ZELENKA, Jan Dismas
b Bohemia, 16 October 1679
d Dresden, 22 December 1745, aged sixty-six

His father was an organist. He studied in Prague and in 1710 became a double-bass player in the royal orchestra at Dresden. He worked in Italy in 1715 and in Vienna from 1717 to 1719, then he was appointed Kapellmeister in Dresden, where he remained for the rest of his life. His lack of recognition as a composer caused him to spend his last years in loneliness and disappointment.

He wrote a large amount of sacred vocal music, some chamber and other instrumental works.