A Large Family
He had thirteen children, six sons and seven daughters, by this wife; making, together with those by his first wife, nineteen children in all.
Anna Magdalena’s portrait was painted by Cristofori, and came into the possession of Philip Emanuel, but it has now disappeared.
Most of his chamber music was written at Cöthen, where he remained more than five years.
His position was so peaceful and pleasant that he proposed to spend the rest of his life there. His prince was in full sympathy with him, as we have seen. He had none of the contentions which seem to be almost inevitable between an organist and his church authorities when the organist wishes for anything beyond a mere conventional standard of church music.[38] He had nothing to do with either the composition or performance of church music; and if he had remained there the world would have been the poorer by the Passion-music and nearly all the cantatas. Fortunately for us, however, his circumstances altered. His prince married a lady who had no sympathy with music or its professors, and his interest in music began to flag. After five years Bach found himself again obliged to seek another post: and he found one in which he remained till his death.
Chapter V
The position and duties of the Cantor of St Thomas’ School at Leipsic—The condition of the school in 1722—Kuhnau’s death—Competition and election of two cantors in succession—Bach offers himself—Is elected—Difficulties with the authorities. The Council make irritating regulations—Bach endeavours to leave Leipsic—Election of a new Rector, and temporary disappearance of Bach’s troubles.
St Thomas’ School, Leipsic
Of the three ancient schools at Leipsic, St Thomas, dating from the thirteenth century under the Augustines, was the oldest and most important. It was endowed with no less than fifty-four scholarships for the encouragement of church music, and its cantor was a person of considerable importance, who ranked next below the Rector and Conrector. These three officials, together with the chief Latin master, were “Superiores,” who kept apart from the “Inferiores” or lower masters. The cantor’s duty was to teach singing for seven hours a week, to take the boys to church on Thursdays at 7 o’clock in the morning, and to give certain Latin lessons. He had also to take his turn with the other Superiores in inspecting and examining the boys for one week in four. The boys lived with them, and the regulations of the school required all to get up at 5 in summer, 6 in winter, to dine at 10, to have supper at 5, to go to bed at 8.