Liturgical performance

Pr. Joseph G. Crippen [St. John's Lutheran Church, Northfield, Minnesota, USA] wrote (February 3, 2005):
Hello! I'm a Lutheran pastor in the US who found this yahoo group on a Google search. I hope you don't mind me joining. I'm looking for some advice and/or help. Periodically our senior choir (adults) does a Bach cantata at worship. They haven't done it for several years now, but are proposing to do BWV 4, Christ lag in Todesbanden, on 3 Easter (April 10.) Now, I realize that an adult choir with a small chamber orchestra likely is not an authentic original performance, especially since they won't use boy sopranos of course. But in many ways their performance will be in the spirit of Bach's original need/use of these cantatas, as an integral part of worship, and that's why your group discussion intrigued me.

What I'm wondering is whether there is a resource that any of you know of that shows how Bach originally used these liturgically? In other words, were they one, straight-through performance, or were they woven into the liturgy, broken up by readings of scripture or other parts of the liturgy? When would the sermon have been done? You see what I mean. Even a basic order of service from Leipzig that showed how these cantatas were used would be helpful.

Thanks for your time, and for allowing me into this group.

Rodrigo Campelo wrote (February 3, 2005):
[To Pr. Joseph G. Crippen] Here I transcribe the text written by Ottfried Jordahn "The position of the Cantata in the Protestant church service" in the booklet of Teldec LP Complete Cantatas v.16 that explains the Leipzig liturgy at Bach's times.The order of the service is almost the same written by Bach's own hand on the first Sunday in Advent when he was in Leipzig in 1714 :

"The service began around seven o'clock with the bell ringing. The beginning was taken up by prayers. Following the organ prelude,during which the officiating priests donned the chasubles in the liturgical colour of the day, the choir sang the introit in the form of a polyphonic Latin motet from a collection containing countless German and Italian masters, or -- on certain feast days --the prescribed Latin hymn as had been handed down from the mediaeval church.This was followed by the kyrie eleison (Lord,have mercy)in the extended Greek or Latin text sung by the choir. On festive occasions it was frequently "musicalized", i.e.,performed polyphonically and with instruments. The priest performing the liturgy, the archdeacon, now moved to the altar and intoned in Latin gloria in excelsis Deo (Glory be to God on high); the choir continued this either with the Latin et in terra pax etc. -- on festive occasions "musicalized" as with the kyrie -- or with all four verses of the German gloria hymn
"allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr". Standing before the altar the priest sang the Salutatio in Latin: dominus vobiscum (The Lord be with you).Thr choir responded with: Et cum spiritu tuo (and with your spirit).The priest sang theLatin collect for the day,the congregation holding German texts for silent worship.

The verbal part of the service now began.The assistent priest,the sub-deacon, read from the lectern the epistle of the day in accordance with the established order passed on in the mediaeval tradition taken over almost unchanged by the Reformation. In some instances the congregation played an active part for the first time only after the lesson reading with the main song firmly established for the Sundays or feast days. The archdeacon then sang the applicable section of the gospel.Following this (except on a few specific ecclesiastical seasons) the cantata was performed, which at that time was the most modern liturgical element of the church service. With the aid text leaflets applying to several Sundays and published in advance,the congregation was in the position to follow the wording exactly. The congregation responded with Luther's htmn "Wir glauben all an einen Gott", the German rewording of the Nicene Creed. In the meantime it was around eight o'clock.During the last verse of the hymn
the preacher approached the pulpit. After the pulpit greeting, an exhortation to prayer,accepted by the congregation with a set hymn for the appropriate church season, the silently rendered Lord's Prayer and a further reading from the gospel, the sermon began,usually lasting about one hour. The next stage,still from the pulpit, was a richly strustured complex with various prayers, thanksgiving,intercessions and notices as well as a repetition of the Lord's Prayer and the pulpit blessing. The hymn after the sermon,or occasionally also the second part of the Cantata (Bach composed several Cantatas in two parts),led on to the subsequent climax of the divine service,the sacramental office."

"During communion, which frequently lasted an hour or more, the congregation sang hymns of communion and repetance. At this satge chuch music also had on opportunity of rich development: motets,parts of the cantatas, and even complete cantatas which had originally been composed for the sermon section were again performed. The three to foru-hour church service ended with the German final collect sung at the altar and the blessing of the priest as well as the concluding hymn sung by the congregation (on feast days this was the German version of the hymn sung by the choir at the beginning in Latin). The Cantata therefor occupied a firm place at two points of the main church service : as sermon music during the verbal part between the gospel and hymn of faith (occasionally the second part of the cantata after the sermon), and as communion music in the sacrament part during dispensing of Holy Communion."

Pr. Joseph G. Crippen wrote (February 3, 2005):
[To Rodrigo Campelo] Thank you very much! This was incredibly helpful.

Boyd Pherson wrote (February 4, 2005):
[To Pr. Joseph G. Crippen] Luther D. Reed noted Ludwig Schoeberlein's work "Schatz des Liturgischen Chor-und Gemiendegesangs" (Vol. 2, 1865-72) regarding this subject. In English I recommend Gunther Stiller's work on "Johann Sebastian Bach and Liturgical Life in Leipzig," translated by Dr. Robin Leaver. Also in English, Carl Schalk's book on "Music in Early Lutheranism" provides early Baroque background as well as primary and secondary source listings regarding Lutheran Church music from Praetorius to Schütz.

It seems Bach's Cantatas were probably sung in the Service of Word and Sacrament at the point of the Gradual, and halved, the remainder performed after the sermon. There is some indication that maybe the Cantatas were divided further throughout parts of the liturgy. Bach's intention was to adorn and showcase the Service of Word and Sacrament musically, and not merely to entertain. Bach's Chorales were created from hymns that would have been well-known, and possibly beloved by his congregation. The Cantata may not have been the only music used by Bach for one church service. Organ preludes and chorales, and a motet may have rounded out a service!

Reed's Lutheran Liturgy contains a wonderful quote: "...Johann Sebastian Bach in Leipzig continued to exemplify the Lutheran Church Year and to proclaim with unexampled force and beauty the typical Lutheran doctrines of sin and grace and personal communion with Christ in agolden flood of Cantatas, Passions, and compositions for organ."

Welcome to this group, and please keep us posted on your progress.

Johan van Veen wrote (February 4, 2005):
[To Joseph Crippen] Welcome to this list. I hope someone here can answer your question. You should also have a look at this site: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/
You will find there information about single cantatas as well as about the Lutheran liturgical year. In fact, Cantata BWV 4 was discussed on the mailing list which is associated with the site (another list than this one). You will find tcontributions to the discussion on the right of the homepage (Works for discussion).

Johan van Veen wrote (February 4, 2005):
After sending this mail I noticed that two of our members have already answered your questions. I thank Rodrigo and Boyd for their replies.

Bach's Week: Schedule

Douglas Cowling wrote (July 17, 2006):
________________________________________________________

Choir Week in Leipzig in Bachıs Time
________________________________________________________

SUNDAY Week I

* Festivals occurring on weekdays are celebrated as if a Sunday New Yearıs (Jan 1), Epiphany Jan 6), Purification (Feb 2), Annunciation (Mar 25), Ascension, St. John (June 24), Visitation (July 2), St. Michael (Sept 29), Reformation (Oct 31)
* Three Days of Christmas, Easter, Pentecost & Reformation Day are each celebrated as if a Sunday
* Week II ­ Choir I & II reverse attendance at two churches

ST. THOMAS ST. NICHOLAS

5:00 am Matins Bell
5:30 am Matins [choir]

7:00 am Bells Bells
7:00 am Early Service (Mass) Early Service (Mass)
- 11:00 am with Cantata, Sermon with Sermon & Communion,
Communion [Choir I] no cantata [Choir II]

11:30 am Week I: Bells Week II: Bells
11:45 am Week I: Noonday Service Week II: Noonday Service
- 1:00 pm [choir] [choir]

1:00 pm Bells Bells
1:15 pm Vespers Vespers
with Sermon with Sermon & cantata
no cantata- [Choir II] [Choir I]

4:00 pm Baptisms Baptisms

5:00 pm Weddings Weddings
a) full ­ [Choir I?] a) half [Choir II?]
b) half ­ [choir] b) quarter [choir]
________________________________________________________

MONDAY

6:30 am Early Service
(Matins) [choir]
with Preaching

2:00 pm Short Prayer Service
(Vespers) [choir]
& Exhortation to Penitence

3:00 pm Baptisms Baptisms

4:00 pm Weddings: Weddings:
a) full [Choir I?] a) full [Choir I?]
b) half [Choir II?] b) half [Choir II?]
c) quarter [choir] c) quarter [choir]
________________________________________________________

TUESDAY

6:30 am Short Prayer Service
(Matins) [choir]
& Sermon

2:00 pm Catechism Major Prayer Service
(Vespers) [choir]
with Private Confession

3:00 pm Baptisms Baptisms
________________________________________________________

WEDNESDAY

5:30 am [Matins? ­ choir]

6:30 am Early Service (Mass)
with Sermon
& Communion [choir]

2:00 pm Minor Prayer Service Catechism
(Vespers) [choir]
with Private Confession

3:00 pm Baptisms Baptisms
________________________________________________________

THURSDAY

5:30 am [Matins? ­ choir]

6:30 am Early Service (Mass)
with Sermon
& Communion [choir]
(Bach takes communion)

2:00 pm Minor Prayer Service
(Vespers)
with Exhortation to Penitence

3:00 pm Baptisms Baptisms
________________________________________________________

FRIDAY

6:30 am Penitential Service
(Matins)
[choir] with Sermon

2:00 pm Major Prayer Service
(Vespers) [choir]

3:00 pm Baptisms Baptisms

________________________________________________________

SATURDAY

6:30 am [Matins? - choir]

1:30 pm Vespers [choir] Vespers [choir]
& Sermon & Sermon

3:00 pm Baptisms Baptisms
________________________________________________________

Douglas Cowling wrote (July 17, 2006):
Bach's Week: Comments

I've recently been researching for a recreation of a Bach mass and plowing though the dense information of Günther Stiller's "Johann Sebastian Bach and Liturgical Life in Leipzig". I've been struck by the enormous amount of music which went on all through the week under Bach's tenure, so I abstracted the table which I just posted to the site.

The first myth that needs to be debunked is that Bach was a choirmaster in a little church in some small provincial town. The musical establishment was huge and more like a Catholic or Anglican cathedral or collegiate church. In fact, the pastor of St. Thomas was the "superintendant" of Leipzig, the Lutheran equiavalent of a bishop (the same cleric held the office for Bach's whole time in Leipzig)

Rather than one cathedral church, the rota of weekly services was shared by the two principal churches, St. Thomas and St. Nicholas. We are familiar with the pattern of Bach's First and Second Choirs alternating the cantata, but if you look at the schedule, you will see that the daily morning and evening services (Matins and Vespers) atlternate consistently between the two churches (the other small parish churches of the city are not included in the table but they too had more modest services which had to have musical accompaniment)

MATINS & VESPERS:
The weekly services were sung with a mix of Latin Gregorian chant, German chorales, and Latin motets. For instance, Sunday Matins which was sung by 10 students consisted of:

1-3 Latin psalms to chant with antiphons proper to day of year Old testament reading Benedictus with proper antiphon Collect/Prayer - intoned German Te Deum

Although we tend to dismiss services which did not have a cantata as having "just chant" and "just motets", the musical demands of a melsimatic Gregorian melody or an eight-part motet by Lassus are extremely high. It appears that various "choirs" were always heading out from the school to one of the two churches throughout the day. It isn't clear how many of these weekly services were directed by Bach. He probably directed the Sunday and Festival music, leaving his four prefects and sub-organists to rehearse and direct the choirs.

WEEKDAY MASSES:

Full Communion Services without cantata were celebrated on Wednesday and Thursday which would have been major musical occasions although without cantata or Latin ordinary. Bach evidently took his Communion at the Thursday mass, rather than on Sunday when he was busy with the music.

CONFESSION:
Lutherans still made private confessions before receiving the weekly Sacrament and all the churches had confessional booths. Tuesday and Wednesday were the principal days for confession.. Bach undoubtedly knelt in one of these confessionals regularly (weekly or monthly) to make his confession.

BAPTISMS:
The rapid growth in the population meant that by Bach's time, every day of the week at 3:00 pm was set aside for baptising children, usually on the third day after their births. Someone would have to research to see if the Bach family had a favoured day for baptisms when other musicians in the extended family could come.

WEDDINGS:
Weddings were held on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. They were classified in three categories, "full", "half" and "quarter" depending on the degree of music used. "Full" weddings had a cantata and were extremely rare. There were only 31 full weddings during Bach's time in Leipzig.

FUNERALS:
Although funerals were not held in the church, the choirs had to sing from the deceased home to the grave where the service took place. For people of high status, the Sunday cantata could be replaced by an elegaic cantata or motet (e.g. Komm, Jesu Komm)

GATES:
We can't underestimate how closely the rhtymn of the city followed the rhythm of the churches. On Sundays and Festivals, the city gates were shut which prevent cart and carriage traffic. Near the churches, chains blocked the streets turning the entire city into a quiet pedestrial mall.

A veritable musico-industrial complex!

Bradley Lehman wrote (July 17, 2006):
< I've recently been researching for a recreation of a Bach mass and plowing though the dense information of Günther Stiller's "Johann Sebastian Bach and Liturgical Life in Leipzig". I've been struck by the enormous amount of music which went on all through the week under Bach's tenure, so I abstracted the table which I just posted to the site. >
Thanks for sharing that summary of Bach's typical week schedule. I haven't seen that Stiller book (1984) yet....

You might want to check also Martin Petzoldt's article "Liturgie und Musik in den Leipziger Hauptkirchen" (1999) to see if there are any corrections/additions in the intervening 15 years since Stiller:
http://homepages.bw.edu/bachbib/script/bach1c.pl?4=[ce]WeltBachKantaten&5=3&7=1999

....in this book: Die Welt der Bach-Kantaten, III, ed. Wolff. Bärenreiter/Metzler, 1999. 264p.

I remember enjoying that Petzoldt article last summer, and found it useful enough that I photocopied the whole thing for a conductor friend who puts together a Leipzig-style service each year. Kept a copy for my own poorly-organized files, too. Somewhere. As I recall there were even more things crammed into the week, and I wondered when there was time for anybody to do serious organ practice in those buildings.

Rick Canyon wrote (July 18, 2006):
Douglas Cowling wrote:
< Choir Week in Leipzig in Bachıs Time >
Many thanks for this! It's fascinating.

A question regarding the Matins:
in winter I believe the students were given an extra hour of sleep--6 AM vs 5 AM. Would the timings for Matins possibly be moved back an hour in winter; or, would the students who were to sing at the Matins simply have to get up earlier? Do I get the impression that there may have been some rotation of Matins' singing duties among the choirs?

Your posts were terrifically interesting.

Ed Myskowski wrote (July 18, 2006):
Brad Lehman wrote:
<< I've recently been researching for a recreation of a Bach mass and plowing though the dense information of Günther Stiller's "Johann Sebastian Bach and Liturgical Life in Leipzig". I've been struck by the enormous amount of music which went on all through the week under Bach's tenure, so I abstracted the table which I just posted to the site. >>
< Thanks for sharing that summary of Bach's typical week schedule >
I join in the thanks to Doug Cowling. Interesting even to those of us who only spectate on the serious research, history, and musicology. I repeat my mantra (first time this month): too much information is preferable to the alternative.

Douglas Cowling wrote (July 18, 2006):
Canyon Rick wrote:
< A question regarding the Matins:
in winter I believe the students were given an extra hour of sleep--6 AM vs 5 AM. Would the timings for Matins possibly be moved back an hour in winter; or, would the students who were to sing at the Matins simply have to get up earlier? Do I get the impression that there may have been some rotation of Matins' singing duties among the choirs? >
I wondered that myself. Stiller covers an enormous amount of material but leaves a lot of questions unanswered. I would love to know how many services Bach himself directed and played. Was he just at the Sunday and Festival services? Were the four choirs with their prefect-directors on a specific rota to cover all the services? Was Choir I exempt from routine weekly services beacuse they had the difficult concerted music to prepare? And were the motets assigned to Choir II and III on the basis of difficulty? An eight voice motet by Lassus or Schütz would have taken as much ability as the opening chorus in a Bach cantata.

The logistics of being responsible for the music every day in all four churches is mind-boggling. The four prefects must have been expert assistant choir directors as well as knowing the Lutheran liturgy extremely well. Otherwise, Bach would have been swamped with administrivia.

Bradley Lehman wrote (July 18, 2006):
< I wondered that myself. Stiller covers an enormous amount of material but leaves a lot of questions unanswered. I would love to know how many services Bach himself directed and played. Was he just at the Sunday and Festival services? Were the four choirs with their prefect-directors on a specific rota to cover all the services? >
Some of these issues (responsibilities of the various vocal ensembles, types of repertoire, etc) are also covered well within Andrew Parrott's and Joshua Rifkin's books, which see....

Douglas Cowling wrote (July 19, 2006):
Bradley Lehman wrote:
< Some of these issues (responsibilities of the various vocal ensembles, types of repertoire, etc) are also covered well within Andrew Parrott's and Joshua Rifkin's books, which see.... >
I reread Parrott's book recently, and like most Bach scholars, only really deals with the arrangements for concerted music. It's remarkable how little interest people have in placing Bach's music in its practical context and within a large and diverse repertoire which ranged from difficult Gregorian chant and challenging Renaissance polyphony.

Ed Myskowski wrote (July 25, 2006):
Douglas Cowling wrote:
< It's remarkable how little interest people have in placing Bach's music in its practical context and within a large and diverse repertoire which ranged from difficult Gregorian chant and challenging Renaissance polyphony. >
Administrivia was a new word to me (a neologism?), in an earlier post, just to complicate the musical challenges. Very interesting ideas, even from the bleacher seats.

Bach the Administrator

Douglas Cowling wrote (July 20, 2006):
Ed Myskowski wrote:
< Administrivia was a new word to me (a neologism?), in an earlier post, just to complicate the musical challenges. Very interesting ideas, even from the bleacher seats. >
Perhaps it's just me projecting my own situation, but I have a profound admiration for Bach the administrator. The weekly services in Leipzig demanded literally hundreds of decisions about choices of hymns, organ works, motets, not to mention coordinating personnel. Even in a well-oiled machine like the Leipzig Cantorate where many choices were prescribed, how did the "Staff" function?

Did Bach meet weekly with the clerical staff to survey the days or seasons ahead?

"The Electress is looking poorly. Herr Bach, perhaps we should be prudent and start planning her memorial service" ... "The postmaster's wife just died. Herr Bach, can we have a memorial motet in place of the cantata on Sunday" ... "Yes, this latest influenza is quite severe. Perhaps we should plan for simpler motets to reduce the boys' rehearsal time" ... "Herr Bach, there seems to be quite a bit of tardiness among the boys. I would like to speak to them all later this week."

And did Bach meet weekly with his four prefects to discuss their plans for repertoire and rehearsals?

"The Reformation Festival is in two weeks and I need to see your rehearsal schedules for the three days that have cantatas ... Fritz, young Georg is doing very well in Choir I but I'm not sure he's ready for three cantatas in three days. Perhaps days one and three. Walther, how is that new boy, Karl, doing in Choir II? Perhaps he would be able to move up for day two. Run through the big aria with him and let me know.

Wolfgang, the pastor at the New Church complained that the boys in Choir IV did not have the right chorales ready last Sunday. I know they're all very young and inexperienced, but it is your job to make sure sure that they have marked al the hymns before they go into the church. Herinrich, I see that Choir III is singing the Schütz, "Jauchzet den Herrn" on Sunday. Watch that shift from duple to triple time at the end. I may drop by the rehearsal to see how they're doing.

And looking farther ahead. I will be away for three weeks in November for the inauguration of the new Silbermann organ -- I wish you could all go with me. It promises to be the finest instrument in Saxony. But I will be depending on you four to maintain the schedule. Fritz will be my commissar as usual, but I expect to hear good reports when I return."

We have no written minutes or repertoire lists. Was the week's repertoire and hymn lists posted on four chalkboards in the school? In the choir lofts?

I get a headache just thinking about how much organization and delegation was required.

Julian Mincham wrote (July 20, 2006):
Douglas Cowling wrote:
< but I have a profound admiration for Bach the administrator. >
Yes, I have often wondered--did the man have the normal human being's need for sleep? Because goodness knows when he got it!

Thomas Braatz wrote (July 20, 2006):
Douglas Cowling wrote:
>>"The Electress is looking poorly. Herr Bach, perhaps we should be prudent and start planning her memorial service" <<
This opinion will probanot stand up to closer scutiny. I believe this has been covered before in regard to the fascinating background to BWV 198. Also see pp. 314-316 of Wolff's "The Learned Musician". Here, once again, is the sequence of events preceding the performance of BWV 198 as determined by actual records to which some reasonable conjectures must be attached [NBA KB I/18 pp. 126-127] Here Bach was certainly involved with "administrivia" with all the problems attached, ranging from personal attacks on one's honor and prestige to the organization of a significant musical event with many dignitaries and foreigners (outsiders who do not live in or around Leipzig) being present.

1. The Electress Christiane Eberhardine died on September 5, 1727. It cannot be determined from existing sources whether the renowned poet, Johann Christoph Gottsched, had already begun or even completed his "Trauerode" by this date or soon thereafter. [It is more reasonable to consider Gottsched's first draft of the libretto to have been completed on or just after he received the official invitation and the payment of the commission on Oct. 3.]

2. On September 12, a Leipzig University student, Carl von Kirchbach (was he prompted to do this at the behest of Gottsched with whom he had connections in the literary society to which he belonged?), having secured promises from both Gottsched and J. S. Bach for their collaboration, initiated formal proceedings by seeking permission from the university authorities and from the Elector to present as soon as possible (within a certain time frame normally accorded such events) a eulogy ("Lobrede") as well as a funeral oration ("Trauerrede") delivered by Kirchbach along with 'celebratory' verses ("Trauerode") by Gottsched set to music by Bach. It was necessary for Kirchbach to present the request to the university authorities first before approaching the Elector for his final decision.

3. On October 3 the university authorities finally granted permission for the performance to take place in the University of Leipzig Church, St. Paul's Church. Kirchbach now sends the official papers to the Elector for his final confirmation. From Kirchbach's later testimony, this would have been the time when the official invitations and payments of commissions would have been extended to Bach and Gottsched. Possibly Bach needed to wait for a few days for the completed text to be sent to him if Gottsched began writing out his text (final version?) at this time.

4. Between October 3 and October 5 Bach may have received Gottsched's text so that he could begin working on the composition in earnest.

5. On October 5 Kirchbach receives the formal ok from the Elector.

6. From this time forward, verbal arguments accelerate into legal warfare as Görner, the "Acad: Direct: Chori Mus:" at St. Paul's Church of the University of Leipzig views Bach's possible performance in his [Görner's] church as interference in his [Görner's] official duties and affairs.

7. On October 9 Görner lodges an official objection/protest to the planned ceremony by presenting his written claims asserting his rights to the university authorities, thus jeopardizing the performance of Bach's music under his own direction at St. Paul's Church, the officially designated venue.

8. The official minutes of the meeting held by the university authorities and at which Kirchbach is present on October 9 (the time for making a decision on this matter is pressing) record that Kirchbach is told "that the performance, as it is planned, is questionable in that the cantor of St. Thomas Church should not be allowed to perform in St. Paul's Church." To this Kirchbach responds: "But I have already promised Bach that he would perform his own music which he had begun composing a week ago and for which I have already paid him." Official decision of the authorities: Kirchbach must now commission Görner to perform the music.

9. On October 11 the proceedings of the university authorities continue: Gorner is present and complains that Kirchbach still has not contacted him and requested him to compose and perform the planned music. Görner still does not know whether he is responsible for the music or not. The authorities send a porter (with official authority) to put pressure on Kirchbach to finally give Görner the commission to perform "since Cantor Bach will not be admitted into the church [St. Paul's]." On the same day Kirchbach was asked to have Bach sign a pledge that he would look upon this engagement as a one-time exception which does not set a precedent and that he could make no claim to any rights to perform at St. Paul's, this including contracting for performances to be given there. [Bach did not sign this pledge.]

10. A lingering standoff nevertheless seems to have been avoided with some kind of verbal agreement being tentatively reached rather quickly with Bach's fame as composer and performer probably playing a crucial role as city authorities may also have become involved in this as well. The performance had to take place very soon for another reason: this event would be concurrent with the Leipzig Fair which brought many outside visitors to the city. Now (on Oct. 11 or very soon thereafter) Bach could once again take up his work in completing his composition.

11. His composing schedule may have been as follows:

Received text and commission (with payment) to begin composing approximately on, or a few days after, Oct. 3, as soon as Kirchbach had received permission from the university authorities (Kirchbach must have been confident that the Elector would not object).

When the approval of the court (Elector) arrived on October 5, Bach may already have already started composing, but verbal rumors about Görner's objection would have reached his [Bach's] ears soon thereafter, putting the entire compositional enterprise in danger of collapsing [the idea that Bach thought he would be performing at St. Paul's, the chosen venue, his own music with his best choir, soloists and instruments]. At this point until the last official attempt to dissuade Kirchbach on Oct. 11 and get him to have Bach sign an agreement, things would have been very much 'up in the air' with only a portion of the composition having been composed and no incentive to continue.

12. Between Oct. 11 and Oct. 15, Bach finished composing the major portion of the "Trauerode", the date on completing the score being assigned by him as "Lipsia. ao.[tilde over the 'o'] d. 15. Oct." Between Oct. 15 and Oct. 18 (the date of the performance), all the parts would still have to be copied out with allowances for at least one rehearsal before the main performance on Oct. 18.

The score shows all the characteristics of an original first draft composition with any parodies being improbable ["unwahrscheinlich"].

Chris Rowson wrote (July 20, 2006):
What other activities did Bach have on during the period Oct 3 to Oct 18 1727?

Douglas Cowling wrote (July 21, 2006):
Thomas Braatz wrote:
>> "The Electress is looking poorly. Herr Bach, perhaps we should be prudent and start planning her memorial service" <<
< This opinion will probably not stand up to closer scutiny. >
This was offered in a more playful spirit than you took it, although the actual historical record which you admirably outlined demonstrates the high level of bureaucrcy in which Bach worked and created. I was merely suggesting that a "staff" meeting at St. Thomas may well have included the political, ecclesiastical, social and musical gossip on current events that one encounters on any high level executive board. The staff composer at CNN was interviewed recently and he sthat he always has a variety of musical skteches ready which he calls "Dead Pope Music" and "Bombs over Bagdhad Music".

Thomas Braatz wrote (July 25, 2006):
Thomas Braatz wrote:
>>[NBA KB I/18 pp. 126-127]<<
should read [NBA KB I/38 pp. 126-127]

>>all the parts would still have to be copied out with allowances for at least one rehearsal before the main performance on Oct. 18.<<
I forgot to mention Bach's usual involvement with the copied parts:

Sometimes he would copy out one or two parts personally.

Usually, or almost always, each part would be checked carefully for errors and he would provide necessary
additions such as dynamics, articulation, and embellishments.

At least one continuo part would have numbers for the figured bass added by Bach

Vestments in Bach's Churches

Douglas Cowling wrote (July 21, 2006):
A while ago, someone on the list asked about the vestments which the Lutheran clergy wore in Bach's churches. Stiller's "Johann Sebastian Bach and Liturgical Life in Leipzig" makes a few allusions to the colours of the clergy vestments and the parments which decorated the altar and pulipit and changed according to the season:

Blue ­ Reformation
Green ­ Purification, Maundy Thursday
Black ­ Lent, Good Friday
Red ­ Palm Sunday & Holy Week

The principal vestment was the chasuble which was retained from the Catholic mass and worn by the principal cleric every Sunday. The assisting deacons who chanted the epistle and gospel may have worn the dalmatic. The use of vestments declined in the 19th century but was retained in Scandinavian Lutheran churches. The chasuble pictured in the link below was probably very similar to the style seen by Bach fron the choir gallery:
http://www.historiska.se/collections/veckansfynd/vfynd1_112003_E.html

Rick Canyon wrote (July 21, 2006):
Douglas Cowling wrote:
< A while ago, someone on the list asked about the vestments which the Lutheran clergy wore in Bach's churches. >
I think that was me. And thanks very much for remembering the question. This is certainly of interest.

If you should ever happen to come across anything about vestments worn by the Thomanerchor, both at services AND at school... I'm assuming the sailor suits were not in vogue during Bach's time. There is info out there, tho it's rather conflicting (they didn't really make the choir perform barefoot at winter funerals, did they?)

Douglas Cowling wrote (July 21, 2006):
Canyon Rick wrote:
< If you should ever happen to come across anything about vestments worn by the Thomanerchor, both at services AND at school... I'm assuming the sailor suits were not in vogue during Bach's time. >
It appears that the Bach's singers were located in two places. If a cantata or motet was sung, they were in the choir loft with the organ at the west end of the church. Illustrations from the period show no vestments worn by musicians in the gallery. (Parrott's "The Essential Bach Choir" reprodudes several engravings).

If unaccompanied gregorian chant and chorales were sung, the boys were in the choir stalls, the seats closest to the altar. When they were visbile to the congregation, did they wear "choir dress", the black cassock and white surplice that the clergy wore? I suspect that they probably had a school cloak which was part of the school uniform and which functioned as suitable quasi-liturgical garb in church.

In a period when dress indicated one's social and professional status, it would be interesting to know if Bach as Cantor wore semi-clerical clothing which identified his position. Some of the portraits certainly show him in a rather severe coat. Was this his Cantor Coat?

Rick Canyon wrote (July 22, 2006):
[To Douglas Cowling] But, I also note an engraving (from the frontpiece of the "Unfehlbare Engel-Freude") in Parrot's book (#18 and detail of #18 in #12) which is labeled as "Singers performing concerted music in church, Leipzig, 1710". He quotes Schering's interpretation whereby 2 boys "are marked out by their black gowns and boys' wigs as pupils of the Thomasschule", and that an older student is identified by his men's wig and dagger. The leader/ conductor/choir director (presumably a couple of decades later, this would be Bach) appears to wear a black cloak (as opposed to gown). But, you can only see him from the back. One might wonder if the portrait of Ernesti provides a clue.

You might find the current journal on my deviantART site of interest: www.startyger.deviantart.com

Again, thanks very much for your information on this--and I don't think it is obscure--subject.

Douglas Cowling wrote (July 22, 2006):
Canyon Rick wrote:
< He quotes Schering's interpretation whereby 2 boys "are marked out by their black gowns and boys' wigs as pupils of the Thomasschule", and that an older student is identified by his men's wig and dagger. >
Wigs were often worn by men in church long after they ceased to be fashionable in secular fashion. Anglican (Episcopal) bishops wore them right up to the last decade of the 19^th century.