Jan [Johann] Dismas Zelenka

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Born: 16 October 1679 — Louňovice pod Blaníkem — Czech Republic
Died: 22 December 1745 — Dresden — Germany
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Jan Dismas Zelenka

Please use original Czech name Jan, that is commonly used for him also by Germans this time (see discography http://www.discogs.com/artist/Jan+Dismas+Zelenka). Also the birthplace right name is Louňovice pod Blaníkem (you can write Lounovice pod Blanikem), not Lunovice (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Dismas_Zelenka). Thank you.
Jan Blanický

[by “Anonymous” on 2011-04-13 06:21:33]

Music

  • Six Trio Sonatas for 2 oboes, bassoon and basso continuo
  • Some Caprici, Symponies for small instrumental groups
  • The Lamentations of Jeremiah
  • Much Church music, masses, etc.

(Source: Jeremiah lamentations CD booklet, Geofrey Chew, 1990, hyperion; Six trio sonatas CD, William Newman, Archiv, Germany)

Life

Javier Ortega <jortega(at)solar.sar.net> writes:

Jan Dismas Zelenka is a great representative of Bohemian Baroque music. He spent most of his life at Dresden. His work is very little known today.

Zelenka was son of a local organist, and was educated at Prague at a Jesuit college. In 1710 he was appointed as Violone player of the Elector of Saxony court at Dresden under kapellmeister J.D. Heinichen. Also he travelled to Vienna and Italy, but he spent most of his life at Dresden Court and as a composer of Catholic church music. Unable to promotion after Heinichen’s dead, he remained as Dresden’s bass player until his death.


<anjanhinds(at)aol.com.uk> writes:

My understanding is that no picture of Zelenka is believed to exist. I have researched Zelenka’s music as a hobby since 1977 and have about 40 Cds of his music. Christopher Hogwood in a BBC Publication about the Trio Sonata (about 1979) included a chapter on Zelenka. He indicated that all Zelenka’s keyboard music was now lost. The critic J.A. Scheibe (and quite good composer who moved to Scaninavia - recent interesting CD) wrote adversely about J.S. Bach in the 1730s (later partly retracted) and favourably about Zelenka’s music (I think keyboard music) by comparison. Unearthing some Zelenka keyboard music would be as marvellous as finding a picture of this “dreamily pious” man.


Peter Herbert <peterandpat(at)leosjanacek.demon.co.uk> writes: Your previous correspondent is absolutely correct. No known portrait exists of Zelenka, unfortunately. However, there is a pen and ink and wash drawing by Carl Heinrich Jakob Fehling dating from 1719. This is a picture of a celebration held at the royal Italian Garden in Dresden in 1719. The musicians are shown to one side, all dressed in “Turkish” clothes. Zelenka was a virtuoso of the Bass Viol and one such is shown at the extreme left of the group. The face is completely without detail but, since Zelenka would certainly have been expected to perform at this event, one can only assume that it is, at the least, a representation of Zelenka, if not a true portrait. The picture can be seen as part of plate 6 in Janice Stockigt’s book “Jan Dismas Zelenka”, Oxford University Press, 2000. ISBN 0-19-816622-2

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Contributions by: jortega | peterandpat |

© 1995–2013 Jos Smeets — Quixote; Last update: 2011-04-15 19:39:21.
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Events:
(1886) Camille Saint-Saëns: Premiere of Symphony no. 3 in c minor op. 78 “Organ symphony”, in London, England, with Saint-Saëns conducting.
(1911) Maurice Ravel: Premiere of L'Heure Espagnol, in Paris, France.
(1989) Heinz Holliger: Premiere of What Where, Frankfurt, Germany.

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Classical Sheet Music and MP3 accompaniment: download instantly at Virtual Sheet Music®
Picture of Jan [Johann] Dismas Zelenka.
Zelenka is on the left
(sent by Peter Herbert)

Sheet music for Zelenka

[details ←] Benedictus Dominus Deus Israel, choral, vocal,
[details ←] Zelenka: Responsoria pro hebdomada sancta
[details ←] Lamentatio II zum Karfreitag, horn, french horn,
[details ←] Lamentatio I zum Karfreitag, horn, french horn,
[details ←] Lamentatio II zum Grundonnerstag, horn, french horn,
[details ←] Lamentatio I zum Grundonnerstag, horn, french horn,
[details ←] Lamentatio II, horn, french horn,
[details ←] Lamentatio I (Lamentatio I), horn, french horn,
[details ←] Zelenka: Lamentationes pro Hebdomada Sancta
[details ←] Missa Gratias agimus tibi, viola, horn, violin, organ, double bass, oboe, trumpet, french horn, percussion, cello, flute, bassoon, , choral, vocal,
[details ←] Te Deum in D (Te Deum in D major), viola, horn, violin, oboe, trumpet, french horn, percussion, , choral, vocal,
[details ←] Magnificat in C, viola, horn, violin, oboe, french horn, , choral, vocal,
[details ←] Zelenka: Drei Vertonungen von Sub tuum praesidium
[details ←] Zelenka: Karfreitags-Responsorien
[details ←] In monte Oliveti, horn, organ, french horn, , choral, vocal,
[details ←] Zelenka: Drei Responsorien
[details ←] Laudate pueri Dominum in F, viola, horn, violin, double bass, french horn, cello, , choral, vocal,
[details ←] In exitu Israel (When Israel’s people went out of Egypt), viola, horn, violin, oboe, french horn, , choral, vocal,
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Cds for Zelenka

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Bach, Lotti, Zelenka
Classical Music : Bach, Lotti, Zelenka
from: deutsche harmonia mundi


Baroque Trumpetissimo
Classical Music : Baroque Trumpetissimo
from: Essay


Splendor and the Brass: Festive Music of the Baroque
Classical Music : Splendor and the Brass: Festive Music of the Baroque
from: Summit(Classical)


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Deutsche Harmonia Mundi 50th Anniversary Box
Classical Music : Deutsche Harmonia Mundi 50th Anniversary Box
from: Deutsche Harmonia Mundi


Imperial Fanfares
Classical Music : Imperial Fanfares
from: Naxos

Features:
  • Record Label: Naxos
  • Catalog#: 8555879
  • Year Of Release: 2003

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