Lately, a lot has been happening with MusikRoel. Most notably, the release of Bobby’s Coding Song and preparations for its communication. That’s why I didn’t write posts for a while. But, as of now, it’s happening again, and many more will follow since Jens and Ewan joined in to share their music experiences with us. So, yes, new possibilities arise in the City of Fairs, where diligence and industriousness find each other in an open atmosphere.
Leipzig and Bach are inseparable
From 1723 until he died in 1750, he lived in Leipzig, where he became Cantor after applying. His application to become Thomas Cantor, the musical director of the two main churches in Leipzig, was preceded by an impressive achievement, as he composed many works for this purpose, including the first movement of Das Wohltemperierte Klavier.
His productivity was enormous. Most of us know the vast number of works, maybe not in the many courts where he played, or the number of children, as many as twenty. An example of his hard work is that in the first year of his cantatas, he composed the cantatas used during the church year to have the appropriate music for each mass.
Bach’s fugues and my piano playing
My piano teacher insisted that I learn to play Bach’s Fugues. At first, I thought it was a terrible assignment; the finger setting was complex but very well thought out, precise, and correct. However, after some time, I started enjoying it more and more and was eventually impressed with the melody and sound. I was reminded of this when I visited the Bach Museum here, which provides a clear overview of Bach’s career and life. A very instructive part of the exhibit I found to be the instruments played during his time.
As I delve deeper into classical music, my appreciation for his music grows. We should be grateful to Mendelssohn for pointing out to musicians and us the great importance and value of Bach.
Leipzig is more than just Bach
It is also the city of the ‘Montagsdemonstrationen am Augustusplatz’ near the Nikolaikirche. Here, people gathered weekly to demonstrate against the authoritarian GDR regime and in such numbers that government could no longer cope with them. This spirit is still noticeable today, especially in the generous street art district of Connewitz.
So you see how the city can produce the most significant authority on classical music on the one hand and a spirit yearning for freedom on the other.
Bach was stubborn in his dealings with the city authorities – was he an organist or a composer? Was Bach now a counterpoint man or a contrarian? On the other side, although his fixation on the number fourteen (B+A+C+H = 14) and its rigid structure are decisive for the music, Bach leaves you free for your interpretation and feeling.
New perspectives from Leipzig
Long live Bach, and Leipzig is a city of rich experience and perspectives, as it delivers its entry of new bloggers to this site. I welcome Jens and Ewan and look forward to their contributions! Will one of them prove to be the new Goethe? Please let me know if you also want to write a post about your music experiences.
