Station 16 - St. Thomas Church

The Thomaskirche (St. Thomas Church) is the true gateway to Leipzig, the City of Music. In the year 1212, the establishment of the Augustinian Canons in Leipzig was simultaneously the birth of the Thomanerchor (St. Thomas Boys Choir). During the early centuries of the Choir's history, music in the Thomaskirche was restricted to the musical accompaniment of the liturgy in the Mass. The advent of the Reformation in Saxony in 1539, however, was to usher in a new era of sacred music. Music now came to be valued as an integral element of the annunciation in worship, requiring a considerably greater contribution from the Thomanerchor and demanding the composition of a substantial amount of new sacred music from the respective cantor. This was the dawn of the golden epoch of the Thomaskirche, its school and its choir.

Having assumed responsibility for the Thomasschule and Thomanerchor in 1543, the City Council succeeded in appointing a long succession of prominent composers to the office of Thomaskantor (Cantor of St. Thomas), such as Sethus Calvisius, Johann Hermann Schein, Johann Kuhnau, Johann Sebastian Bach, Friedrich Doles, Johann Adam Hiller, Moritz Hauptmann, Theodor Weinlig and Gustav Schreck. Of particular note amongst the cantors in the 20th century are Karl Straube, Günther Ramin and Kurt Thomas.

The Thomaskirche forms the focal point of the annual Bachfest (Bach Festival) in Leipzig which attracts musicians and music-lovers from around the globe. In addition to the works of Bach, the Church also plays host to the performance of music of all eras, week after week, in the context for which it was created: to the glory of God.

Thomaskirche, Thomaskirchhof 18, 04109 Leipzig, Tel. 0341/ 222240 
Öffnungszeiten: täglich 9–18 Uhr
Motetten: Fr 18 Uhr, Sa 15 Uhr (außer in den Sommerferien)
Photograph: Werner Schneider

Internet:
Thomaskirche Leipzig
Thomanerchor
Johann Sebastian Bach