The Thomasschule at Leipsic
The boys of the Thomas-school had to supply the music every Sunday in four churches, St Thomas, St Nicholas, St Peter and St Matthew; but at St Peter’s only chorales were sung, so that the younger singers sufficed for this duty.
A motet or cantata was performed every Sunday at the Thomas-Church and Nicolai-Church alternately: a custom which still continues; the service is at 9 A.M., and the cantata, which is always accompanied by the town orchestra with the organ, takes somewhat the place of the anthem in an English cathedral. The composition to be performed on each Sunday is now announced in the previous Saturday’s papers.
Office of Cantor
On great festivals the music was performed in both churches at once, and twice a day. The cantor was responsible for the music at one church, the choir prefect for that at the other.
In order to lighten the work that this must have imposed on the boys, the choir that sang at St Thomas in the morning would sing the same music at St Nicholas in the afternoon; and the cantata which was sung at St Nicholas in the morning would be repeated at St Thomas in the afternoon. The rehearsals took place on Saturday afternoons from about 2.30 to 4.
Wedding and funeral music had also to be supplied by the cantor. Moreover he had not only to choose the music for these occasions, and teach it to the choir, but appear in person to direct it, though he frequently left the last duty to the prefect.
The choristers had to take part in certain processions at Michaelmas, New Year, on St Martin’s and St Gregory’s days: and these performances were conducted by the prefects. For this purpose they were divided into four choirs, but the four choirs had only two or three voices for each part. The cantor had to direct the music in the two other churches, i.e. St John and St Paul, to inspect their organs, and to superintend the town musicians who took part in the church music.
The holidays consisted of one week during each of the fairs,[39] followed by a week of half-holidays. In the summer four weeks of half-holidays. Morning lessons were omitted on Saints’ days, funeral days, and academical speech days. Four whole holidays in the year took place on the “Name days” of the four principal masters.