Sojka, Matej

1740-1817

 

Bohemian organist and church composer, who was born at Vilimov, near Czaslau, Bohemia, and was a pupil of Bach at Leipsic and of Joseph Seger at Prague. Sojka acquired a reputation for virtuosity that surpassed all players of his time, and received many offers from managers of concerts to tour Europe, but preferred to remain in the household of the Count Caretto-Milesino, who had given him his musical education. There he played the organ and taught music and also composed mostly for the church. His works number three hundred, which for clarity, deep devotional feeling and great beauty of expression rank among the best compositions of their day. They include forty solemn masses in fugued style; two requiem masses; eight litanies; two Te Deums; one hundred offertories; graduals; magnificats; preludes and fugues for the organ.