April 12, 2006
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Bach on music
Interesting historical glimpse... Johann Sebastian Bach's acceptance letter for the Leipsig Thomas-Schule Cantor position, with my comment below...
May 5 1723
Whereas the Honorable and Most Wise Council of this Town of Leipzig have engaged me as Cantor of the Thomas-Schule and have desired an undertaking from me in respect to the following points, to wit:
(1) That I shall set the boys a shining example of an honest, retiring manner of life, serve the School industriously, and instruct the boys conscientiously;
(2) Bring the music in both the principal Churches of this town into good estate, to the best of my ability;
(3) Show to the Honorable and Most Wise Council all proper respect and obedience, and protect and further everywhere as best I may its honor and reputation; likewise if a gentleman of the Council desires the boys for a musical occasion unhesitatingly provide him with same, but otherwise never permit them to go out of town to funerals or weddings without the previous knowledge and consent of the Burgomaster and Honorable Directors of the School currently in office;
(4) Give due obedience to the Honorable Inspectors and Directors of the School in each and every instruction which the same shall issue in the name of the Honorable and Most Wise Council;
(5) Not take any boys into the School who have not already laid a foundation in music, or are not at least suited to being instructed therein, nor do the same without the previous knowledge and consent of the Honorable Inspectors and Directors;
(6) So that the Churches may not have to be put to unnecessary expense, faithfully instruct the boys not only in vocal but also in instrumental music;
(7) In order to preserve the good order in the Churches, so arrange the music that it shall not last too long, and shall be of such nature as not to make an operatic impression, but rather incite the listeners to devotion;
(8) Provide the New Church with good scholars;
(9) Treat the boys in a friendly manner and with caution, but, in case they do not wish to obey, chastise them with moderation, or report them to the proper place;
(10) Faithfully attend to the instruction in the School and whatever else it befits me to do;
(11) And if I cannot undertake this myself, arrange that it be done by some other capable person without expense to the Honorable and Most Wise Council or the School;
(12) Not go out of town without the permission of the Honorable Burgomaster currently in office;
(13) Always so far as possible walk with the boys at funerals, as is customary;
(14) And shall not accept or wish to accept any office in the University without the consent of the Honorable and Learned Council;
Now therefore I do hereby undertake and bind myself faithfully to observe all of the said requirements, and on pain of losing my post not to act contrary to them, in witness whereof I have set my hand and seal to this agreement.
Johann Sebastian Bach, Leipzig, May 5, 1723
Bach's desire and promise (well-fulfilled!) to compose music "not to make an operatic impression, but rather incite the listeners to devotion" is the perfect ideal for Christians today as well...! Our goal ought to be to exalt Christ, and to minimize attention to ourselves... to "incite the listeners" to meditate on Christ, pray to Him, tell Him of their gratitude, and worship Him...
Comments (10)
thanks for your thoughts on my "manifesto" post. you added a great perspective to the whole issue!
hmmm. i wonder how much of our Christian music actually incites people to devotion. i think that goal has been buried under a lot of lesser goals... like appealing to popular culture, or being easy to memorize.
one of the reasons i really appreciate liturgy is that i think it's crafted to incite people to devotion. i often find myself very challenged by reading or listening to it.
I would have to say, that although I enjoy listen to Contemp. Christian music, it is not what I worship the Lord with. I almost treat it as the Secular music I listen to...entertainment! As for me, with MY voice, there will never be an "operatic impression". One of the things about heaven I look forward to, is that I'll be able to belt out my praises...instead of hoping no one hears my awful voice.
Thanks for the good reminder! This is one of the things that we've been discussing as we check out new churches...what exactly are they doing with that band on stage? Entertaining? Worship? Sometimes it is hard to tell.
no I didn't! do I know her? what's her name? does she have a xanga?
what a beautiful and respectable image of the role/function of "worship" music. actually, I was really impressed to see this post because we just read that letter in my counterpoint class week. Bach had a pheonomenal gift of capturing a life lived in Christ with the written word too. Try sometime to read some of Bach's commentations on the several chatechisms. They're really good. He also wrote some hysterical satire (especially when it came to his contemporaries music!!)
Tim,
Many of the things I was thinking of are deeply rooted in particular music, such as his explanation of the "ten cannons" and his "Musical Offering" and such... but it would make the most sense when read with the music. I should send you a copy or two of them. But one story that cracks me up (and it may be only I that it makes laugh...
is the one below:
(these are taken from my notes at school... so I guess they're kind of really from my Prof.)
Compsed for Frederick the Great (fred the II) when Bach was 62. He traveled to Potsdam to be greeted by frederick: "Gentleman, old Bach is here", spoken apparently with a kind of agitation in his voice. Fredericks court composer was Carl Phillip Emanuel Bach (JS's son). Fred met Bach and asked him to "try out" his 17 Forte et Pianos. etc etc
so when bach went to play, the king asked him to make a three part fugue of a theme he played at the keyboard. to everyone's astonishment, bach did it (actuall, if I remember correctly, its the same one beth played senior year of high school- the one with "all the notes" in the opening measures) so anyways, then fred asked bach to improvise a 6 part fugue (something he had never done) Bach said he would have to work on it later and mail it on paper. He did, in two weeks, and sent his "Musical Offering" to fred.
so what did bach write that was funny? this: the engraved work (musical offering) to fred with the following dedication:
"to your majesty is hereby consecrated in deepest submission a Musical Offering... that has no other purpose than this sole irreprochable one: to exalt, although only in onesmall aspect, the glory of a monarch whose greatness and might, just as in all the sciences of peace and war, so also especially in music, everyone must admire and venerate."
this is funny because:
i. it was written in German, while fred's was a french speaking court. ii) bach "consecrated the score to a king who had no patience for organized religion - especially chritianity. in a religious context, bach's offering invokes both victim and sacrifice. iii0in the 3 part fugue, bach bows to fred's taste with galant gestures, beginning a downward modulation through the flat keys. but, in the chromatic descent of the middle note of the "royal theme", bach does not use the galant, but rather modulates so far down into the flat keys - all the way to e flat minor (6 flats), below the key of B flat minor which signifies Christ on the cross. iv) why the epigram "quarendo invenietis" (seek and you shall find) between the 9th and 10th canons? a quotation from matthew used for a mirror canon but he never gives the interval!!!! v)why include two sonata di chiesas? fred HATED them and refused to play them
vi) fred wrote 400+ pieces - only one was even close to a fugue vii) why ten canons???? the ten commandments maybe.... a some subtle evanglizing goin on here
anyways, that was just one story i liked. for more theological writing, get the book My Only Comfort: Death, Deliverance, and Discipleship in the music of Bach (by Calvin R. Stapert)
enjoy
oops. i forgot. the best and absolutely HYSTERICAL media production of anything bach is BACH DISC by juan downey. It is actually a very touching film giving a basic exposition (haha) to counterpoint, and Bach's life. An excellent watch for any musician or anyone interested in 17/18th century musical practice.
thanx for the comment Tim... I'm in Ohio now, and having a good time. JJ & I are at the library using their wireless... it's definitely a time for trusting in HIS wisdom and grace. Even when we are not faithful, HE is faithful!
hey tim - you should definately come down and to visit your sister. we would love some company. we could even make you some dinner - and your sister could join us too!
sorry things didn't work out this past time...
I really enjoyed your post! This is Carrie Kroeker by the way. I discovered your xanga after reading your comment on my sisters' blog. Hope everything's going well at FBC!
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