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Thomaskantors |
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Description |
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Thomaskantor (Cantor at St. Thomas) is the common name for the musical director of the Thomanerchor Leipzig, now an internationally known boys' choir founded in Leipzig in 1212. The official historic title of the Thomaskantor in Latin, Cantor et Director Musices, describes the two functions of cantor and director. As the cantor, he prepared the choir for service in four Lutheran churches, Thomaskirche (St. Thomas), Nikolaikirche (St. Nicholas), Neue Kirche (New Church) and Peterskirche (St. Peter). As director, he organized music for city functions such as town council elections and homages. Functions related to the university took place at the Paulinerkirche. J.S. Bach was the most famous Thomaskantor, from 1723 to 1750.
Leipzig has had a university dating back to 1409, and is a commercial center, hosting a trade fair first mentioned in 1165. It has been mostly Lutheran since the Reformation. The position of Thomaskantor at J.S. Bach's time has been described as "one of the most respected and influential musical offices of Protestant Germany.
The readings and required music of the Lutheran services in Leipzig were regulated in detail. The Church Book (Complete Church / Book / Containing / The Gospels and Epistles / For Every Feast-, Sun-, and Apostle Day Of the Entire Year ...) lists the prescribed readings, repeated every year. The Lutheran Church Year (LCY) began with the 1st Sunday in Advent and was divided in feast days, fasting periods and the feast-less time after Trinity Sunday. For music, there was mainly no concert music such as a cantata during the fasting times of Advent and Lent. Modest music was performed during the second half of the church year, and rich music with more complex instrumentation and more services per day on feast days. Christmas, Easter and Pentecost were celebrated for three days each, and many other feast days were observed. The library of St. Thomas contained works in vocal polyphony from the 15th century onward.
The Thomaskantor reported to the city council, the rector of the Thomasschule and the church superintendent. He had the duty to prepare the choir for service in the city's four Lutheran churches: the main churches Thomaskirche (St. Thomas) and the Nikolaikirche (St. Nicholas), and also the Neue Kirche (New Church) and the Peterskirche (St. Peter).
As Kantor, the Thomaskantor had to compose and take care of copying, rehearsals and performances. He also had to teach music and general subjects. He took part in the admission process for new students to the school. The choir was divided in groups: the most advanced singers performed a cantata every Sunday, alternating between St. Thomas and St. Nicholas, a second group sang at the other church, beginners on feast days at the smaller churches. On high holidays, the cantata was performed in both churches, a morning service in one and a vespers service in the other. To earn additional funding, the choir performed also for weddings and funerals.
As director of music, the Thomaskantor was Leipzig's "senior musician", responsible for the music on official occasions such as town council elections and homages. Functions related to the university took place at the Paulinerkirche.
Today, the Thomaskantor leads the music in services at the Thomaskirche, including weekly afternoon services called Motette which often contain a Bach cantata. He also conducts the choir in recordings and on tours.
Sources:
Wikipedia (March 2020)
Various articles and discussions on the BCW |
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List of Thomaskantors |
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Before the Reformation |
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-28. Thedericus (?-?) | Thomaskantor: c1295 |
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-27. Johann Urban [Johannes Steffani De Orba] (?-?) | Thomaskantor: 1436-1466 |
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-26. Thomas Ranstete (?-?) | Thomaskantor: 1443-1444 |
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-25. Martin Klotzsch (?-?) | Thomaskantor: c1470 |
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-24. Ludwig Götze (c1450-c1506) | Thomaskantor:?1471-?1506 |
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-23. Peter Seehausen (?-1464) | Thomaskantor: ?-? |
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-22. Johannes Fabri [Fabri de Forchheym] (?-?) | Thomaskantor:?-c1472 |
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-21. Gregor Weßnig (?-1494) | Thomaskantor: 1482-1488 |
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-20. Heinrich Höfler (?-?) | Thomaskantor: 1488-1490- |
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-19. Nikolaus Zölner (?-1516) | Thomaskantor: c1494 |
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-18. Johann Conradi [Johann Kaltenborn] (?-?) | Thomaskantor: c1508 |
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-17. Johannnes Scharnagel [Johann] (1480-1513) | Thomaskantor: c1505-?1513 |
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After the Reformation |
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-16. Georg Rhau [Jörg] [Rauw/Rau/Rhaw/Hirsutus] (1488-1548) | Thomaskantor: 1519-1520 |
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-15. Johannes Galliculus [Hennel/Hähnel] (c1490-c1550) | Thomaskantor: 1520-1525 |
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-14. Valerianus [Valerian] Hüffeler (?-?) | Thomaskantor: 1526-1530 |
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-13. Johannes Hermann (1515-1593) | Thomaskantor: 1531-1536 |
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-12. Wolfgang Jünger (c1517-1564) | Thomaskantor: 1536-1539 |
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-11. Johannes Bruckner (?-?) | Thomaskantor: 1539-1540 |
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-10. Ulrich Lange (?-1549) | Thomaskantor: 1540-1549 |
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-9. Wolfgang Figulus [Töpfer] (c1525-1588) | Thomaskantor: 1549-1551* |
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-8. Melchior Heger (?-?) | Thomaskantor: 1553-1564+ |
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--. Simon Wiedemar (?) | Thomaskantor: ? |
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-7. Valentin Otto [Ottho] (1529-1594) | Thomaskantor: 1564-1594 |
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-6. Sethus Calvisius [Seth Kalwitz] (1556-1615) | Thomaskantor: 1594-1615 |
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-5. Johann Hermann Schein (1586-1630) | Thomaskantor: 1616-1630 |
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-4. Tobias Michael (1592-1657) | Thomaskantor: 1631-1657 |
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-3. Sebastian Knüpfer (1633-1676) | Thomaskantor: 1657-1676 |
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-2. Johann Schelle (1648-1701) | Thomaskantor: 1677-1701 |
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-1. Johann Kuhnau [originally:Kuhn] (1660-1722) | Thomaskantor: 1701-1722 |
- 0. Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) | Thomaskantor: 1723-1750
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After J.S. Bach |
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1. Johann Gottlob Harrer (1703-1755) | Thomaskantor: 1750-1755 |
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-. Karl Friedrich Barth (1734-1813) | Interim Thomaskantor: 1755-1756 |
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2. Johann Friedrich Doles (1715-1797) | Thomaskantor: 1756-1789 |
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3. Johann Adam Hiller [Hüller] (1728-1804) | Thomaskantor: 1789-1800 |
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4. August Eberhard Müller [Eberhart] (1767-1817) | Thomaskantor: 1800-1810 |
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5. Johann Gottfried Schicht (1753-1823) | Thomaskantor: 1810-1823 |
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6. Christian Theodor Weinlig (1780-1842) | Thomaskantor: 1823-1842 |
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7. Moritz Hauptmann (1792-1868) | Thomaskantor: 1842-1868 |
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8. Ernst Friedrich Eduard Richter (1808-1879) | Thomaskantor: 1868-187 |
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9. Wilhelm Rust (1822-1892) | Thomaskantor: 1880-1892 |
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10. Gustav Ernst Schreck (1849-1918) | Thomaskantor: 1892-1917 |
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11. Karl Straube (1873-1950) | Thomaskantor: 1918-1939 | Recordings of Vocal Works |
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12. Günther Ramin (1898-1956) | Thomaskantor: 1940-1956 | Recordings of Vocal Works: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Recordings of Instrumental Works |
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13. Kurt Thomas (1904-1973) | Thomaskantor: 1957-1960 | Recordings of Vocal Works: Part 1 | Part 2 |
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14. Erhard Mauersberger (1903-1982) | Thomaskantor: 1961-1972 | Recordings of Vocal Works |
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15. Hans-Joachim Rotzsch (1929-2013) | Thomaskantor: 1972-1991 | Recordings of Vocal Works: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 |
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16. Georg-Christoph Biller (1955-2022) | Thomaskantor: 1992-2015 | Recordings of Vocal Works | Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 |
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17. Gotthold Schwarz (b 1952) | Interim Thomaskantor: Jan 2015-Mar 2016; Thomaskantor: Aug 2016-Dec 2020 | Bach Discography: Recordings of Vocal Works: Part 1 | Part 2 |
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18. Andreas Reize (b 1975) | Thomaskantor: Dec 2020-Present | the first catholic Thomaskantor since 500 years |
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Moritz Hauptmann recommended by Felix Mendelssohn.
August Eberhard Müller recommended by Johann Adam Hiller 'cum spe succedendi' on September 2, 1800 and was officially named Thomaskantor on August 31, 1804.
Source:
pp. 436-437
800 Jahre Thomana: Glauben – Singen – Lernen Editors: Stefan Altner, Martin Petzoldt
Festschrift zum Jubiläum von Thomaskirche, Thomanerchor und Thomasschule
Verlag Janos Stekovics (Leipzig, 2012) 491 pages ISBN 978-3-89923-238-7
+ CD |
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Table of Thomaskantors in Excel format [by Thomas Braatz] |
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Candidates for the post of Thomaskantor, who were not accepted or declined |
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Successor of Tobias Michael: |
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- Johann Rosenmüller (1615-1684) |
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Successor of Johann Kuhnau: |
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- Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767) |
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- Johann Friedrich Fasch (1688-1758) |
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- Christoph Graupner (1683-1760) |
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- Georg Friedrich Kauffmann (1679-1735) |
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- Georg Balthasar Schott (1686-1736) |
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- Christian Friedrich Rolle (1681-1751) |
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- Johann Martin Steindorff (1663-1744) |
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- Andreas Christoph Duve (1676-1749) |
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- Georg Lenck (1685-1744) |
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Successor of Johann Sebastian Bach: |
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- Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714-1788) |
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- August Friedich Graun (1698/9-1765) |
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- Johann Ludwig Krebs (1713-1780) |
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- Johann Gottlieb Görner (1697-1778) |
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- Johann Trier (1716-1790) |
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Johann Friedrich Fasch
Georg Balthasar Schott
Christian Friedrich Rolle
Georg Lenck
Johann Martin Steindorff
Georg Philipp Telemann
== Later Applicants (Dec 21, 1722) ==
Christoph Graupner
Johann Sebastian Bach |
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Articles |
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School Rules and Regulations for the St. Thomas School of Leipzig, as Established and Decreed by the Most Honorable City Council of Leipzig Immanuel Tietzen, Printer, 1723:
1. Preface [PDF 8]
2. Original German text [PDF 8]
3. English Translation (by Thomas Braatz) [PDF 8]
4. Appendix [PDF 8] |
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Prepared by Aryeh Oron (December 2000 - November 2020)
Thanks to contributors: Paulo Cruz (November 2016); Michael Hochgartz (November 2020); Thomas Braatz (January 2006, June 2006, October 2007, May 2012); Dr. Stefan Altner [Thomanerchor Leipzig] (January 2006) |
