Church music in Gdansk

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Protestant church music in Gdansk .

15th to 18th century

St. Mary

In the St. Mary's Church in Gdansk, choir singing has been performed by the clergy, students and teachers of the parish school since the Middle Ages. The cantor was until 1500 a clergyman who also taught at the school. A succentor stood by his side . In 1560 the cantor's financial remuneration was increased by a separate amount, "dat he denn pyppers vnnd other companions sing a gastgebott maket de em helpenn". In 1572 the cantor had four teachers and a few school boys at his disposal for figural singing . The duties of the cantor included training, clothing and feeding four students. In 1614 the band consisted of fourteen singers and eleven instrumentalists (eight wind instruments and three strings). In 1620 an organist was also hired for the choir organ. Around 1650 there were ten professional singers, including two falsettists , and eleven instrumentalists, including three string players, two cornettists and six trombonists, in addition to the conductor and the organist . In the 17th century the musicians were used in multiple functions as singers and players of various instruments. In 1687 Johann Valentin Meder complained that there was insufficient line-up for polyphonic music. The city council then decided to supplement the chapel with eight selected students from the grammar school. In the middle of the 18th century, the chapel of St. Mary's Church consisted of four professional singers and twelve instrumentalists in addition to the cantor and the two organists. In 1818 the chapel was closed "because of the poor condition of the cash register".

The instrument pool in the second half of the 17th century consisted of two violets , one violon , two cornettos , five trombones and seven "Bommert" . In 1718 there are also two violins , eight violas , two cornettins , two recorders , three oboes , two cornets de chasse and three Holland flutes . The list from 1731 adds three trombones, a large violone , four cornets de chasse , a bassoon and a bass flute. In 1732 four violins, in 1736 two trumpets and later two French horns, a bassoon and a pair of timpani were added.

Kapellmeister of the Marienkirche were Franciscus de Rivulo (1560–1566), Anselm Dulcet (1566–1569), Johann Wanning (1569–1599), Nicolaus Zangius (1599–1607), Andreas Hakenberger (1608–1627), Kaspar Förster the Elder ( 1627–1652), Kaspar Förster the Younger (1655–1658), Johann Balthasar Erben (1658–1668), Johann Valentin Meder (1687–1699), Maximilian Dietrich Freislich (1699–1731), Johann Balthasar Christian Freislich (1731–1764 ), Friedrich Christian Morheim (1764–1780), Georg Simon Löhlein (1780–1781), Benjamin Gotthold Siewert (1782–1811).

St. Catherine's

The Katharinenkirche is the oldest church in Gdańsk. Church music was probably provided from 1422 by the students and teachers of the parish school. Editions for performing the figural chant are documented from 1559 onwards. Starting in 1562, three choir members received quarterly compensation. In 1578 another alto was hired. In the first half of the 17th century, the band consisted of four to six singers and four to five instrumentalists. In 1631 a second organist was appointed. The number of band members rose to six singers and eight instrumentalists in the second half of the 17th century. In the 18th century the number of musicians was reduced to three singers, five strings and three wind instruments. In 1788 the chapel was closed.

St. Johann

The Church of St. Johann was built between 1350 and 1465 as a subsidiary church of St. Katharinen. In 1456 she became independent. A first cantor is mentioned in 1495. In 1566 the band consisted of three singers (alto, tenor, bass). The treble was sung by students at the school. Two instrumentalists are also named. In 1626 the chapel consisted of three singers, two cornettists, two trombonists and three gambists. In 1691 the band grew to five professional singers and eight instrumentalists. In 1686 the instrument pool lists a bombarde, a crumhorn , four trombones, two prongs, two corneting corners , seven violins, three violas, a “pass viol”, a viol and 2 “stamps”. In the 18th century the band played with four adult singers, six choirboys and twelve instrumentalists. On festive days, music was played with reinforcements in both organ lofts. The chapel was closed in 1826.

Before 1500 two organs are occupied. In 1554 a new organ was built by Master Berent. From 1625 to 1629 another work with 42 registers was built on the gallery on the west wall of Merten Friese. From 1744 to 1746 the work was expanded by the organ builder Andreas Hildebrand from Danzig .

St. Bartholomew

St. Bartholomäi was built as the second parish church in the old town in 1402 and demolished again in 1454. Between 1482 and 1491 it was rebuilt north of the Katharinenkirche. The cantor also served as schoolmaster. In addition to the boys, from 1570 he initially only had other singers and instrumentalists available on festive days. After 1625, in addition to the cantor and organist, an alto, a zinkenist, a trombonist and two gambists were employed. In 1670 the band reached its largest line-up with six singers and seven instrumentalists. According to documents from 1706, the band played at the Sunday service at Kyrie and Gloria , according to the Gospel and sub communione . In the period after 1657, oratorio passions were regularly performed on Good Fridays. In 1796 the chapel was closed for financial reasons.

St. Trinity

The St. Trinity Church , also known as the Holy Trinity Church or Franciscan Church, was initially a provisional structure, which was replaced by a three-aisled hall structure from 1481 to 1514. After the introduction of the Reformation, services in Polish were also held here. In the adjoining former monastery buildings, the Academic Gymnasium was set up in 1558 , which is now the National Museum . The students of the grammar school were available as singers and instrumentalists for church music. Musicians who worked at the church were Gregor Linde and Thomas Strutius .

St. Barbara

St. Barbara was originally a chapel of a hospital. The organ, a full-sounding, powerful work with a Rückpositiv is said to have been built by Hildebrand in 1654 (therefore not by Andreas Hildebrand, who created the organ in Praust in 1728 ). After several fires and renovations, five aisles were added in 1726/28. In 1636, in addition to the cantor and the organist, two singers, a violist, a trombonist and a bass fiddler were employed. At the Saturday Vespers in 1706 the Dixit dominus and a hymn were played. At the Sunday service, German song singing was performed alternately with the organ. A vocal concert or cantata followed after the Gospel .

St. Salvator

Like St. Barbara, St. Salvator was a hospital church. It was built in the suburb of Petershagen as a half-timbered building. In 1641, in addition to the cantor and organist, an alto and three instrumentalists (viola, krummhorn and zinc) are recorded. Crato Bütner was the organist at this church .

To the holy corpse

The Church of the Holy Body or the Lazarettkirche was a hospital church. It was at the foot of the Hagelsberg. It was demolished twice for strategic reasons and rebuilt in 1578/79. The church music was provided in 1706 by a cantor and an organist. From 1765 to 1767 Friedrich Rudolph Dalitz built a two-manual organ with 34 registers.

St. Peter and Paul (Reformed Congregation)

The Church of St. Peter and Paul was built in 1393. After the first building was destroyed by fire, it was rebuilt as a three-aisled hall church, which was completed in 1514. After the introduction of the Reformation, the church was the center of the Reformed community . The office of cantor was given by a teacher from 1563. In 1591 the Latin chants were abolished and replaced by psalms from Lobwasser and German songs. The psalms were initially sung in four parts and soon only in unison without organ accompaniment. In 1614 the organ was used to accompany the parish singing. Psalm singing with singers and instrumentalists was only played on festive days. Free organ playing was of particular importance in the community.

19th century

In the 19th century, church music was increasingly adopted by the bourgeoisie.

The then teacher and later preacher Theodor Kniewel founded together with others the Gdansk Choral Society in 1818 based on the model of the Berlin Singing Academy . He regularly performed larger works with orchestra, including a., the Messiah by Handel , The Death of Jesus von Graun or cantatas by Kniewel himself

This also founded a singing school ; An instrument school followed, which was founded by Carl Friedrich Ilgner . The cathedral organist Friedrich Markull worked from 1838 to 1850 as the conductor of the choral society and performed works by Mendelssohn , Spohr and Loewe . 1890 there was a first performance of the St Matthew Passion by Bach . In 1899 the choral society was renamed the Danziger Singakademie .

Organs

Several valuable organ prospectuses have been preserved in Gdansk, including those in St. Mary's Church . Most of the instruments were given a new organ after 1945.

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e f g h i Franz Kessler: Danziger Kirchenmusik . Hänssler-Verlag 1973.
  2. ^ E. Gebauer: The St. Barbara Church in Danzig . In: Prussian provincial papers . Volume VII, Königsberg 1855, pp. 133-138 ( online )
  3. ↑ Jolanta Woźniak: Festkantata by Theodor Friedrich Kniewel to celebrate the union of the Academic Gymnasium with the Marienschule in Danzig. In: Ekkehard Ochs, Peter Tenhaef, Walter Werbeck, Lutz Winkler (eds.): University and music in the Baltic region. Frank & Timme, Berlin 2009. pp. 61–71 , with the history of the choral society and references
  4. ↑ Music in the past and present Article Danzig .