Zelenka, Jan Dismas

1681-1745

Born at Lannowicz, Bohemia. At the age of twenty-nine he was appointed as doublebass player in the Royal Polish band at Dresden. He was one of the suite accompanying the Crown Prince on his visit to Vienna in 1716 and 1717 and to Venice in 1718 and 1719. He became second conductor under Heinichen, in Dresden, and upon his death, sole conductor and in 1735 was made church composer. Zelenka's works are mostly for the church, no less than twenty masses, besides three requiems, two Te Deums, hymns, and psalms. He also composed three oratorios, Die eherne Schlange, Jesus auf Golgotha, and I penitenti al sepolcro; a Latin melodrama, cantatas and arias.