Gottlob Christoph Wecker (Kantor, Flute, Bach's Pupil)

Born: December 16, 1700 - Friedesdorf, near Lauban, Silesia, Gerrmany
Died: April 20, 1774 - Schweidnitz, Silesia, Germany

Gottlob Christoph Wecker was a German Kantor and flautist. He was born in Friedesdorf, Silesia, where his father was an organist. He attended the Gymnasium in Bautzen for 6 years; and from 1721 to 1723 served as Praecentor (in charge of preparing worship services) at St. Petri in Bautzen. From 1723 studied jurisprudence at the University of Leipzig (enrolled on December 15, 1723); and was a member of Johann Gottlieb Görner's Collegium Musicum.. He took private lessons from J.S. Bach between 1723 and 1728^Grove/1729^OCC. In a letter from February 26, 1727, J.S. Bach recommended him for the post of Kantor at the Jacobikirche in Chemnitz, but his application was unsuccessful. Around 1729 he stayed in Mertschütz (near Liegnitz). On March 20, 1729, J.S. Bach gave him another letter of recommendation; this time he was appointed to a similar post at the Dreifaltigeitskirche in Schweidnitz, Silesia.

Gottlob Christoph Wecker's name appears at the end of the printed libretto of the Cantata Liebster Gott, vergißt du mich, BWV Anh 209, performed in 1727 at the same memorial service as J.S. Bach's Cantata Ich lasse dich nicht, du segnest mich denn!, BWV 157. It cannot, however, be assumed that Wecker composed the music.

J.S. Bach wrote a letter of recommendation for Gottlob Christoph Wecker in 1727 on the occasion of a Kantor office in Chemnitz and wrote him a personal letter to Schweidnitz in 1729, to which he also enclosed a certificate. These documents only mention G.C. Wecker's skills on various instruments and in singing as well as his participation in performances of church and other music, but there is no explicit mention of a student relationship. J.C. Wecker therefore does not necessarily have to have been J.S. Bach's pupil, but could only have belonged to his ensemble as an accomplished musician.

References: Koska: B-12

Sources:
1. Oxford Composer Companions J.S. Bach (Editor: Malcolm Boyd, OUP, 1999)
2. fine-print footnotes in the Bach-Dokumente
3. Bernd Koska: Bachs Privatschüler in Bach-Jahrbuch 2019, English translation by Aryeh Oron (May 2020)
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (June 2014, May 2020); Thomas Braatz (January 2011)

Links to other Sites

Bibliography

Sources 1:
F. Feldmann: "Chr. Gottlob Wecker, ein Schüler Bachs als schleisischer Kantor", BJb 31 (1934), 89-100
K. Hoffmann: "Bachs Kantate Ich lasse dich nicht, du segnest mich denn!, BWV 157: Überlegungen zu Enstehung, Bestimmung und originaler Werkgestalt", BJb 68 (1982), 51-80
Sources 3: Dok I, Nr. 18, 20, 60; Dok III, N I (20); Dok V, N I (20); BJ 1913, S. 72–74 (H. von Hase); BJ 1934, S. 89–100 (F. Feldmann); Löffler 1953, Nr. 26; BJ 1982, S. 51–80 (K. Hofmann); S. Aderhold, Chronologische Musikgeschichte der evangelischen Gemeinde in der Friedenskirche zu Schweidnitz unter Berücksichtigung der Entwicklung ihres Kirchenarchivs, Online-Publikation 2015 (http://stephan-aderhold.de), S. 328–334, 857f.

Bach's Pupils: List of Bach's Pupils | Actual and Potential Non-Thomaner Singers and Players who participated in Bach’s Figural Music in Leipzig | Alumni of the Thomasschule in Leipzig during Bach's Tenure | List of Bach's Private Pupils | List of Bach's Copyists
Thomanerchor Leipzig: Short History | Members: 1729 | 1730 | 1731 | 1740-1741 | 1744-1745 | Modern Times
Bach’s Pupils Discussions: Part 1 | Part 2
Articles: Organizional Structure of the Thomasschule in Leipzig | The Rules Established for the Thomasschule by a Noble and Very Wise Leipzig City Council - Printed by Bernhard Christoph Breitkopf Leipzig, 1733 | Homage Works for Thomas School Rectors