The beginnings of musical life in Leipzig date back to 1212. At that time, Margrave Dietrich appropriated a church and "donated" it to the Augustinian Canons, who were interested in power. The associated collegiate school was initially tasked with training boys in liturgical singing. This gave rise to the THOMANERCHOR LEIPZIG (St. Thomas Choir of Leipzig). The structures of Germany's most famous boys' choir, led by Johann Sebastian Bach for 27 years, have remained the same for almost 800 years. Motets and cantatas are performed several times a week and are extremely popular with music lovers.
Since the early 13th century, Leipzig quickly developed into the most important centre of musical life in Germany and today can boast many superlatives. The history of the Gewandhaus began with the "Great Concert", which consisted of 16 musicians and was founded by Leipzig citizens in 1743.
Today is that Gewandhausorchester World-famous. Almost 200 musicians contribute to the ensemble's success. The Leipzig Opera was founded in 1693, making it the third-oldest musical theater in Europe after Milan and Hamburg. In 1843, Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, who served as Kapellmeister of the Gewandhaus in Leipzig from 1835 to 1847, founded the first German conservatory for the professional training of young musicians with the help of Robert Schumann. It is the second-oldest conservatory in Europe after Paris. Students from all over the world continue to enjoy their musical education at the renowned Academy of Music and Theater.
Music history is still being written in Leipzig today. In March 2018, nine Leipzig music heritage sites were awarded the European Heritage Label. These include the following authentic and touristically significant places of work of famous composers: St. Thomas Church, St. Nicholas Church, Old St. Nicholas School, Bach Archive Leipzig, Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy University of Music and Theatre, Mendelssohn House, Schumann House, CF Peters Publishing House with Grieg Meeting Place and Gewandhaus in Leipzig. The big bracket and the connecting idea is the Leipzig Music Trail, without which the acquisition of the European Heritage Label would not have been possible.
The "Leipzig Music Trail", which opened in May 2012, allows visitors to experience Leipzig's music history. The five-kilometer-long circular path connects 23 homes and places of work of famous composers. Around 150 metal inlays set into the ground, as well as steles, pylons and audio-visual displays, connect the locations with one another.
Furthermore, international festivals such as the Bach Festival Leipzig, the Mendelssohn Festival, and the MDR Music Summer promote the city's reputation throughout the world. It's not just classical music lovers who get their money's worth in Leipzig. Major festivals such as the Highfield Festival, the Wave Gotik Treffen, and the Leipzig Jazz Days attract tens of thousands of fans of alternative music styles to Leipzig each year. It should also be mentioned that Leipzig boasts one of the largest collections of its kind, the Musical Instrument Museum. The approximately 5.000 instruments include rarities such as the world's oldest preserved original fortepiano (1726).
Anyone interested in Leipzig's music history can obtain the free brochure "Leipzig - World's Music City" from the Tourist Information Office (Katharinenstraße 8).
More information about cycling in the Leipzig Region as well as more interesting routes: www.leipzig.travel/musik and www.notenspur-leipzig.de