Leopold and Bach: The Kothen Period

A detailed Summary of Leopold and Bach: The Kothen Period

Prince Leopold von Anhalt-Kothen survives in most portraits as a sweet, somewhat decadent, Mona Lisa. He has chubby cheeks, pursed lips, and happy, inquisitive eyes. His wig is full and powdered an exquisite white; he wears a full set of armor with a neck sash and hair ribbon; he is never seen as being old, only vibrant and young.

Leopold died at an early age but is immortalized through his famous connections.*br*

To Johann Sebastion Bach, Leopold was "dearly loved." They met at the wedding of Leopold's sister. She was marrying the bitter rival of Bach's employer. Leopold was so impressed with Bach's wedding music, he offered to him the position of Kappelmeister in Kothen. Bach's former employer, Wilhelm Ernst, forbade him to work with the brother-in-law of his rival. Bach was arrested and imprisoned in Weimar for a month before being dismissed "without honor." He quickly shuffled of to Kothen with his family.*br*

Bach started his new job in December of 1717. He had a lot of freedom there. Leopold, having taken over the government from his mother two years earlier, was barely pushing 23 and raring to show off his new musical toys and friends. Kothen had an active Calvinistic and L

Kuhnau after Georg Phillip Telleman had declined the job and Cristoph Graupner would not be released from his court position at Darmstadt. Bach was happy to go; since the death of his first wife, he had need of a more spiritual position in music.*br*

The prince was a musician himself, playing the violin, the viola da gamba, and the clavier. He loved to join the band as a sophisticated Karaoke player. They would practice all the time, and were reportedly asked to leave the palace by Leopold's mother. No problem, they practiced at Bach's house, who received extra money for the inconvenience.*br*

utheran court as well as a former ruler that still held considerable power. But neither Calvinism nor Mama could prevent Leopold from spending almost a quarter of the total revenue of the princedom on his greatest hobby: the band. The prince had hand- picked all his expensive musicians from Berlin. With the addition of J. S. Bach as Kappelmeister, the band could now really pack some punch.*br*

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So, Bach packed up his family once more and moved to Leipzig in search of more spiritual pastures. Traditionally, the Kothen period is seen as the culmination point of Bach's chamber music output. Unfortunately, most of it has been lost. The Kothen p

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Approximate Word count = 894
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Music

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Leopold and Bach: The Kothen Period

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