ST THOMAS KIRCHE & BACH MUSEUM
After giving the Seminar we had time to look around Leipzig, the city of Music . We drove around the town and took pictures of the countryside which is beautiful. Fall is certainly here. One government building was unusually large. It looked to be of Roman architecture. Gene spotted a hot air balloon drifting over these magnificent buildings. I wondered what the view was like from up there out of all the traffic and madness but I think being in it is much better. It is amazing how much rebuilding has been going on here since the war. I know Leipzig was totally destroyed, and the Russians didn't do any rebuilding while it was under their command, maybe some apartments that all look the same. It wasn't until the German Unification that the older more important buildings were salvaged and rebuilt by Western Germany. Lots of Leipzig still needs to be done but it it coming along slow but sure. One day it will be the grand place that it was in the 17 and 1800's.
The first place we went to was the St. Thomas Kirche. It is one of the two main churches in Leipzig and is also known for the St. Thomas Boys Choir. Johann Sebastian Bach, was the great Cantor here. We were able to hear a little concert taking place. The organ sounded spectacular and LOUD. The chapel itself is pretty plain as churches go, but the Alter is very ornate, all in gold. Bach himself is buried in a crypt in front of the alter. The church was founded in 1409 and the design is Gothic. Martin Luther preached here in 1539 to present the reformation to the people for the first time.MENDELSSOHN HOUSE
The second composer's house was Felix Mendelssohn. Hope you are a classical music lover like we are because we loved learning about their lives. He was born Hamburg in 1809 and died when he was only 38 years old. He spent most of his life in Berlin and Leipzig and learned to play the piano and violin at an early age. He gave his first concert when he was 9 years old. I can not even imagine it. He composed "Elijah", "Symphony in C Major", "Scottish Symphony" and one of my favorites, "Spring Symphony". We toured his huge white late classical style house. I found out that while he was young, he was given drawing lessons and I took photos of some of his water colors. It was furnished rather modestly, but he had the largest room reserved for his concert hall. They played one complete song and you could follow along with each note, that is if you read music. It went very fast and it was hard keeping up but I think I did okay as I finished when the music stopped. I think one of my favorite pieces is his Concerto in E minor for viloin, because I studied the violin when I was younger and played for many years. On to the next house.SCHUMANS HOUSE
The third composer's house that we visited was Robert Schumann's. He was born in 1810 a contemporary and friend of Mendelssohn and Brahams. Was considered a great composer of the Romantic era. He studied music while very young but studied Law for a while, then returned to music later in his 20's. He was slated to become the greatest European concert pianist but a hand injury prevented this from happening. He then focused his life on composing. He married a younger woman who was the daughter of his music teacher and she herself was a concert pianist. After attempting two suicides he confined himself to a mental institution and died two years later. We were not able to get in to see the house but I did take pictures of the outside. He is known for his "Carnaval" op 9, "Fantasy for Piano" and "Faust". Johannes Brahms knocked on his door and from then on they were best friends. He wrote chamber music, vocal works, orchestral and piano works. My favorite is the chanber music. I can imagine listening to his music in my home.
The last place we went to see was The Monument to the Battle of the Nations. It is almost twice as tall as the Statue of Liberty but 4 times as wide, and is made of granite and concrete. The Battle of Leipzig took place in 1813 when they defeated Napoleon. In order to walk to the top you need to climb 500 steps to see the viewing station. We were too tired to do that, but we did enjoy it from the bottom while eating a great brat with toasted bun. This monument is the best example of the Wilhelmine architecture. It stands on the exact spot where most of the worst fighting took place. The battle was fought by Russians, Prussians, Austrians and Swedish against the French and a few German conscripted soldiers.
It was to be created to be a work similar to the Great Pyramid or Colossum. On the 2nd story are four statues that represent qualities of the German People. Bravery, Faith, Sacrifice and Fertility. The Cupola is decorated with primitive Germanic shapes of Egyptian and Assyrian designs. The main figure is the Archangel Michael which is considered the "War God of the Germans". The third Reich debated taking it down but decided to leave it. Two other structures are similar. The Voortrelker Mounument in Petronia, South Africa and the other is the Shipka Pass in Bulgaria. There is a large walkway that circles the monument and a huge reflecting pool in the front. Well worth stopping to see.
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