HMR Project: History of Music & Modern Recording

Baroque Music of Jan Zelenka in the Holy Roman Empire

Born on 16 Oct 1679 in Louňovice pod Blaníkem, Bohemia (now Czech Republic), baroque composer, Jan Dismas Zelenka, hailed from an area of Europe hit especially hard during the Thirty Years War that ceased in 1648 with the Peace of Westphalia. Born thirty years into the rebuilding of Prague, Zelenka is the first Czech composer to arrive to these histories. Notable Czech composing during the baroque was largely sacred, secular opera not the phenomenon in Bohemia as it had been in the rest of Europe. Zelenka was no different, his music arising from out of the parameters of the Catholic Church. He was hardly unaware, however, of his more secular contemporaries such as Johann Sebastian Bach, in Germany, and like Bach, he was and remains an indisputable master of counterpoint and harmony. His known works number 249 including thirteen litanies and twenty-three masses.

Born to a father who was an organist and school teacher, Zelenka may have later studied music at the Clementinum, a Jesuit college in Prague. His instrument the bass viol, Zelenka's earliest composition is traced to 'Via laureata' ZWV 245 in 1704, a lost school drama performed at the Jesuit College of St. Mikulas. "ZWV" numbers for Zelenka are per the verseichnis of Wolfgang Reich published in 1985. ZWV 1 of Reich's directory is 'Missa Sancta Caeciliae' composed in 1711. Saint Cecilia is patron of music for both Catholics and Anglicans. The earliest work in Reich's directory is 'Immisit Dominus pestilentiam' ZWV 58 of 1709, one of eleven works for Holy Week which is the last week of Lent leading to Easter. ZWV 58 was composed for the Jesuit Clementinum.

'Immisit Dominus pestilentiam' ZWV 58 Work for Holy Week by Jan Dismas Zelenka

'The Lord sent a pestilence'

Composed 1709 for SATB choir and solo, flute, 2 oboes, chalumeau, 2 violins, viola, continuo

Collegium Marianum

Zelenka was employed by one Baron von Hartig in Prague in 1709 before joining the Dresden royal orchestra in 1710. He played the double bass and earned 300 thalers a year, a solid middle class income at the time. Dresden was capital to the Holy Roman Empire of which Joseph I was emperor until 1711, succeeded by Charles VI who remained emperor until 1740, most of Zelenka's own life. With the exception of a trip to Italy, and later Prague, Zelenka remained in Dresden throughout his life, dying under the reign of Charles VII.

'Missa Sancta Caeciliae' ZWV 1 Mass by Jan Dismas Zelenka

'Mass for Saint Cecilia'

Composed 1711 for SATB choir and solo, bassoon, 2 oboes, strings, viola da gamba, continuo

Ensemble Inégal / Adam Viktora

Zelenka's first of four settings for 'Litaniae Lauretanae', that is, 'Litany of Loreto' also known as the 'Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary', arrived in 1718. Neither the author nor date of this litany are known, but it was sanctioned for use in the liturgy by Pope Sixtus V in 1587.

'Litaniae Lauretanae' ZWV 149 Litany for Mary by Jan Dismas Zelenka

'Litany of Loreto'

Composed 1718 for SATB choir and solo, strings, basso continuo

Ensemble Inégal / Adam Viktora

Of Zelenka's numerous litanies, his 'Litaniae Xaverianae' ZWV 155 in C minor was for 16th century Saint Xavier, Jesuit missionary to Asia.

'Litaniae Xaverianae' ZWV 155 Litany by Jan Dismas Zelenka

'Litany for Saint Xavier'

Composed 1727 for SATB choir and solo, 2 oboes, strings, continuo

Ensemble Inégal / Adam Viktora

'Missa Gratias agimus tibi' ZWV 13 Mass in D major by Jan Dismas Zelenka

'We thank you'

Composed 1730 for SATB choir and voice, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 4 trumpets, timpani, strings, continuo

Czech Philharmonic Chorus and Orchestra / Jirí Belohlávek

'Te Deum' ZWV 146 is the second of two Te Deums by Zelenka. "Te Deum" is short for "Te Deum laudumus" ("Thee, God, do we praise") which is the incipit of a Latin hymn of uncertain authorship written sometime during the 4th century and used in both Catholic and Protestant services. This Te Deum was set to celebrate the birth of Maria Josepha of Saxony, Dauphine of France, on 4 November 1731. This the daughter of Maria Josepha of Austria, Queen of Poland and Electress of Saxony, further below.

'Te Deum' ZWV 146 Te Dum in D major by Jan Dismas Zelenka

Composed 1731 for voice and double choirs of SSATB and SATB

Orchestra: 4 trumpets, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 bassoons, 2 violins, viola, timpani, continuo

Collegium 1704 / Václav Luks

'Missa Sanctissimae Trinitatis' ZWV 17 Mass by Jan Dismas Zelenka

'Most Holy Trinity'

Composed 1736 for SATB choir and solo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, chalumeau, strings, continuo

Musica Florea / Marek Štryncl 1996

'Missa Votiva' ZWV 18 Mass in E minor Jan Dismas Zelenka

Composed 1739 for SATB choir and solo, 2 oboes, strings, continuo

Collegium 1704 / Václav Luks

Zelenka's 'Missa Dei Patris' is also titled 'Missa ultimarum prima' as the first of six intended Missae ultimae of which he completed only three. "Missa dei Patris' (ultimarum prima) was signed on 21 September 1740. 'Missa Dei Fili' (ultimarum secunda) followed the same year. His completion of only the Kyrie and Gloria may have been intentional after the Neapolitan convention. 'Missa Omnium Sanctorum' (ultimarum sexta) was dated 3 February 1741.

'Missa Dei Patris' ZWV 19 Mass by Jan Dismas Zelenka

Aka 'Missa ultimarum prima'

Composed 1740 for SATB choir and solo, 2 oboes, strings, continuo

Thuringian Academic Singkreis / Virtuosi Saxoniae / Ludwig Güttler

'Missa Dei Fili' ZWV 20 Mass (Kyrie / Gloria) by Jan Dismas Zelenka

Aka 'Missa ultimarum secunda'

Composed 1740 for SATB choir and solo, 2 oboes, strings, continuo

Freiburg Baroque Orchestra Marcus Creed 16 Dec 2011

'Missa Omnium Sanctorum' ZWV 21 'Mass for All Saints' by Jan Dismas Zelenka

Aka 'Missa ultimarum sexta'

Composed 1740 for SATB choir and solo, 2 oboes, strings, continuo

Collegium 1704 / Václav Luks 25 Aug 2012

Zelenka's final work and last to be performed in Dresden is thought to be 'Salus Infirmorum' of 1744, authored to celebrate the recovery of Maria Josepha of Austria, Queen of Poland and Electress of Saxony, from illness. This is the mother of Maria Josepha of Saxony, Dauphine of France, above. 'Salus Infirmorum' is Zelenka's fourth and last setting for 'Litaniae Lauretanae', that is, 'Litany of Loreto' also known as the 'Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary'. Per his first above in 1718, neither the author nor date this litany are known, but it was sanctioned for use in the liturgy by Pope Sixtus V in 1587.