Carl Gotthelf Gerlach (31 December 1704 – 9 July 1761) was a

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

organist An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists. In addition, an organist may accompany congregational h ...

, composer and

violinist The following lists of violinists are available: * List of classical violinists, notable violinists from the baroque era onwards * List of contemporary classical violinists, notable contemporary classical violinists * List of violinist/compose ...

Life

Born in ,

Wermsdorf Wermsdorf is a municipality in the Nordsachsen district in Saxony, Germany. Two hunting castles of the Saxon Dukes and Kings are to be found here. Geography Landscape Wermsdorf is situated within Wermsdorf Forest a wooded area of some 30&n ...

, hear

Oschatz Oschatz () is a town in the district Nordsachsen, in Saxony, Germany. It is located 60 km east of Leipzig and 60 km west of Dresden. Geography Site and climate Oschatz lies in the Saxon Lowland and is located on the river Dölln ...

, Gerlach became a pupil at the

Thomasschule St. Thomas School, Leipzig (german: Thomasschule zu Leipzig; la, Schola Thomana Lipsiensis) 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 ...

Leipzig Leipzig ( , ; Upper Saxon: ) is the most populous city in the German state of Saxony. Leipzig's population of 605,407 inhabitants (1.1 million in the larger urban zone) as of 2021 places the city as Germany's eighth most populous, as ...

, receiving musical training between 1716 and 1723, as an alto singer, violinist and keryboard player, from the

Thomaskantor (Cantor at St. Thomas) is the common name for the musical director of the , now an internationally known boys' choir founded in Leipzig in 1212. The official historic title of the Thomaskantor in Latin, ', describes the two functions of cantor a ...

Johann Kuhnau Johann Kuhnau (; 6 April 16605 June 1722) was a German polymath, known primarily as a composer today. He was also active as a novelist, translator, lawyer, and music theorist, and was able to combine these activities with his duties in his offici ...

. When

Johann Sebastian Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the '' Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard wo ...

succeeded Kuhnau in 1723, it is likely that he taught Gerlach. After leaving school, Gerlach assisted with musical duties in the two principal churches in Leipzig, the Nikolaikirche and the Thomaskirche, including acting as a copyist; he occasionally escorted Bach during his travels around Germany. In 1727 he enrolled as a law student at

Leipzig University Leipzig University (german: Universität Leipzig), in Leipzig in Saxony, Germany, is one of the world's oldest universities and the second-oldest university (by consecutive years of existence) in Germany. The university was founded on 2 December ...

. In 1729, on Bach's recommendation, he was appointed as musical director of the Neukirche, Leipzig, a post he occupied until his death. He temporarily took over from Bach as director of the Leipzig Collegium Musicum between spring 1737 and autumn 1739, becoming permanent director some time between 1741 and 1744. As a violinist, he became leader of the ''Grosse Konzert'' in 1743, financed by the Leipzig merchant class: it was a precursor of the

Leipzig Gewandhaus Gewandhaus is a concert hall in Leipzig, the home of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra. Today's hall is the third to bear this name; like the second, it is noted for its fine acoustics. History The first Gewandhaus (''Altes Gewandhaus'') The f ...

. In 1729, as Gerlach became more significant in musical circles, he received disproportionately more funding than Bach from the Leipzig city council; they preferred the progressive approach of the Neukirche to the traditional approach of the two main churches. Gerlach died in Leipzig after a long period of poor health, unmarried and heirless; his musical estate was purchased by the Breitkopf family, who later catalogued the large collection of manuscripts.

Notes

References

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External links

Carl Gotthelf Gerlach
bach-cantatas.com 1704 births 1761 deaths German classical organists German male organists Musicians from Leipzig 18th-century keyboardists Male classical organists {{germany-classical-musician-stub