to them. The proceedings were then dropped at once, and nothing more is heard of them.

Immediately after their marriage the Bachs started a MS. music-book between them, entitled “Clavier Büchlein vor Anna Magdalena Bachin, Anno 1720,” on the first page of which is written a playful inscription to the effect that the book was directed against the Calvinism, and its attendant melancholy and hostility to all art, which was rife at Cöthen at this period. This book was followed in 1725 by a second and larger book; both are preserved in the Royal Library at Berlin. The books contain various clavier compositions by Bach, Böhm, Gerhard and others, besides sundry hymns and sacred songs, also a song on the reflections of a smoker; and others evidently addressed to his wife, to whom he was devoted.

He had thirteen children, six sons and seven daughters, by this wife; making, together with those by his first wife, nineteen children in all.

Anna Magdalena’s portrait was painted by Cristofori, and came into the possession of Philip Emanuel, but it has now disappeared.

Most of his chamber music was written at Cöthen, where he remained more than five years.

His position was so peaceful and pleasant that he proposed to spend the rest of his life there. His prince was in full sympathy with him, as we have seen. He had none of the contentions which seem to be almost inevitable between an organist and his church authorities when the organist wishes for anything beyond a mere conventional standard of church music.[38] He had nothing to do with either the composition or performance of church music; and if he had remained there the world would have been the poorer by the Passion-music and nearly all the cantatas. Fortunately for us, however, his circumstances altered. His prince married a lady who had no sympathy with music or its professors, and his interest in music began to flag. After five years Bach found himself again obliged to seek another post: and he found one in which he remained till his death.

Chapter V

Of the three ancient schools at Leipsic, St Thomas, dating from the thirteenth century under the Augustines, was the oldest and most important. It was endowed with no less than fifty-four scholarships for the encouragement of church music, and its cantor was a person of considerable importance, who ranked next below the Rector and Conrector. These three officials, together with the chief Latin master, were “Superiores,” who kept apart from the “Inferiores” or lower masters. The cantor’s duty was to teach singing for seven hours a week, to take the boys to church on Thursdays at 7 o’clock in the morning, and to give certain Latin lessons. He had also to take his turn with the other Superiores in inspecting and examining the boys for one week in four. The boys lived with them, and the regulations of the school required all to get up at 5 in summer, 6 in winter, to dine at 10, to have supper at 5, to go to bed at 8.

The boys of the Thomas-school had to supply the music every Sunday in four churches, St Thomas, St Nicholas, St Peter and St Matthew; but at St Peter’s only chorales were sung, so that the younger singers sufficed for this duty.

A motet or cantata was performed every Sunday at the Thomas-Church and Nicolai-Church alternately: a custom which still continues; the service is at 9 A.M., and the cantata, which is always accompanied by the town orchestra with the organ, takes somewhat the place of the anthem in an English cathedral. The composition to be performed on each Sunday is now announced in the previous Saturday’s papers.

On great festivals the music was performed in both churches at once, and twice a day. The cantor was responsible for the music at one church, the choir prefect for that at the other.

In order to lighten the work that this must have imposed on the boys, the choir that sang at St Thomas in the morning would sing the same music at St Nicholas in the afternoon; and the cantata which was sung at St Nicholas in the morning would be repeated at St Thomas in the afternoon. The rehearsals took place on Saturday afternoons from about 2.30 to 4.

Wedding and funeral music had also to be supplied by the cantor. Moreover he had not only to choose the music for these occasions, and teach it to the choir, but appear in person to direct it, though he frequently left the last duty to the prefect.

The choristers had to take part in certain processions at Michaelmas, New Year, on St Martin’s and St Gregory’s days: and these performances were conducted by the prefects. For this purpose they were divided into four choirs, but the four choirs had only two or three voices for each part. The cantor had to direct the music in the two other churches, i.e. St John and St Paul, to inspect their organs, and to superintend the town musicians who took part in the church music.

The holidays consisted of one week during each of the fairs,[39] followed by a week of half-holidays. In the summer four weeks of half-holidays. Morning lessons were omitted on Saints’ days, funeral days, and academical speech days. Four whole holidays in the year took place on the “Name days” of the four principal masters.

In Lent no church music was performed, except on the festival of the Annunciation; and on the last three Sundays in Advent there was no church music.

The above list of holidays may seem at first sight ample; but it had this great drawback: the masters were never free, as in English schools, to go away for change of scene. The boys appear to have lived with them throughout the year. It is possible that German boys do not cause so much anxiety to their masters as English boys, and that work was not carried on at such high pressure as nowadays; it is quite certain that no master of an English public school could pursue his work continuously, year after year, as these old Germans seem to have done, without breaking down in health.

The cantor was provided with a residence in the school: the salary was 100 gülden (about £13), but the whole income from various sources amounted to about 700 thalers (about £100), together with certain allowances of corn, wine and firewood. A curious custom, though not an uncommon one in those days, was, that certain scholars twice a week went round the town to collect donations for the school; and out of these, 6 pfennige (about three farthings) per week were taken for each scholar and divided between the four upper masters. The moneys collected during the processional singing in the streets, and also the fees paid for funerals and weddings were divided according to certain fixed rules. Bach mentions to Erdmann that when the air of Leipsic is good there are few funerals, and therefore the cantor’s income is smaller. Many efforts were made by the public to evade these taxes, by holding funerals and weddings without music; and there arose a certain feeling of indignation that an important school and church official should partly derive his means of subsistence from money obtained by begging.

Owing to the insufficiency of accommodation the school was a centre of illness, until the building was enlarged.

The Rector, Ernesti, was very old—he was a learned man, but was not able to control either masters or boys. The former quarrelled among themselves, and neglected their duties; the boys were undisciplined, and the many calls on their time for musical performances made their education difficult. When Ernesti was appointed there were one hundred and twenty boys in the lower school; there were now only fifty-three.

The scholarships had plenty of applicants, but the better class of citizens sent their sons to the other schools. The lowest classes of the Thomas School consisted of boys of the worst character, who went about the town barefoot and begging.

All reform which might result in curtailing his salary was opposed by Ernesti, and the cantor seconded his opposition. Things therefore grew worse and worse till his death in 1729. In 1730 the superintendent reported that the school had run wild, and that there were so few scholars that it was proposed to close the lower classes altogether. As to the singing, it must have been very bad. The slow processions in the worst of weather, the running up long flights of stairs to sing before the doors of the higher “flats” ruined the voices. Kuhnau complained in 1717 that the trebles lost their voices before they had learned to use them. In addition to this, they were undisciplined and often feeble and miserable from illness, so that they did not offer an attractive material for the cantor to work upon.

Kuhnau worked his hardest to remedy this state of things, but without avail. In reply to his very reasonable request that at least two trebles should be set apart for church music only, and not allowed to run about the streets and attend funerals for money, the Council took no further steps than to allow 4 gülden for this purpose, and that two boys should be released from the winter processions.

When from 1693 to 1729 a house in the Brühl, one of the chief streets of Leipsic, was used for the performance of operas during the fairs, much damage was done to the musical tendencies of the inhabitants of Leipsic. The students of the University, who had formerly taken an important part in the performance of the church cantatas, now left Kuhnau (after he had been at the trouble of training them), and joined the chorus of the opera. The trouble was most acute when Telemann was organist of the Church of St Matthew. He had been a student in the University, had composed an opera, and had formed a musical society amongst the students. Looking upon him as one of themselves, they entirely left Kuhnau, who had to supply the music for the churches as best he could. A new and operatic style of music came into vogue under Telemann at St Matthew’s Church, which became very popular; and his musical society became the most important in Leipsic. There were sixty members, who practised twice a week from 8 to 10 in the evening, and their performances, which took place during fair time, became important. This “Musical Union” practised in the coffee-houses, and members of the public were admitted; its meetings had none of the formality of school practice, but were cheerful and attractive. Some of its better instrumentalists obtained engagements in good bands, as at Dresden, Darmstadt, Wolfenbüttel and Hamburg.

Telemann’s post, when he left, was successively occupied by good musicians, and the union and opera were kept up; the cantor had, in consequence, a hard time of it. At festivals and fairs, when he was naturally anxious to do well before the public, he had nothing to rely on but a few inefficient town musicians and unruly schoolboys.

The organ at the Thomas Church was “belaboured first by one, then by another pair of unwashed hands,” the director of the music being either unable to play it, or absent. Kuhnau begged that a regular organist should be appointed, but he begged in vain. The Council, like everyone else, were more interested in the attractions of the opera than in the serious music of the two important churches.

At last even the boys took to the opera. Those who had any voices got engaged by an impresario, ran away from school, and returned only to appear in the theatre during fair time, thus exciting the admiration and envy of their former school-fellows. The music at the Thomas School had reached its lowest ebb at the time of Kuhnau’s death.

Kuhnau, the cantor of this School of St Thomas at Leipsic, died on June 5, 1722. Six candidates applied for the post—Fasch, a former pupil of Kuhnau, and now capellmeister to the Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst; Rolle, musical director at Magdeburg, and formerly organist of Quedlinburg; Telemann, who had composed cantatas for St Thomas’ Church, and operas for the Leipsic theatre, cantor at Hamburg; G. F. Kauffmann, a pupil of Buttstedt, and organist of Merseburg; Graupner, capellmeister of Darmstadt; and Schott, the organist of St Matthew’s Church at Leipsic.

Telemann was elected, and arrangements were made for his installation, when he wrote from Hamburg that he would not accept the office. The Council were therefore, much against their will, obliged to elect another, and their choice fell on Graupner, who had been nine years a boy in the Thomas School, and was a pupil of Kuhnau. He was considered one of the best composers for the harpsichord of the day. He was backed by strong recommendations and testimonials from Heinichen, the capellmeister of Dresden, but the Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt refusing to part with him, he was forced to retire.

At the end of 1722 Bach, after long and anxious deliberation, offered himself for the appointment.

He did not wish to leave his comfortable post at Cöthen, and moreover the position of cantor was somewhat less dignified than the office of capellmeister. On the other hand, the education of his sons could be better carried out at Leipsic, and the marriage of the Prince had to some extent put him out of favour. After some three months’ hesitation, acting on the advice of friends, he went to Leipsic and performed his test piece, “Jesus nahm zu sich die Zwölfe” (Peters, 1290), on February 7, 1723.

On the retirement of Graupner Bach was chosen, with the proviso that if he could not teach all the Latin required, they would pay a deputy to do it for him. Not wishing to be behind his predecessor Kuhnau, he undertook all the duties, but soon finding the Latin too much of a task, he paid his colleague Pezold 50 thalers per annum to relieve him of this part of his work. He had to sign an agreement to lead a respectable and sober life; to be faithful and diligent in the performance of his duties; to have a proper respect for the Council; not to make the church music too long or too operatic; to instruct the boys in instrumental as well as vocal music; to treat them with humanity; not to send incapable singers to the New Church;[40] not to make any journeys without permission from the Burgomaster; and not to accept any office in the University without leave from the Council.[41]

After signing this agreement, he had to pass an examination as to his religious views, and on the 13th of May 1723, he was confirmed in the appointment: though the installation did not take place till the 31st.

Bach’s residence was in the left side of the school buildings: but in 1731 the building was enlarged and he for a year lived in a temporary residence, for which the Council paid a rent of 60 thalers.

This particular post of cantor was one of the most important in Germany and had been always held by a distinguished man. The work was not heavy, though the list of duties seems a long one; and he would have time for his own engrossing occupation of composing. He still held the rank of a capellmeister, and in addition to that of Cöthen, he was given honorary rank as capellmeister of the Court of Weissenfels in the year he removed to Leipsic.