After signing this agreement, he had to pass an examination as to his religious views, and on the 13th of May 1723, he was confirmed in the appointment: though the installation did not take place till the 31st.
[Illustration: St Thomas’ Church, Leipsic]
Bach’s residence was in the left side of the school buildings: but in 1731 the building was enlarged and he for a year lived in a temporary residence, for which the Council paid a rent of 60 thalers.
This particular post of cantor was one of the most important in Germany and had been always held by a distinguished man. The work was not heavy, though the list of duties seems a long one; and he would have time for his own engrossing occupation of composing. He still held the rank of a capellmeister, and in addition to that of Cöthen, he was given honorary rank as capellmeister of the Court of Weissenfels in the year he removed to Leipsic.
[Sidenote: _Troubles with the Authorities_]
And with the resumption of church work came difficulties of many kinds. The authorities never, from first to last, recognised that they had one of the world’s greatest geniuses to deal with; in fact they did not require a genius; all they asked was that their cantor should be able to carry out the church music in a respectable conventional manner. Bach, with his lofty ideals, was so often at variance with them that the history of his life at Leipsic seems at first sight to consist of one long turmoil and trouble.
Yet there are bright spots in the picture; and nothing was able to disturb the equanimity with which, in spite of external rubs, he for twenty-seven years continued to pour forth his marvellous Passion music and cantatas.
It was very important from Bach’s point of view that he should be in a position to control and regulate all the church music that was performed at Leipsic; and for this purpose he was obliged to take steps to obtain control of the students’ chorus, which now sang in the University Church. The organist there was Görner, a conceited and not very competent musician, who had been in the habit of directing the music after Kuhnau’s death.
Görner persuaded the authorities that the cantor of St Thomas could not possibly serve St Paul’s[42] as well as St Thomas and St Nicholas; and he therefore continued in his post as musical director to the University.