Leopold of Anhalt-Cöthen
Encyclopedia
Leopold of Anhalt-Köthen (28 November 1694 O.S.
– 19 November 1728 N.S.
) was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Köthen
. Today, he is probably best remembered for employing Johann Sebastian Bach
as his Kapellmeister
between 1717 to 1723.
He was born at Köthen, the second (but eldest surviving) son of Emmanuel Lebrecht, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen
, by his wife Gisela Agnes of Rath.
, according to the late Prince's will, became his "upper guardian." From the beginning of the regency, conflicts arose between the king and the dowager princess: Frederick preferred a Reformist education for Leopold, but Gisela Agnes, a devout Lutheran, planned to raise her son in her own faith. In the meanwhile, the king had founded the Knight's Academy (German: Ritterakademie) in Brandenburg an der Havel, and in 1708 decided to send Leopold there for his education. In November of that year, during the festivities accompanying the King's new marriage, the Berlin
court witnessed a performance of the opera Alexander and Roxana by Augustin Reinhard Stricker, in which the fourteen-year-old Leopold performed as a dancer.
. He was escorted by the Lutheran Jobst Christoph von Zanthier, because "no suitable Reformed chaperone could be found." The Tour first took him to The Hague
during the winter of 1710-1711, where his lifelong love of opera began: in only four months, he went to the opera twelve times. The operas of Jean-Baptiste Lully
impressed him greatly, and he acquired a "Rare fascination for the Opera of Monsieur Lully." Also, he learned to play the harpsichord
and violin
. His travel diary is still preserved in the Köthen Historical Museum.
After Leopold's return in 1711, King Frederick I wanted to make him a commander of in the Prussian army
, but the opposition of the dowager princess led him to withdraw this idea. Instead, Leopold traveled again, this time to England
, where he attended the opera in London
and visited the University of Oxford
, whose famous library specially interested him.
Next on his itinerary were Rome
and Venice
, where he spend 130 Thaler
s just for visits to the opera theaters. Later, he traveled to Florence
, Turin
, and finally Vienna
, where he acquired a collection of twelve cantatas by Francesco Mancini
. On 17 April 1713, Leopold returned to Köthen. In all, he spent the sum of 55,749 Thalers on his trips. In 1714 he seized an opportunity to create a court Kapelle (musical establishment) made possible by the dissolution of the royal Prussian court orchestra. Many of the Berlin musicians entered his service. Its first Kapellmeister was the opera composer Augustin Reinhard Stricker, who was succeeded by Bach three years later.
.
Problems with succession quickly developed for the prince. As of 1702, the rule of primogeniture
was instituted in Anhalt-Köthen; for this reason, Leopold forced his younger brother Augustus Louis
to resign his joint rulership. As compensation, Leopold gave him the estate of Güsten
, with its old Schloss built in 1547 by Prince George III
, and the town of Warmsdorf
with all its revenues, in addition to other concessions.
Leopold nonetheless had repeated disputes with his brother Augustus Louis in Warmsdorf, as well as his mother in Nienburg
. In 1718 (or 1719) Augustus Louis sent armed men to two of Leopold's towns in order to take them over. His own mother was informed of this situation and supported her younger son. In revenge for that humiliation, Leopold in 1721 sent troops into Nienburg, but mother and son were soon reconciled. In August 1722 Leopold and his brother were also finally reconciled and concluded a definitive divisionary treaty; their mother was not a part of the settlement.
, which was held at his mother's estate in Nienburg
on 24 January 1716. When Stricker left his post the following year, Leopold lost no time in offering the job of Kapellmeister to Bach, who signed his contract on 7 August 1717. Unfortunately, Bach was not able to break easily from his former employer Duke William Ernest of Saxe-Weimar, who imprisoned him for several months for not following correct procedures in requesting release from his post as Konzertmeister at the court of Weimar. Only in the beginning of 1718 Bach could finally take his new post in Köthen.
Much of Bach's secular music, including several of the Brandenburg Concerti and Part I of the Well-Tempered Clavier, stem from his years at Köthen. The simple style of church music mandated at Leopold's Reformist court led to Bach's concentration on instrumental music and secular vocal music during his employment at Köthen. Leopold's Schloss is now a museum, and a bi-annual Bach Festival is held in the very locations where much of his music was first performed.
Leopold was a gifted violinist who often participated in orchestral performances. Bach composed several secular cantata
s, including Die Zeit, die Tag und Jahre macht, BWV 134a
, and a serenade in Leopold's honor. Leopold stood as godfather for Bach's son, Leopold Augustus, who died in infancy in 1719. In 1723 Bach was dismissed from his post and left Köthen to become Kantor at the Thomasschule
in Leipzig
, but he and Leopold continued their personal friendship for the rest of the latter's short life. Famously, the reason for the dismissal was the dissolution of the Köthen court orchestra, not any dissatisfaction with Bach's services.
on 11 December 1721 Leopold married his cousin Fredericka Henriette (b. Bernburg, 24 January 1702 - d. Köthen, 4 April 1723), daughter of Karl Frederick, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg
. They had one daughter:
Leopold apparently named his daughter after his mother as a gesture of reconciliation between them.
In Weimar
on 27 June 1725 Leopold married for a second time to Charlotte Fredericka (b. Siegen
, 30 November 1702 - d. Stadthagen
, 22 July 1785), daughter of Frederick William I, Prince of Nassau-Siegen. They had two children:
in August 1728, and the prince's second daughter, who also contracted the disease, died in early September. Soon Leopold caught smallpox as well; on 17 November he played his violin for last time and died two days later in Köthen, aged thirty-four.
On 24 March 1729, one day after his burial in the princely crypt of St. Jakob in Köthen, the so called Köthener Trauermusik (BWV 244a) was performed during an official memorial service in the church by Johann Sebastian Bach
. This cantata
Klagt, Kinder, klagt es aller Welt
, Bach specially had composed for the prince's funeral. The music is lost and it might be an early version in at least ten parts of what was to become the St Matthew Passion for two choirs and orchestra.
With no surviving male issue, Leopold was succeeded by his brother Augustus Louis.
Old Style and New Style dates
Old Style and New Style are used in English language historical studies either to indicate that the start of the Julian year has been adjusted to start on 1 January even though documents written at the time use a different start of year ; or to indicate that a date conforms to the Julian...
– 19 November 1728 N.S.
Old Style and New Style dates
Old Style and New Style are used in English language historical studies either to indicate that the start of the Julian year has been adjusted to start on 1 January even though documents written at the time use a different start of year ; or to indicate that a date conforms to the Julian...
) was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Köthen
Anhalt-Köthen
Anhalt-Köthen has existed on two separate occasions. The first state was created in 1396 when the Anhalt-Zerbst was partitioned between Anhalt-Dessau and Anhalt-Köthen. The first creation lasted until 1552 when it was inherited by Anhalt-Dessau....
. Today, he is probably best remembered for employing Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
as his Kapellmeister
Kapellmeister
Kapellmeister is a German word designating a person in charge of music-making. The word is a compound, consisting of the roots Kapelle and Meister . The words Kapelle and Meister derive from the Latin: capella and magister...
between 1717 to 1723.
He was born at Köthen, the second (but eldest surviving) son of Emmanuel Lebrecht, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen
Emmanuel Lebrecht, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen
Emmanuel Lebrecht of Anhalt-Köthen , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Köthen....
, by his wife Gisela Agnes of Rath.
Early years
At his birth, the agnates of the Anhalt principalities still did not recognize Leopold's right of inheritance due to the morganatic status of his parents' marriage. These rights were confirmed on 28 June 1698, however, and Leopold was able to succeed his father when he died in 1704, at age ten. His mother, the Dowager Princess Gisela Agnes, acted as regent on his behalf, but King Frederick I of PrussiaFrederick I of Prussia
Frederick I , of the Hohenzollern dynasty, was Elector of Brandenburg and Duke of Prussia in personal union . The latter function he upgraded to royalty, becoming the first King in Prussia . From 1707 he was in personal union the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel...
, according to the late Prince's will, became his "upper guardian." From the beginning of the regency, conflicts arose between the king and the dowager princess: Frederick preferred a Reformist education for Leopold, but Gisela Agnes, a devout Lutheran, planned to raise her son in her own faith. In the meanwhile, the king had founded the Knight's Academy (German: Ritterakademie) in Brandenburg an der Havel, and in 1708 decided to send Leopold there for his education. In November of that year, during the festivities accompanying the King's new marriage, the Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
court witnessed a performance of the opera Alexander and Roxana by Augustin Reinhard Stricker, in which the fourteen-year-old Leopold performed as a dancer.
The Grand Tour
On 9 October 1710 Leopold began his Grand TourGrand Tour
The Grand Tour was the traditional trip of Europe undertaken by mainly upper-class European young men of means. The custom flourished from about 1660 until the advent of large-scale rail transit in the 1840s, and was associated with a standard itinerary. It served as an educational rite of passage...
. He was escorted by the Lutheran Jobst Christoph von Zanthier, because "no suitable Reformed chaperone could be found." The Tour first took him to The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
during the winter of 1710-1711, where his lifelong love of opera began: in only four months, he went to the opera twelve times. The operas of Jean-Baptiste Lully
Jean-Baptiste Lully
Jean-Baptiste de Lully was an Italian-born French composer who spent most of his life working in the court of Louis XIV of France. He is considered the chief master of the French Baroque style. Lully disavowed any Italian influence in French music of the period. He became a French subject in...
impressed him greatly, and he acquired a "Rare fascination for the Opera of Monsieur Lully." Also, he learned to play the harpsichord
Harpsichord
A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It produces sound by plucking a string when a key is pressed.In the narrow sense, "harpsichord" designates only the large wing-shaped instruments in which the strings are perpendicular to the keyboard...
and violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
. His travel diary is still preserved in the Köthen Historical Museum.
After Leopold's return in 1711, King Frederick I wanted to make him a commander of in the Prussian army
Prussian Army
The Royal Prussian Army was the army of the Kingdom of Prussia. It was vital to the development of Brandenburg-Prussia as a European power.The Prussian Army had its roots in the meager mercenary forces of Brandenburg during the Thirty Years' War...
, but the opposition of the dowager princess led him to withdraw this idea. Instead, Leopold traveled again, this time to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, where he attended the opera in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and visited the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
, whose famous library specially interested him.
Next on his itinerary were Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
, where he spend 130 Thaler
Thaler
The Thaler was a silver coin used throughout Europe for almost four hundred years. Its name lives on in various currencies as the dollar or tolar. Etymologically, "Thaler" is an abbreviation of "Joachimsthaler", a coin type from the city of Joachimsthal in Bohemia, where some of the first such...
s just for visits to the opera theaters. Later, he traveled to Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
, Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
, and finally Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, where he acquired a collection of twelve cantatas by Francesco Mancini
Francesco Mancini
Francesco Mancini is an Italian footballer. He last played for Martina in December 2007.-Foggia:He joined Bisceglie in summer 1987, and left for U.S. Foggia of Serie C1 in October 1987, where he spent a decade on. He played in Serie A between 1991 and 1995.He played 2 Serie B games for Foggia in...
. On 17 April 1713, Leopold returned to Köthen. In all, he spent the sum of 55,749 Thalers on his trips. In 1714 he seized an opportunity to create a court Kapelle (musical establishment) made possible by the dissolution of the royal Prussian court orchestra. Many of the Berlin musicians entered his service. Its first Kapellmeister was the opera composer Augustin Reinhard Stricker, who was succeeded by Bach three years later.
Family disputes
On 30 November 1715 Leopold was declared of age and began his personal rule over Anhalt-Köthen; on 14 May 1716 he formally took possession of the Schloss (main residence). His mother, the dowager princess, moved to her estate in NienburgNienburg
There are two towns named Nienburg in Germany.*Nienburg, Lower Saxony*Nienburg, Saxony-AnhaltThe Name Nienburg means "Neue Burg" ....
.
Problems with succession quickly developed for the prince. As of 1702, the rule of primogeniture
Primogeniture
Primogeniture is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn to inherit the entire estate, to the exclusion of younger siblings . Historically, the term implied male primogeniture, to the exclusion of females...
was instituted in Anhalt-Köthen; for this reason, Leopold forced his younger brother Augustus Louis
Augustus Louis, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen
Augustus Louis of Anhalt-Köthen , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Köthen....
to resign his joint rulership. As compensation, Leopold gave him the estate of Güsten
Güsten
Güsten is a town in the district of Salzlandkreis, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is situated on the river Wipper, west of Bernburg. It is part of the Verbandsgemeinde Saale-Wipper....
, with its old Schloss built in 1547 by Prince George III
George III, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
George III, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau...
, and the town of Warmsdorf
Amesdorf
Amesdorf is a village and a former municipality in the district Salzlandkreis, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 January 2010, it is part of the town Güsten....
with all its revenues, in addition to other concessions.
Leopold nonetheless had repeated disputes with his brother Augustus Louis in Warmsdorf, as well as his mother in Nienburg
Nienburg
There are two towns named Nienburg in Germany.*Nienburg, Lower Saxony*Nienburg, Saxony-AnhaltThe Name Nienburg means "Neue Burg" ....
. In 1718 (or 1719) Augustus Louis sent armed men to two of Leopold's towns in order to take them over. His own mother was informed of this situation and supported her younger son. In revenge for that humiliation, Leopold in 1721 sent troops into Nienburg, but mother and son were soon reconciled. In August 1722 Leopold and his brother were also finally reconciled and concluded a definitive divisionary treaty; their mother was not a part of the settlement.
Relationship with J.S. Bach
Leopold most likely made Bach's acquaintance at the wedding of his sister Eleonore Wilhelmine to Ernest Augustus I, Duke of Saxe-WeimarErnest Augustus I, Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
Ernest Augustus I, Duke of Saxe-Weimar , was a duke of Saxe-Weimar and, from 1741, of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach....
, which was held at his mother's estate in Nienburg
Nienburg
There are two towns named Nienburg in Germany.*Nienburg, Lower Saxony*Nienburg, Saxony-AnhaltThe Name Nienburg means "Neue Burg" ....
on 24 January 1716. When Stricker left his post the following year, Leopold lost no time in offering the job of Kapellmeister to Bach, who signed his contract on 7 August 1717. Unfortunately, Bach was not able to break easily from his former employer Duke William Ernest of Saxe-Weimar, who imprisoned him for several months for not following correct procedures in requesting release from his post as Konzertmeister at the court of Weimar. Only in the beginning of 1718 Bach could finally take his new post in Köthen.
Much of Bach's secular music, including several of the Brandenburg Concerti and Part I of the Well-Tempered Clavier, stem from his years at Köthen. The simple style of church music mandated at Leopold's Reformist court led to Bach's concentration on instrumental music and secular vocal music during his employment at Köthen. Leopold's Schloss is now a museum, and a bi-annual Bach Festival is held in the very locations where much of his music was first performed.
Leopold was a gifted violinist who often participated in orchestral performances. Bach composed several secular cantata
Bach cantata
Bach cantata became a term for a cantata of the German Baroque composer Johann Sebastian Bach who was a prolific writer of the genre. Although many of his works are lost, around 200 cantatas survived....
s, including Die Zeit, die Tag und Jahre macht, BWV 134a
Die Zeit, die Tag und Jahre macht, BWV 134a
Die Zeit, die Tag und Jahre macht , BWV 134a, is a secular cantata or serenata by Johann Sebastian Bach...
, and a serenade in Leopold's honor. Leopold stood as godfather for Bach's son, Leopold Augustus, who died in infancy in 1719. In 1723 Bach was dismissed from his post and left Köthen to become Kantor at the Thomasschule
Thomasschule zu Leipzig
St. Thomas School, Leipzig is a co-educational and public boarding school in Leipzig, Saxony, Germany. It was founded by the Augustinians in 1212 and is one of the oldest schools in the world.St. Thomas is known for its art, language and music education...
in Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
, but he and Leopold continued their personal friendship for the rest of the latter's short life. Famously, the reason for the dismissal was the dissolution of the Köthen court orchestra, not any dissatisfaction with Bach's services.
Marriages and Issue
In BernburgBernburg
Bernburg is a town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, capital of the district of Salzlandkreis. It is situated on the river Saale, approx. 30 km downstream from Halle. The town is dominated by its huge Renaissance castle featuring a museum as well as a popular, recently updated bear pit in its...
on 11 December 1721 Leopold married his cousin Fredericka Henriette (b. Bernburg, 24 January 1702 - d. Köthen, 4 April 1723), daughter of Karl Frederick, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg
Karl Frederick, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg
Karl Frederick of Anhalt-Bernburg , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Bernburg....
. They had one daughter:
- Gisela AgnesGisela Agnes of Anhalt-KöthenGisela Agnes of Anhalt-Köthen was a princess of Anhalt-Köthen by birth and by marriage Duchess of Anhalt-Dessau.- Life :...
(b. Köthen, 21 September 1722 - d. Dessau, 20 April 1751), married on 25 May 1737 to Leopold II, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau.
Leopold apparently named his daughter after his mother as a gesture of reconciliation between them.
In Weimar
Weimar
Weimar is a city in Germany famous for its cultural heritage. It is located in the federal state of Thuringia , north of the Thüringer Wald, east of Erfurt, and southwest of Halle and Leipzig. Its current population is approximately 65,000. The oldest record of the city dates from the year 899...
on 27 June 1725 Leopold married for a second time to Charlotte Fredericka (b. Siegen
Siegen
Siegen is a city in Germany, in the south Westphalian part of North Rhine-Westphalia.It is located in the district of Siegen-Wittgenstein in the Arnsberg region...
, 30 November 1702 - d. Stadthagen
Stadthagen
Stadthagen is the capital of the district of Schaumburg, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approx. 20 km east of Minden and 40 km west of Hanover. The city consists of the districts Brandenburg, Enzen-Hobbensen, Hörkamp-Langenbruch, Krebshagen, Obernwöhren, Probsthagen, Reinsen...
, 22 July 1785), daughter of Frederick William I, Prince of Nassau-Siegen. They had two children:
- Emmanuel Louis, Hereditary Prince of Anhalt-Köthen (b. Köthen, 12 September 1726 - d. of smallpox, Köthen, 17 August 1728).
- Leopoldine Charlotte (b. Köthen, 3 September 1727 - d. of smallpox, Köthen, 6 September 1728).
Death
The only son and heir of Leopold succumbed to smallpoxSmallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
in August 1728, and the prince's second daughter, who also contracted the disease, died in early September. Soon Leopold caught smallpox as well; on 17 November he played his violin for last time and died two days later in Köthen, aged thirty-four.
On 24 March 1729, one day after his burial in the princely crypt of St. Jakob in Köthen, the so called Köthener Trauermusik (BWV 244a) was performed during an official memorial service in the church by Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
. This cantata
Bach cantata
Bach cantata became a term for a cantata of the German Baroque composer Johann Sebastian Bach who was a prolific writer of the genre. Although many of his works are lost, around 200 cantatas survived....
Klagt, Kinder, klagt es aller Welt
Klagt, Kinder, klagt es aller Welt, BWV 244a
The funeral cantata Klagt, Kinder, klagt es aller Welt, BWV 244a, also called Köthener Trauermusik, is a lost composition of Johann Sebastian Bach. The Trauermusik was composed for the memorial service for Leopold, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen on 24 March 1729 in the St. Jakob church in Köthen, one day...
, Bach specially had composed for the prince's funeral. The music is lost and it might be an early version in at least ten parts of what was to become the St Matthew Passion for two choirs and orchestra.
With no surviving male issue, Leopold was succeeded by his brother Augustus Louis.