Liturgy and Music in Leipzig's Main Churches - Bach Cantatas
Liturgy and Music in Leipzig's Main Churches - Bach Cantatas
Liturgy and Music in Leipzig's Main Churches - Bach Cantatas
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A rather important question <strong>in</strong> regard to music <strong>and</strong> liturgy is that of the hymnals. Here you will f<strong>in</strong>d an<br />
extraord<strong>in</strong>arily rich palette of chorales, for at that time <strong>in</strong> Germany <strong>in</strong>sofar as it had anyth<strong>in</strong>g to do with<br />
the various protestant church districts, each larger or middle-sized city had its own hymnal. Thus it is no<br />
surprise that you have to assume that dur<strong>in</strong>g <strong>Bach</strong>’s tenure <strong>in</strong> Leipzig there must have been at least 20<br />
different hymnals <strong>in</strong> the h<strong>and</strong>s of those attend<strong>in</strong>g church services <strong>in</strong> Leipzig. More <strong>in</strong>formation about this<br />
variety of hymnals can be found, among other th<strong>in</strong>gs, <strong>in</strong> the contemporary estate list<strong>in</strong>gs. Dur<strong>in</strong>g <strong>Bach</strong>’s<br />
tenure the Dresden Hymnal served as a k<strong>in</strong>d of model for others to follow: 14<br />
The Royally Condoned, Copyright-Protected,<br />
Proper <strong>and</strong> Exp<strong>and</strong>ed Dresden Hymnal<br />
To be Used for Public Church Services<br />
And from Which the Chorales are to be sung<br />
In the Elector of Saxony’s Royal Palace Chapel<br />
As well as <strong>in</strong> Other <strong>Churches</strong> near the Elector’s residence<br />
And with Which the Hymn Numbers on the Hymn Boards <strong>in</strong> Church Must Agree<br />
In This Book are Found the Choicest <strong>and</strong> Most Spiritual Songs <strong>in</strong> Great Number,<br />
Upon Royal Comm<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> the Dem<strong>and</strong>s Made by Many for an Average Font Size<br />
Given to the Pr<strong>in</strong>ter<br />
By Jesus’ Faithful Servant. [JEsu Getreu Bleibenden Diener]<br />
With Special Permission <strong>and</strong> Copyright Protection of<br />
His Royal Majesty of Pol<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> His Em<strong>in</strong>ence as Elector of Saxony<br />
That this Book may not be Repr<strong>in</strong>ted Whether <strong>in</strong> a Different Format<br />
Or Any Other Manner.<br />
Dresden <strong>and</strong> Leipzig, 1725<br />
To be Purchased at Friedrich Hekel’s Pr<strong>in</strong>t<strong>in</strong>g Establishment<br />
Who is the Only Legal Publisher of This Book.<br />
The title of this Dresden Hymnal conta<strong>in</strong>s an acrostic referr<strong>in</strong>g to the name of its orig<strong>in</strong>ator <strong>and</strong> supporter<br />
Johann George Börner, Doctor (1646-1713) who had been a former member of the upper-level<br />
14<br />
In a document submitted to the Leipzig City Council <strong>in</strong> regard to the question as to how the chorales are to be selected, <strong>Bach</strong><br />
wrote on September 20, 1728, that among the “traditions <strong>and</strong> customary habits…regard<strong>in</strong>g the choice of chorales [spiritual<br />
songs] before <strong>and</strong> after the sermons, a choice which had been left to me <strong>and</strong> my predecessors as cantors <strong>and</strong> which is based on the<br />
Gospels that are <strong>in</strong>dicated for a specific day <strong>and</strong> for which the Dresden Hymnal was specifically designed….” BD I, No. 19.<br />
9
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