St. Thomas Choir of Leipzig (Thomanerchor) is a boys’
choir in Leipzig, Germany founded in 1212. Today, the choir consists of 92 boys
from 8 to 18 years of age. The members are Thomaner
and live in a boarding school called Thomasalumnat,
and attend a Gymnasium school with a focus on musical education.
| JS Bach |
Johann Sebastian Bach,
the famous composer, served as Thomaskantor, director
of the choir from 1723 to 1750.
The main musical theme is the vocal works of Bach, but there
are also chants from different periods of history – from the Renaissance to
contemporary age. Georg Christoph
Biller is the 16th Thomaskantor
since Bach.
The boys are separated in Stuben, which is a sleeping room, administrative area and home for
the boys. Stubens are divided into age groups and only 5 teachers look after 90
children because the older students are expected to be like “big brothers”. The
Stuben has locked wardrobes and one table for each boy. There are furnishings
like shelves for books, newspapers, and son as well as plants, chairs and
radios. Televisions and computers are not allowed and every room has about 10
beds.
The Thomasalumnat is a gym, rehearsal hall, and dining room
where the boys eat three times a day. There is a shop where the tailor sews the
boys’ suits for concerts; an archive; a wing for the teachers’ quarters (those
that live there); a room for the band, a model railway room, a fitness room, a
living room for older boys, a “press room” for the school’s newspaper, a sauna,
a library with computers and internet, an infirmary, and a television room.
Restrooms are communal and located on the hallway of the Stube.
The Thomanerchor performs in concerts all over Germany and
elsewhere, with at least two big tours per year. The choir also sings at
Protestant festivities. The choir also sings three times a week in the Thomaskirche.
The children have vacations during the summer school vacations.
| Thomaskirche |
The tour of 2011 represented the
choir’s 800th year.
St. Thomas priory was founded by Margrave of Meissen for Augustinian Canons in 1212. A school was built next to
the monastery for training future priests. During the Reformation in 1539, the
school and choir belong to the city of Leipzig, which is also influenced by the
Protestant Church of Saxony. It’s the oldest cultural establishment in the city
and one of the oldest in Europe still operating. When Johann Sebastian Bach
served as a director, the choir only had 16 boys. After Bach’s death, other
famous musicians served as director, among them Doles,
Hiller, and Moritz Hauptmann.
At the end of the 19th
century, the Thomasschule next to the
Thomaskirche was demolished and the choir moved to Hiller Street location, now
called the Music Quarter.
During the era of the Nazi
regime, the choir was incorporated into the Hitler Jugend in
1937. Fortunately, the Nazi did not succeed in infiltrating their ideology into
the practices of the choir because the director, Ramin, concentrated upon
religious works. He also tried to prevent any of the boys of the choir to be
enlisted, or at least hold it off as long as possible.
Georg
Christoph Biller has been the director since 1992.
A list of the Cantors, as well as
films, awards, and recognitions at the Wikipedia entry.
There is also the Bach Choir, a large chorus, based
in London, England, is an independent organization promoting concerts in London
and other places. Its patron is the Prince of Wales and
founded in 1875.
The following video is a performance of Gloria in Excelsis Deo.
The following is my favorite, as well as my aunt's, so I present this for her enjoyment via YouTube. It is performed by Luciano Pavarotti.
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