Leopold, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen

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Leopold, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen (28 November 1694 O.S. – 19 November 1728 N.S.) was the reigning Prince of Anhalt-Köthen. Today, he is probably best remembered for employing Johann Sebastian Bach as his Kapellmeister from December 1717 to April 1723.

Leopold lost his father when he was only 8 years old, resulting in a long regency period for his mother, Princess Gisela Agnes, a devout Lutheran. Since 1708 he studied at the Brandenburg Academy, and in 1710 he began an extensive European educational tour that first took him to The Hague where the foundations for his lifelong love of opera began. London, Oxford, Rome, and Vienna were next on his itinerary. He met with many composers, acquired sheet music, and indulged in his musical passion. Back home, he seized the opportunity in 1714 when the Royal Prussian court orchestra was disbanded, and founded a court Kapelle of his own, employing many of the Berlin musicians. First conductor was the opera composer Augustin Reinhard Stricker who was succeeded by Bach 3 years later.

[edit] Relationship with J.S. Bach

Prince Leopold most likely made Bach's acquaintance at a wedding ceremony held at his mother's castle at Nienburg on January 24, 1716. When Stricker left his post in the following year, Leopold lost no time in offering the job of Kapellmeister to Bach. Much of Bach's secular music, including the Brandenburg Concerti and Part I of the Well-Tempered Clavier, stem from his years at Köthen. Leopold's castle is now a museum, and a bi-annual Bach Festival is held in the very locales where much of his music was first performed.

Leopold was a gifted violinist who often participated in the orchestra. Bach composed several cantatas and a serenade in Leopold's honour. Prince Leopold was a godfather to Bach's son, Leopold Augustus, who died in infancy in 1719.

In 1721 Prince Leopold married his 19-year old cousin, Princess Frederica Henrietta of Anhalt-Bernburg, at Bernburg on December 11. After her death in 1723, he married Charlotte Friederike of Nassau-Siegen (1702-1785) who survived him by almost half a century.

Bach continued his personal friendship with Prince Leopold for the rest of the latter's short life. After his death, he arrived from Leipzig on March 23, 1729, to perform the cantata "Kinder, klagt es aller Welt" he had specially composed for the Prince's funeral. Also performed was an early version in at least 10 parts of what was to become the St. Matthew Passion for 2 choirs and orchestra.