Thomas schule: Alumni vs Externi

[Praetorius]

I've been reading Christoff Wolff's Bach biography, and am now
re-reading sections for second and third times trying to make complete
sense of some details.

One area I am struggling to understand fully has to do with
'alumni' vs 'externi' students at the Thomasschule.


Wolff writes:

"The endowment...supported, by the time of Kuhnau and Bach,
fifty-five resident students ('alumni') in the four upper
classes... In addition, the school accepted about twice that number of
qualified students ('externi'), who lived with their families in
Leipzig. The alumni, however, in exchange for room and board, were
obliged to sing at the regular worship services in four of the city's
churches on all Sundays and feast days..."

"In only a single instance...has the admissions documentation
survived, from which we learn that nine spaces for 'alumni' became
available in the spring of 1729. ... ... The remaining five among the
musically capable applicants...were either admitted as 'externi' or
deferred as 'alumni' and admitted later."


Does this mean that only 'alumni' sang in the choirs? that 'externi'
were simply regular academic students? or, perhaps some 'externi', at
least, were students with sufficient musical abilities who were merely
awaiting openings among the 'alumni'? But, as 'externi' they weren't
yet permitted to sing?

Wolff also notes from the document that some applicants "...came from
as far away as Aurich in east Friesland..."

Since he previously refers to 'externi' as living "with their
families in Leipzig", does this mean that those who came from afar
and could not be admitted as 'alumni' lived with some (perhaps not
necessarily their own) family in Leipzig. But, could they sing in the
choir and partake of the other musical instruction offered at the
Thomasschule? or did they have to wait until they could be admitted as
'alumni' wherein they would also then have to move into the school?

Thanks for any enlightenment on this point.

[John Briggs]

Post by Praetorius
I've been reading Christoff Wolff's Bach biography, and am now
re-reading sections for second and third times trying to make complete
sense of some details.
One area I am struggling to understand fully has to do with
'alumni' vs 'externi' students at the Thomasschule.
"The endowment...supported, by the time of Kuhnau and Bach,
fifty-five resident students ('alumni') in the four upper
classes... In addition, the school accepted about twice that number
of qualified students ('externi'), who lived with their families in
Leipzig. The alumni, however, in exchange for room and board, were
obliged to sing at the regular worship services in four of the city's
churches on all Sundays and feast days..."

That's not totally accurate - only 32 of the 55 alumni were allocated to the
four choirs. It was Bach who tried to get all of them allocated. His task
was complicated by some boys being admitted purely on academic ability.

The alumni received free board and lodging in addition to free tuition.
Some of the externi (e.g. Bach's sons) received free tuition.

Post by Praetorius
"In only a single instance...has the admissions documentation
survived, from which we learn that nine spaces for 'alumni' became
available in the spring of 1729. ... ... The remaining five among the
musically capable applicants...were either admitted as 'externi' or
deferred as 'alumni' and admitted later."
Does this mean that only 'alumni' sang in the choirs? that 'externi'
were simply regular academic students? or, perhaps some 'externi', at
least, were students with sufficient musical abilities who were merely
awaiting openings among the 'alumni'? But, as 'externi' they weren't
yet permitted to sing?

Sort of. It is assumed that some of the externi could substitute for ill
alumni in the choirs - if only because externi were explicitly excluded from
the First choir! (Including Bach's sons, it would seem.) Preference was
given to externi when filling vacancies among the alumni, so musical
applicants who could afford it would be admitted first as externi if there
were no alumni places available.

Post by Praetorius
Wolff also notes from the document that some applicants "...came from
as far away as Aurich in east Friesland..."
Since he previously refers to 'externi' as living "with their
families in Leipzig", does this mean that those who came from afar
and could not be admitted as 'alumni' lived with some (perhaps not
necessarily their own) family in Leipzig. But, could they sing in the
choir and partake of the other musical instruction offered at the
Thomasschule? or did they have to wait until they could be admitted
as 'alumni' wherein they would also then have to move into the school?

See above.

[Praetorius]

John Briggs! Thanks very much for your response it was most helpful.

Now I have another question: how did the choir dress?
For example, I've rather assumed they wore wigs for performing; and
wigs for classes? Wigs seem more than just very common in the drawings
of the era. And did they wear vestments similar to choirs of today?
or, something more like monk's robes? Surely, they wore something other
than the sailor suits of today. Would the color vary at all between,
say, the first and second choirs? or, perhaps between St. Thomas and
St. Nicolai? or, the type of service? or, time of the church year?
Would there also have been a processional at the beginning of services?
or, did the choir just assemble in the choirloft?

I also noted a site which said the choir was "often barefoot". Is this
correct? If so, did it have anything to do with the Barfusser
churches? Apparently, by Bach's time in Leipzig, the Barfusser
influence was waning. If I understand correctly the Barfusser Church
in Leipzig had become the New Church. Regardless, if this practice did
indeed exist at one time, was it still active during Bach's era?
Somehow I think I'd have come across common mention of it if it did.
Even tho the early 18th century might have been a more humble era than
ours, I still have a hard time imagining the choir doing an outdoor
funeral procession barefoot in winter.

Thanks to anyone who can answer or comment on these questions.