[41] Spitta, vol. ii. p. 186.
[42] i.e. the University Church. In Bach’s time there were six churches at Leipsic—St Thomas, St Nicholas (or Nicolai), St Paul (or University Church), St Matthew (or New Church), St Peter (or Petri), and St John.
[43] According to Spitta, vol. ii. p. 223. But Görner’s name appears in the “Chronicle” far more often than that of Bach in connection with the music for these festivals.
[44] See Glossary.
[45] Spitta quotes it in full, vol. ii. p. 253.
[46] Spitta, vol. ii. p. 242.
[47] Quoted by Bitter, vol. i. p. 303. This appreciation of the skill required to conduct a musical performance is remarkable as coming from one who, not being musical, might be expected to think, with the majority of non-musicians, that the conductor merely has to “beat time.”
[48] A rough estimate of this difference may be made thus: The Council paid 60 thalers = £9 a year for a “dwelling” for Bach during the alterations to the Thomas School. Such a “dwelling” or “flat” would now cost about £60 a year. An income of £100 in those days would therefore represent the purchasing power of about £630 now: not a large sum on which to give nineteen children a first-class education, and send two to the university.
[49] For his installation Bach composed a cantata “Thomana sass annoch betrübt”—“St Thomas School was still in grief.” From the Leipsic Chronicle, 1734, quoted in Centralblatt, 1884.
[50] See Glossary.