When from 1693 to 1729 a house in the Brühl, one of the chief streets of Leipsic, was used for the performance of operas during the fairs, much damage was done to the musical tendencies of the inhabitants of Leipsic. The students of the University, who had formerly taken an important part in the performance of the church cantatas, now left Kuhnau (after he had been at the trouble of training them), and joined the chorus of the opera. The trouble was most acute when Telemann was organist of the Church of St Matthew. He had been a student in the University, had composed an opera, and had formed a musical society amongst the students. Looking upon him as one of themselves, they entirely left Kuhnau, who had to supply the music for the churches as best he could. A new and operatic style of music came into vogue under Telemann at St Matthew’s Church, which became very popular; and his musical society became the most important in Leipsic. There were sixty members, who practised twice a week from 8 to 10 in the evening, and their performances, which took place during fair time, became important. This “Musical Union” practised in the coffee-houses, and members of the public were admitted; its meetings had none of the formality of school practice, but were cheerful and attractive. Some of its better instrumentalists obtained engagements in good bands, as at Dresden, Darmstadt, Wolfenbüttel and Hamburg.
Telemann’s post, when he left, was successively occupied by good musicians, and the union and opera were kept up; the cantor had, in consequence, a hard time of it. At festivals and fairs, when he was naturally anxious to do well before the public, he had nothing to rely on but a few inefficient town musicians and unruly schoolboys.
The organ at the Thomas Church was “belaboured first by one, then by another pair of unwashed hands,” the director of the music being either unable to play it, or absent. Kuhnau begged that a regular organist should be appointed, but he begged in vain. The Council, like everyone else, were more interested in the attractions of the opera than in the serious music of the two important churches.
The Thomas School
At last even the boys took to the opera. Those who had any voices got engaged by an impresario, ran away from school, and returned only to appear in the theatre during fair time, thus exciting the admiration and envy of their former school-fellows. The music at the Thomas School had reached its lowest ebb at the time of Kuhnau’s death.
The Successor to Kuhnau
Kuhnau, the cantor of this School of St Thomas at Leipsic, died on June 5, 1722. Six candidates applied for the post—Fasch, a former pupil of Kuhnau, and now capellmeister to the Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst; Rolle, musical director at Magdeburg, and formerly organist of Quedlinburg; Telemann, who had composed cantatas for St Thomas’ Church, and operas for the Leipsic theatre, cantor at Hamburg; G. F. Kauffmann, a pupil of Buttstedt, and organist of Merseburg; Graupner, capellmeister of Darmstadt; and Schott, the organist of St Matthew’s Church at Leipsic.
Telemann was elected, and arrangements were made for his installation, when he wrote from Hamburg that he would not accept the office. The Council were therefore, much against their will, obliged to elect another, and their choice fell on Graupner, who had been nine years a boy in the Thomas School, and was a pupil of Kuhnau. He was considered one of the best composers for the harpsichord of the day. He was backed by strong recommendations and testimonials from Heinichen, the capellmeister of Dresden, but the Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt refusing to part with him, he was forced to retire.
Bach offers himself