April 4, 2016.Johann Kuhnau.We’ve recently mentioned Kuhnau’s name several times, in connection with Georg Philipp Telemann and Johann Sebastian Bach.Kuhnau’s music is not very popular these days, but in his time, as the Leipzig Thomaskantor, he was one of the most famous musician in the German-speaking lands.Kuhnau was not just a composer: he was also a lawyer, write, philosopher, linguist, theologian and mathematician.No wonder the Leipzig city fathers were dissatisfied with Johann Sebastian Bach, who succeeded Kuhnau as Thomaskantor: upon Bach’s death, while looking for a replacement, they said that they need a real Kantor, not just a Kapellmeister, meaning a person who would be a teacher (as Kuhnau was), not just a musician.
Kuhnau was born Johann Kuhn on April 6th of 1660 in Geising, Saxony, a small town on the border with Bohemia, where the family came from.From an early age Johann showed great scholastic aptitude; he also had a fine voice.At the age of ten he was sent to Dresden.There he studied the organ playing with the court musicians and for a while sung at Kreuzkhirche, famous to this day for its boys choir.He also found time to learn two languages, French and Italian.The plague epidemic forced him to return to Geising, but soon after he went to Zittau, famous for its Gimnasium, to further his education.In addition to his studies, he played the organ at Johanniskirche and even served as an acting Kantor.In 1682, upon graduating from the Gimnasium, he moved to Leipzig to study law at the university.He applied for the position of the organist at Thomaskirche, which he didn’t get at first; two years later, in 1684, he received the appointment.In 1688 Kuhnau published his dissertation and started practicing law (all the while continuing as the organist at Thomaskirche).Around that time, he also published several collections of his keyboard compositions.Even that was not all: he somehow found time to study mathematics and two more languages, Greek and Hebrew.He wrote a satirical novel and also translated several French and Italian books into German.In 1701 the previous Kantor of Thomaskirche, Johann Schelle, died and Kuhnau was appointed the new Kantor. At Thomasschule Kuhnau taught several classes (including Latin – something neither Bach nor Telemann, whom the city council wanted to hire as the Kantor instead of Bach, were ready to do).As the Kantor he directed music at several major Leipzig churches and the University.
Telemann, who arrived in Leipzig at the time when Kuhnau became the Kantor, was young and ambitious.He established a rival musical organization, Collegium Musicum, and revived the opera, attracting many good singers from the Thomaschor.He even acquired permission to write music for Thomaskirche, thus encroaching on Kuhnau authority.Kuhnau by that time was in ill health and his protestations were often ignored.Nonetheless, Kuhnau continued to serve as the Kantor for the rest of his life.He died in Leipzig on June 5th 1722.
Much of Kuhnau’s music output consists of keyboard compositions and sacred works, most of which were lost.Among his keyboard pieces, the set of six sonatas, the so-called “Biblical Sonatas,” is the most important.Kuhnau gave each sonata an elaborate title and separately described each movement.We’ll hear the first of these sonatas, which is called “The Combat Between David and Goliath." It consists of eight movements, their wonderfully poetic (and learned) subtitles are: The Boasting of Goliath; The Trembling of the Israelites at the Appearance of the Giant, and Their Prayer to God; The Courage of David, and His Keen Desire to Repel the Pride of His Terrifying Enemy, With the Confidence That He Puts in the Help of God; The Combat Between the Two and Their Struggle; The Stone Is Thrown From the Slingshot Into the Brow of the Giant; Goliath Falls; The Flight of the Philistines, Who Are Pursued and Slain by the Israelites; The Joy of the Israelites Over Their Victory; Musical Concert of the Women in Honor of David and The General Rejoicing, and the Dances of Joy of the People.The organist is John Butt.
Kuhnau 2016
April 4, 2016. Johann Kuhnau. We’ve recently mentioned Kuhnau’s name several times, in connection with Georg Philipp Telemann and Johann Sebastian Bach. Kuhnau’s music is not very popular these days, but in his time, as the Leipzig Thomaskantor,
he was one of the most famous musician in the German-speaking lands. Kuhnau was not just a composer: he was also a lawyer, write, philosopher, linguist, theologian and mathematician. No wonder the Leipzig city fathers were dissatisfied with Johann Sebastian Bach, who succeeded Kuhnau as Thomaskantor: upon Bach’s death, while looking for a replacement, they said that they need a real Kantor, not just a Kapellmeister, meaning a person who would be a teacher (as Kuhnau was), not just a musician.
Kuhnau was born Johann Kuhn on April 6th of 1660 in Geising, Saxony, a small town on the border with Bohemia, where the family came from. From an early age Johann showed great scholastic aptitude; he also had a fine voice. At the age of ten he was sent to Dresden. There he studied the organ playing with the court musicians and for a while sung at Kreuzkhirche, famous to this day for its boys choir. He also found time to learn two languages, French and Italian. The plague epidemic forced him to return to Geising, but soon after he went to Zittau, famous for its Gimnasium, to further his education. In addition to his studies, he played the organ at Johanniskirche and even served as an acting Kantor. In 1682, upon graduating from the Gimnasium, he moved to Leipzig to study law at the university. He applied for the position of the organist at Thomaskirche, which he didn’t get at first; two years later, in 1684, he received the appointment. In 1688 Kuhnau published his dissertation and started practicing law (all the while continuing as the organist at Thomaskirche). Around that time, he also published several collections of his keyboard compositions. Even that was not all: he somehow found time to study mathematics and two more languages, Greek and Hebrew. He wrote a satirical novel and also translated several French and Italian books into German. In 1701 the previous Kantor of Thomaskirche, Johann Schelle, died and Kuhnau was appointed the new Kantor. At Thomasschule Kuhnau taught several classes (including Latin – something neither Bach nor Telemann, whom the city council wanted to hire as the Kantor instead of Bach, were ready to do). As the Kantor he directed music at several major Leipzig churches and the University.
Telemann, who arrived in Leipzig at the time when Kuhnau became the Kantor, was young and ambitious. He established a rival musical organization, Collegium Musicum, and revived the opera, attracting many good singers from the Thomaschor. He even acquired permission to write music for Thomaskirche, thus encroaching on Kuhnau authority. Kuhnau by that time was in ill health and his protestations were often ignored. Nonetheless, Kuhnau continued to serve as the Kantor for the rest of his life. He died in Leipzig on June 5th 1722.
Much of Kuhnau’s music output consists of keyboard compositions and sacred works, most of which were lost. Among his keyboard pieces, the set of six sonatas, the so-called “Biblical Sonatas,” is the most important. Kuhnau gave each sonata an elaborate title and separately described each movement. We’ll hear the first of these sonatas, which is called “The Combat Between David and Goliath." It consists of eight movements, their wonderfully poetic (and learned) subtitles are: The Boasting of Goliath; The Trembling of the Israelites at the Appearance of the Giant, and Their Prayer to God; The Courage of David, and His Keen Desire to Repel the Pride of His Terrifying Enemy, With the Confidence That He Puts in the Help of God; The Combat Between the Two and Their Struggle; The Stone Is Thrown From the Slingshot Into the Brow of the Giant; Goliath Falls; The Flight of the Philistines, Who Are Pursued and Slain by the Israelites; The Joy of the Israelites Over Their Victory; Musical Concert of the Women in Honor of David and The General Rejoicing, and the Dances of Joy of the People. The organist is John Butt.