Guide to Bach Tour

Contents

Description & History

Leipzig is the largest city in the federal state (Bundesland) of Saxony. The name is derived from the old-slavic (also Polish) Lipsk (settlement where the linden trees stand). It is situated at the confluence of the rivers Pleisse, White Elster and Parthe. Leipzig's population, which peaked at 750,000 before the second world war, has diminished to just about 500,000 by 2002.

First documented in 1015, and endowed with city and market privileges in 1165, Leipzig has always been known as a place of commerce. The Leipzig Trade Fair became an event of international importance; especially as a point of contact to the east-european economic bloc (Comecon) of which East Germany was a member.

The foundation of the University of Leipzig in 1409 initiated the city's development into a center of the publishing industry, and towards being a location of the German National Library (founded in 1912).

"Leipzig - wir sehen uns!" is how this internationally renowned city of culture and trade fairs greets its visitors. Famous names such as J.S. Bach, Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Schumann, Wagner, Goethe and Schiller are closely associated with this Saxon metropolis.

It was here that Johann Sebastian Bach spent 27 immensely productive years as cantor in St Thomas's Church and Director musices from 1723 until his death in 1750, creating his major works such as the Johannes-Passion (BWV 245) and Matthäus-Passion (BWV 244), the Mass in B minor (BWV 232) and The Art of the Fugue (BWV 1080). Today, his last resting place is in St Thomas's Church. Particularly active in perpetuatlng interest in Bach and his works are the Bach Archives, the Bach Museum and Thomanerchor (St Thomas's Church Choir), one of the oldest and most famous boys' choirs in Germany.

In 1813, the Leipzig region was the arena of the Battle of the Nations. In 1913 a monument celebrating this event was finished.

Having been a terminal of the first German long distance railroad (1838, to Dresden, the capital city of Saxony), Leipzig became a hub of central-european railroad traffic, with a renowned station building, now the largest passenger train station in Europe. Nobel prize laureate Werner Heisenberg worked as a physics professor at Leipzig University from 1927 to 1942.

Among Leipzig's noteworthy institutions are also the Gewandhaus Orchestra and the Leipzig Zoo, which houses the world's largest facilities for primates. Leipzig is also the German candidate for the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Events in Life History of J.S. Bach
Date/Year	Place	Event
Köthen (1713-1723)
Dec 16, 1717	Leipzig	Organ examination in Paulinerkirche, Leipzig
Dec 21, 1722	Leipzig	Candidate entered for post of Thomaskantor, Leipzig
Leipzig (1723-1730)
Leipzig (1731-1740)
Leipzig (1741-1750)
Posthumous Years (1750-1800)
Aug 7, 1750	Leipzig	Election of Johann Gottlob Harrer as Thomaskantor (other applicants for his position: C.P.E. Bach, A.F. Graun, J.L. Krebs, J.G. Görner. And J. Trier)
Aug 29 +, 1750	Leipzig	The Leipzig Town Council acquires performing parts of chorale cantata cycle from Anna Magdalena Bach for the use of the Thomaskantor
Oct 2, 1750	Leipzig	Installation of Johann Gottlob Harrer as Thomaskantor
Nov 11, 1750	Leipzig	Settlement of Bach’s estate at the probate court of Leipzig University
July 9, 1755	Leipzig	Death of Thomaskantor Johann Gottlob Harrer
Oct 8, 1755	Leipzig	Appointment of Johann Friedrich Doles, cantor at the cathedral in Freiburg (a pupil of J.S. Bach’s 1739-1743) as Thomaskantor
Feb 27, 1760	Leipzig	Death of Anna Magdalena Bach (age 59); buried Feb 29
Jan 14, 1774	Leipzig	Death of daughter Catharina Dorothea Bach (age 65) in Leipzig
Aug 18, 1781	Leipzig	Death of daughter Johanna Carolina Bach (age 43) in Leipzig
Aug 24, 1781	Leipzig	Death of daughter Elisabeth Juliane Friederica Altnickol (age 55) in Leipzig
Jan 1, 1782	London	Death of son Johann Christian Bach (age 46) in London
Dec 14, 1809	Leipzig	Death of daughter Regina Susanna Bach (age 67) in Leipzig

Performance Dates of J.S. Bach’s Vocal Works

Features of Interest

Information & Links

Thomaskirche (St. Thomas Church): built in the 12^th century, is the place where J.S. Bach worked and now lies buried; Bach window. Regular concerts by Thomanerchor.
New Bach Memorial: in St. Thomas’s churchyard created by Karl Seffner in 1908. Regular Monday concerts in July and August.
Nikolaikirche (St. Nicolai Church): built c1165. The first 12 members of Thomanerchor sang, conducted by Bach, in the churches of St. Nicolai and St. Thomas. The Church of St. Nicolai was the starting point for the peaceful change to the unification of Germany in 1989. Regular organ recitals in July and August.
Bach Archives (since 1950) & Bach Museum in the Bose House: permanent and special exhibitions with furniture and instruments from Bach era. Office of the Leipzig Bach Festivals and the Leipzig International J.S. Bach Competitions. Headquarters of the New Bach Society. Regular concerts.
Old Bach Memorial: near St. Thomas Church sponsored by Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy and unveiled in 1843.
Old Town Hall: in the Market Square, built in 1556-1557. Houses of the Museum of Municipal History with the only authentic portrait of J.S. Bach.
Leipzig University Museum of Musical Instruments: in the Grassi Museum, including an old organ keyboard fromSt. John’s Church with J.S. Bach once used.
Old Stock Exchange.
Gewandhaus (former Cloth Hall).
Gohlis Palace.
Historic courtyard markets and passageways in the inner city such as Barthels Hof, Mädler Passage with Auerbachs Keller, Specks Hof, municipal department store, Strohsack and Webers Hof.
Mendelssohn House.
Moritz Bastion.
Leipzig Opera House.
Russian Memorial Church.
Monument commemorating the Battle of the Nations.
Tavern: “Zum Coffe Baum”.
Museum of Visual Arts

Stadt Leipzig (Official Website) [German]
Leipzig Online [German]
Leipzig (Wikipedia) [various languages]
Cityreview: Sachsen > Leipzig [German]
Leipzig (Meinestadt) [German]

Bach Festival Leipzig
Neue Bachgesellschaft e. V
International Johann-Sebastian-Bach Competition
Bach-Archiv Leipzig
Leipzig 1723-1750 – Part 1 (Koster)
Leipzig 1723-1750 – Part 2 (Koster)
The J.S. Bach Tourist 12: Leipzig (Koster)
On the Traces of J.S. Bach: Leipzig (Germany Tourism)
J.S. Bach Biographie: Leipzig 1723-1750 (Schlu) [German]
J.S. Bach Education & Career: Leipzig 1723-1750 (T.A. Smith)
Bach's Leipzig 1725-1750 - The City of Leipzig in pictures (Sartorius)
J.S. Bach Biography: Leipzig (Carolina Classical)

Prepared by Aryeh Oron (March 2004)

Back to the Top

Last update: ýMay 3, 2006 ý23:20:59