Carl Philipp Emmanuel, Bach’s second son, entered the service of Frederick the Great of Prussia in 1740. So widely was Bach’s skill recognised by this time that the King, who often heard him praised, was curious to meet so great an artist. More than once he hinted to Carl Philipp Emmanuel that it would be agreeable to welcome his father to Potsdam, and as Bach did not appear, desired to know the reason. Carl Philipp did not fail to acquaint his father with the King’s interest. But for some time Bach was too occupied with his duties to accede to the invitation. However, as Carl Philipp continued to urge him, he set out for Potsdam towards the end of 1747, in company with his eldest son, Wilhelm Friedemann.101 It was the King’s custom to hold a private concert every evening, and to take part on the flute in a Concerto or two. One evening,102 when he had got out his flute and the musicians were at their desks, an official brought him a list of the strangers newly arrived at Potsdam. Flute in hand the King ran through the names, and suddenly turning to the waiting musicians, said with considerable excitement, “Gentlemen, Old Bach has arrived.” The flute was put away for the evening, and Bach, who had alighted at his son’s lodging, was summoned immediately to the Palace. Wilhelm Friedemann, who accompanied his father, often told me the story. Nor am I likely to forget the racy manner in which he related it. The courtesy of those days demanded rather prolix compliments, and the first introduction of Bach to so illustrious a monarch, into whose presence he had hurried without being allowed time to change his travelling dress for a Cantor’s black gown, obviously invited ceremonial speeches on both sides. I will not dwell on them; Wilhelm Friedemann related a lengthy and formal conversation between the King and the Cantor.103
More worthy of record is the fact that the King gave up his concert for that evening and invited Bach, already known as “Old Bach,” to try the Silbermann pianofortes104 which stood in various parts of the Palace.105 Accompanied from room to room by the King and the musicians, Bach tried the instruments and improvised upon them before his illustrious companion. After some time he asked the King to give him a subject for a Fugue, that he might treat it extempore. The King did so, and expressed his astonishment at Bach’s profound skill in developing it. Anxious to see to what lengths the art could be carried, the King desired Bach to improvise a six-part Fugue. But as every subject is not suitable for polyphonic treatment, Bach himself chose a theme and, to the astonishment of all who were present, developed it with the skill and distinction he had shown in treating the King’s subject. His Majesty expressed a wish to hear him on the Organ also. Accordingly, next day, Bach inspected all the Organs in Potsdam,106 as the evening before he had tried the Silbermann pianofortes. On his return to Leipzig he developed the King’s theme in three and six parts, added Canones diversi upon it, engraved the whole under the title Musikalisches Opfer and dedicated it to the royal author of the theme.107
His visit to Potsdam was Bach’s last journey. The indefatigable diligence he had shown all his life, and particularly in his younger years, when successive days and nights were given to study, seriously affected his eye-sight. The weakness grew with age and became very distressing in character. On the advice of friends who placed great confidence in the skill of a London oculist lately come to Leipzig,108 Bach submitted to an operation, which twice failed. He lost his sight completely in consequence, and his hitherto vigorous constitution was undermined by the drugs administered to him. He sank gradually for full half a year, and expired on the evening of July 30, 1760, in the sixty-sixth year of his age.109 Ten days before his death110 he was suddenly able to see again and to bear the light. A few hours later he was seized by an apoplexy and inflammatory fever, and notwithstanding all possible medical aid, his weakened frame succumbed to the attack.
Such was the career of this remarkable man. I will only add that he was twice married, and that he had by his first wife seven, and by his second wife thirteen children; in all, eleven sons and nine daughters.111 All of his sons had an admirable talent for music, but only the elder ones fully developed it.112
The Church and School of St. Thomas, Leipzig, in 1723.
CHAPTER IIA.113 BACH AT LEIPZIG, 1723-1750
Bach was inducted into his office as Cantor of St. Thomas’ School at nine o’clock on the morning of Monday, May 31, 1723. He died in his official residence there at a quarter to nine on the evening of Tuesday, July 28, 1750. He was buried early on the morning of Friday, July 31, in the churchyard of St. John’s, Leipzig.
The announcement of his death, made from the pulpit of St. Thomas’ on the day of his funeral, described him as “Court Composer to His Majesty the King of Poland and Electoral and Serene Highness of Saxony, Kapellmeister to His Highness the Prince of Anhalt-Cothen, and Cantor to St. Thomas’ School of this town.” Bach usually designated himself “Director Chori Musici Lipsiensis,” or shortly, “Director Musices.” Circumstances led him to emphasise a title which asserted a musical prerogative not confined to the School and the churches it served.
The Cantor of St. Thomas’ was charged formerly with the musical direction of four Leipzig churches: St. Thomas’, St. Nicolas’, St. Peter’s, and the New Church. He was also responsible for the music in the University Church of St. Paul, the so-called “old service,” held originally on the Festivals of Easter, Whit, Christmas, and the Reformation, and once during each University quarter. On high days music also had to be provided at St. John’s Church.
Bach, as Cantor, succeeded to a more restricted responsibility, which dated from the early years of the eighteenth century. The New Church, originally the Church of the Franciscans, had been restored to use in 1699. In 1704 Georg Philipp Telemann, who came to Leipzig as a law student three years before, was appointed Organist there. He also founded the Collegium Musicum, or University Musical Society, a farther slight upon the Cantor’s position. Not until 1729 did the Society pass under Bach’s direction and its members become available as auxiliaries in the church choirs under his charge. Notwithstanding that Bach’s predecessor Kuhnau had protested against Telemann’s independence, the direction of the New Church’s music passed out of the Cantor’s control, though the School continued to provide the choristers. Six years later the University Church of St. Paul also began an independent course. In 1710 the authorities resolved to hold a University service in the church every Sunday. Kuhnau asserted his prerogative as Cantor. But he was only able to maintain it by offering to provide the music for the “new service” as well as for the “old service” at the fee of twelve thalers which the University so far had paid for the latter. After his death the University appointed (April 3, 1723) Johann Gottlieb Görner, already Organist of St. Nicolas’ since 1721, to control the music both of the “old” and “new” services, for which the University provided the choir. Not until after a direct appeal to the King did Bach succeed, in 1726, in compelling the University to restore to the Cantor his emoluments in regard to the “old service,” the conduct of which had been restored to him on his appointment as Cantor. The “new service” remained under Görner’s direction. As to St. Peter’s, its services, which had entirely ceased, were revived in 1711. The music, however, was simple, and consisted only of hymns.
Thus Bach, as Cantor, was responsible for the music in the two principal churches, St. Thomas’ and St. Nicolas’. The School also provided the choir for St. Peter’s and the New Church. The junior and least competent singers sang at St. Peter’s. The rest were pretty equally distributed between the other three churches. At the New Church the music was performed under the direction of a Chorpräfect. At St. Thomas’ and St. Nicolas’ Bach personally directed the concerted music. On ordinary Sundays a Cantata or Motet was performed in each church alternately. At the great Festivals, New Year, Epiphany, Ascension Day, Trinity Sunday, and the Annunciation, Cantatas were sung at both churches, the two choirs singing at Vespers in the second church the Cantata performed by them in the morning at the other church. On these occasions the second choir was conducted by a Chorpräfect. The principal Sun
day service in both churches began at seven in the morning, ended at eleven, and observed the following order:
1. Organ Prelude.
2. Motet, related to the Gospel for the Day; (omitted in Lent and replaced by the Benedictus).
3. Introit.
4. Kyrie, sung alternately, in German and Latin.
5. The Lord’s Prayer, intoned at the altar.
6. Gloria, intoned at the altar and answered either by the Choir’s Et in terra pax hominibus, or by the congregation with the Hymn, Allein Gott in der Höh’ sei Ehr, the German version of the Gloria.
7. Collect, intoned in Latin; preceded by the preces Dominus vobiscum and Et cum spiritu tuo.
8. Epistle.
9. Litany, in Advent and Lent only; intoned by four boys, the Choir responding.
10. Hymn, appropriate to the Gospel.
11. Gospel.
12. Credo, intoned; (in Lent, last three Sundays of Advent, and Festivals of Apostles, the Nicene Creed, sung in Latin).
13. Prelude, followed by a Cantata, lasting about twenty minutes; on alternate Sundays in each church.
14. The Creed in German, Wir glauben all’ an einen Gott, sung by the congregation.
15. Sermon, lasting one hour (8-9 A.M.).
16. Hymn, Herr Jesu Christ, dich zu uns wend, followed by the reading of the Gospel, on which the Sermon had been based.
17. General Confession, prayers, and Lord’s Prayer.
18. Blessing.
19. Hymn.
20. Communion Service; Hymns and Organ extemporisation.
21. Benediction.
Vespers began at a quarter past one and was a comparatively simple service; the music consisted of Hymns, a Motet, and the Magnificat. On the last three Sundays in Advent and throughout Lent neither Cantatas nor Motets were sung. The Organ was silent. On the three great Festivals the appointed Hymn for the season was sung at the beginning of the principal service, before the Organ Prelude: at Christmas, Puer natus in Bethlehem; at Easter, Heut’ triumphiret Gottes Sohn; at Whitsuntide, Spiritus Sancti gratia. During the Communion service the Sanctus and concerted music were sung. A festal hymn followed the Benediction. The three great Festivals were each observed for three consecutive days, on the first and second of which Cantatas were sung at both churches. On the third day concerted music was sung at only one of the two churches.
The other week-day Festivals for which Cantatas were provided were the Feast of the Circumcision (New Year’s Day), Epiphany, Ascension Day, Purification of the B.V.M., Annunciation of the B.V.M., Visitation of the B.V.M., Feast of St. John Baptist (Midsummer Day), Feast of St. Michael the Archangel. The Reformation Festival was kept on October 31, or if that date was a Saturday or Monday, on the previous or following Sunday.
On Good Friday the Passion was performed in the two principal churches alternately. Leipzig adopted no official Hymn-book. The compilation from which the Hymns were chosen by Bach was the eight-volumed Gesangbuch of Paul Wagner, published at Leipzig for Dresden use in 1697. It contained over five thousand Hymns but no music, merely the name of the tune being stated above the Hymn. For the most part the Hymns for special, and even for ordinary, occasions were prescribed by custom. Otherwise the power of selection was in the hands of the Cantor, and Bach’s exercise of it caused some friction with the clergy in 1728.
The provision and direction of the music at weddings and funerals was in the Cantor’s hands. He arranged the choirs and the music sung at the scholars’ annual processions and perambulations of the town, which took place at Michaelmas, New Year, and on St. Martin’s and St. Gregory’s Days.
Augmenting the School’s choristers, the Town Musicians took part in the Church services and were under the Cantor’s direction. Their numbers and efficiency were inadequate.
Upon the staff of the School the Cantor ranked third after the Rector and Sub-Rector, and took a share in the general instruction of the scholars. Class III. went to Bach for Latin lessons, a duty which the Council eventually permitted him to fulfil by deputy. Singing classes were held by the Cantor on three days of the week, Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, at nine and noon, and on Fridays at noon. His instruction in singing was given to the four upper classes only. On Saturday afternoons the Cantata was rehearsed. Once in four weeks the Cantor took his turn to inspect the scholars. Like the other masters, he was required to conform to the regulations of the School House, in which he lived. He rose at five in summer, at six in winter, dined at ten and supped at five in the afternoon.
Holidays were numerous. A week’s vacation was given at the Easter, Michaelmas, and New Year Fairs. At Midsummer the School had a month of half-holidays. Whole holidays were given on the birthdays of the four upper masters. There were no morning lessons on Saints’ Days, on the occasion of funeral orations in the University Church, and on the quarterly Speech Days. Hence, though Bach’s office carried large responsibility, it left him considerable leisure for composition.
As Cantor Bach had an official residence in the left wing of the School House. In 1723, the Cantor’s wing was of two storeys only, dwarfed by the greater elevation of the main edifice and under the shadow of the church. Bach brought to Leipzig four children of his first marriage, and his second wife, Anna Magdalena, presented him with a son or daughter annually from 1723 to 1729. The accommodation of the Cantor’s lodging therefore rapidly became inadequate. In the spring of 1731 Bach found a house elsewhere while an additional storey was added to it, which provided a new music-room, a good-sized apartment whence a passage led to the big schoolroom in the main building. The new wing was formally opened and dedicated on June 5, 1732, when Bach’s secular Cantata Froher Tag, verlangte Stunden was performed; the libretto being by his colleague Winkler. From thenceforward till his death eighteen years later Bach’s occupancy was not disturbed. The wing continued to be the official residence of the Cantor until the School moved to the suburbs of the city in 1877.
In addition to his residence, which he occupied rent free, the Cantor enjoyed a revenue from various and fluctuating sources, amounting in gross to 700 thalers (=£106 per annum). His fixed stipend was only 100 thalers (=£15). About 12 thalers came to him from endowments. In kind he was entitled to 16 bushels of corn and 2 cords of firelogs, together with 2 measures of wine at each of the three great Festivals. From the University, after his successful protest, he received 12 thalers for directing the “old service.” By far the larger part of Bach’s income was derived from fluctuating sources. They were of three kinds: (1) School monies, (2) funeral fees, (3) wedding fees. The School monies represented perquisites derived from funds obtained by the scholars, partly by their weekly collections from the public, partly from the four annual processions or perambulations of the city. From the weekly collections a sum of six pfennigs multiplied by the number of the scholars was put aside for the four upper masters, among whom the Cantor ranked third. From the money collected at the New Year, Michaelmas, and St. Martin’s Day processions the Rector took a thaler, the Cantor and the Sub-Rector each took one-eleventh of the balance, sixteen thirty-thirds went to the singers, and one-quarter of what remained fell to the Cantor. Out of the money collected on St. Gregory’s Day (March 12) the Rector took one-tenth for the entertainment of the four upper masters, and the Cantor took one-third of the residue. For funerals one thaler 15 groschen was paid when the whole school accompanied the procession and a Motet was sung at the house of the deceased. When no Motet was sung the Cantor’s fee was 15 groschen. For weddings he received two thalers.
Reckoned in modern currency, and judged by the standard of the period, the Cantor’s income was not inadequate and served to maintain Bach’s large family in comfort. When he died in 1750, in addition to a mining share valued at 60 thalers, he possessed in cash or bonds about 360 thalers, silver plate valued at 251 thalers, instruments valued at 371 thalers, house furniture valued at 29 thalers, and books valued at 38 thalers. His whole estate was declared at 1158 thalers, or somewhat less than the savings o
f two years’ income. But for the inequitable distribution of his property, owing to his intestacy, which left Anna Magdalena only about 400 thalers and the mining share, Bach’s widow and unmarried daughters ought not to have been afflicted with excessive poverty, as in fact they were.
At the beginning of his Cantorate Bach worked amid discouraging and unsatisfactory conditions. The Rector, Johann Heinrich Ernesti, was over seventy years of age in 1723. The School was badly managed, its discipline was relaxed, the better-to-do citizens withheld their sons from it, and its numbers were seriously diminished. In 1717 the junior classes contained only 53 as against 120 in Ernesti’s earlier years. The proximity and operatic traditions of Dresden and Weissenfels also had a bad effect; the St. Thomas’ boys, after attaining musical proficiency, were apt to become restless, demanding release from their indentures, and even running away to more attractive and lucrative occupations. Moreover, the governors of the School were the Town Council, a body which had little sympathy with or appreciation of Bach’s artistic aims and temperament. To these difficulties must be added another. The Town Musicians, on whom Bach relied for the nucleus of his orchestra, were few in number and inefficient.
Delphi Masterworks of Johann Sebastian Bach Page 19