Thomanerchor Leipzig (Choral Group)

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Thomanerchor Leipzig (Choral Group)
Founded: 1212 - Leipzig, Germany
The choir of the Thomaskirche looks back proudly on nearly 800 years of tradition. The Thomaskirche was established as a choral foundation in Leipzig in 1212 by members of the Augustine order. The Thomasschule probably came into existence directly afterwards; the first documentary reference to it dates back to the year 1254. The school was chiefly intended to train boys for liturgical singing and as servers. Over the centuries, the number of pupils gradually swelled; in the early period there were probably about twelve choristers, while directly before the Reformation there were twenty-four. In Bach’s time approximately 50 trained choristers were available (but generally had to be shared among four churches), while today the choir has about 100 members. When the Reformation reached Leipzig in 1539, the school was secularized and its administration passed into the hands of the city. This resulted in a good deal of conflict, since the Thomaskantors were now municipal employees and the direction of church music in Leipzig was only one of the many responsibilities resting on their shoulders. First and foremost, they were teachers at the Thomasschule (having to give instructions not only in music, but in Latin as well); supported by the choir, the Thomaskantor as municipal ‘Director Chori Musici’ also had to provide suitable musical background to weddings, funerals, academic celebrations, inaugurations and other solemn occasions in the city. For Kantors like J.S. Bach, who saw themselves primarily as creative artists and church musicians, upholding the teaching schedule was a heavy burden and constantly led to arguments with the municipal authorities. Only in the course of the 19^th century were both the Thomaskantors and the choir released from their additional obligations. This was the period in which the choir of the Thomaskirche became backbone of the Bach revival. In the 20^th century, now highly acclaimed internationally through its concert tours, the choir was placed under considerable pressure, first by the Nazi dictatorship and then by the communist regime succeeding it, both of whom wanted to exploit it for their own purposes. However, notwithstanding all manner of state interference, the Thomaskantors holding office at this time - Karl Straube, Günther Ramin, Kurt Thomas, Erhard Mauersberger and Hans-Joachim Rotzsch - were able to uphold the fundamental ecclesiastical function of the choir and to maintain the continuity of the Bach tradition into our time.

More Pictures \| Soloists of the Thomanerchor Leipzig
Source: Liner notes to 4 Sets of Leipzig Classics jointly named ‘Bach Made in German Vol. I-IV’ (1999) Contributed by Aryeh Oron (April 2001)
Karl Straube: Short Biography \| Recordings of Vocal Works Günther Ramin: Short Biography \| Recordings of Vocal Works: Part 1 \| Part 2 \| Part 3 \| BWV 244 - G. Ramin \| Article: Günther Ramin 1898-1956 - Thomaskantor 1940-1956 Kurt Thomas: Short Biography \| Frankfurter Kantorei \| Recordings of Vocal Works: Part 1 \| Part 2 \| BWV 248 - K. Thomas Erhard Mauersberger: Short Biography \| Recordings \| BWV 244 - E. Mauersberger Hans-Joachim Rotzsch: Short Biography \| Neues Bachisches Collegium Musicum \| Recordings of Vocal Works: Part 1 \| Part 2 \| Part 3 \| BWV 244 - H.J. Rotzsch Georg Christoph Biller: Short Biography \| Recordings cof Vocal Works \| BWV 232 - G.C. Biller Thomaskantors: Thomanerchor Leipzig \| Gewandhausorchester Leipzig \| General Discussions: Part 1 \| Part 2 Table of Recordings by BWV Number
Recordings of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works
Conductor	As	Works
Riccardo Chailly	Choir	BWV 244
Matthias Eisenberg	Choir	BWV 55 [w/ tenor Martin Petzold]
Heinz Hennig	Choir	BWV 244
Martin Krumbiegel	Choir	BWV 244 [2^nd]
Michael Schneider	Choir	BWV 56, BWV 158 [w/ Bass Gotthold Schwarz]
Links to other Sites
Thomanerchor Leipzig (Official Website) [German]

Short Biographies: A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | Explanation | Acronyms

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Last update: ýJune 28, 2009 ý12:27:00