Andreas Glöckner is scientific researcher at the Bach-Archiv Leipzig. His PhD in Musicology from the Martin-Luther-Universität (Halle/S) was entitled Die Musikpflege an der Leipziger Neukirche zur Zeit Johann Sebastian Bachs. Although he publishes regularly on the music history of the 17th to 19th centuries, his main interest lies in various aspects of Bach research. From 1991 to 2006 he was senior collaborator of the Neue Bach-Ausgabe. He also teaches at the Technical University of Dresden, and is dramaturge of the Leipziger Bachfeste. gloeckner@bach-leipzig.de
Search for other works by this author on: Early Music, Volume 38, Issue 2, May 2010, Pages 215–222, https://doi.org/10.1093/em/caq022 01 May 2010Andreas Glöckner, On the performing forces of Johann Sebastian Bach's Leipzig church music, Early Music, Volume 38, Issue 2, May 2010, Pages 215–222, https://doi.org/10.1093/em/caq022
Navbar Search Filter Mobile Enter search term Search Navbar Search Filter Enter search term SearchO VER a period of some 50 years the interpretation of what has come to be called ‘early music’ has undergone a revolutionary transformation in which the practice of so-called ‘historical’ performance practice has become increasingly established. Yet the quest for historically informed performance models has less to do with the ‘archaeological’ reconstruction of actual circumstances than with the realization of a composition as it could have sounded in optimal conditions at a given location. No interpreter today would be able or willing to reproduce the presumed or documented inadequacies of earlier performances (such as problems in vocal or instrumental execution, acoustic problems or deficits in personnel).
Even given the standard of performance that has been reached by now, both music historians and performers still face the question of how the actual sounding and practical realization of a specific musical work took place under the conditions prevailing at the time of its genesis. The editors of Bach's obituary, writing probably towards the end of 1750, reported that Bach only rarely had at his disposal musicians capable of performing his compositions adequately:
His hearing was so fine that even in the largest ensembles he was capable of detecting the slightest mistake. It is just a pity that he seldom had the good fortune of finding exclusively such performers of his work as would have spared him disagreeable observations of this sort. 1