New Thomaskantor – This Swiss inherits Johann Sebastian Bach – Kultur

It was quite a sensation, it has been official for a few days: with Andreas Reize, a Swiss was appointed for the first time at the Thomaskantor in Leipzig, and for the first time Catholic. The conductor and conductor of the choir becomes the eighteenth successor to the great Johann Sebastian Bach. Andreas Reize on the fascination of the children’s choir and the anticipation of the new workplace.

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Andreas Reize studied religious music, organ, piano, harpsichord, choir and orchestra conducting. Today he is director of the baroque opera at Waldegg Castle. For many years he has also been the director of the oldest and most acclaimed children’s choir in Switzerland, the singing children of St. Ursus Cathedral in Solothurn. And: from September 2021, Andreas Reize will be the new Thomaskantor of the St. Thomas Choir in Leipzig.

SRF: The vote on Friday was unanimously in your favor. What was your first thought when your election as Thomaskantor was sealed?

Andreas Reize: He had been nominated for three weeks. But since the Reformation, the Leipzig City Council, with whom Bach had some disputes, has the last word.

I was especially pleased that I was able to make all the parties come together from right to left. It’s about bringing different opinions to the Thomaskirche and getting everyone excited about the music.

Thomanerchor Leipzig

Legend:imago images / Sebastian Willnow

The Leipzig St Thomas Choir has existed for more than 800 years. It is considered one of the oldest and most recognized children’s choirs in the world.

The reputation of the St. Thomas Choir as one of the oldest choirs is also based on the St. Thomas Choir, which was filled by many well-known composers, including Johann Sebastian Bach. He directed the choir for 27 years.

You are not only the first St. Thomas Cantor from Switzerland, but also the first Catholic to lead the Protestant St. Thomas Choir. Why didn’t that matter?

It’s about Christian music – that’s the music that connects us. The origin of Christianity is found in Judaism.

Jesus was a Jew and the Psalms are the foundation of both the Evangelical and Catholic Churches. These barriers you mention are partly built by humans, but they don’t really exist.

So does the Thomaskantor name not matter?

This is also stated in the tender. Because a political body confirms the Thomaskantor, minorities or people of different religions cannot be excluded.

The specifications of a Thomaskantor have changed over the past centuries. You no longer have to compose passions and oratorios like Bach did. How is your new position different from that of an ordinary boys’ choir leader?

For me, pedagogy is the central task in working with children and young people. Just imagine, the youngest children are 9 years old and the oldest here in Solothurn is 23 years old. They all sing together.

Are you looking for a soccer team where 9-year-olds play with 23-year-olds? That does not exist. A children’s choir is unique.

Legend:

Actually, the St. Thomas Choir sings every year at Christmas at St. Thomas Church in Leipzig, except this year due to Corona.

imago images / epd

What is this fascination for pure boy voices for you? Girls’ voices don’t sound different.

There is no doubt: girls can sing as well as boys. That just depends on the voice training and the opportunities you give the girls. But there is still a discrepancy in equality between boys ‘and girls’ choirs.

A pure boy group in itself, as it exists in a boy choir, is something very special. We already did projects with girl’s choirs, so the boys behaved like Gockel.

A full-time job awaits you in Leipzig from September 2021. Are you and your family looking forward to the city?

Leipzig combines the rhythm of a big city with that of a small city. And, of course, the cultural life is gigantic, at the opera or in the churches. We are happy, but it will also be a challenge for us as a family.

Interview by Patricia Moreno.