Jan Trojan Turnovský
Encyclopedia
Jan Trojan Turnovský was a Czech
Renaissance composer
. He became known in the second half of the 1570s. His compositions are included in the most important sources of the Utraquist
polyphony music.
Very little is known about his early life. He was born in Turnov
, and his father was a baker. The oldest known mention of his life dates from 1564 when he was matriculated
at the Charles University in Prague
. He was matriculated together with several other composers, Jiří Rychnovský
and Pavel Spongopaeus Jistebnický
among others. However, it is not entirely clear whether they really studied there.
As an Utraquist
priest he served in Davle
(1579), and the same year he was possibly active also in Mladá Boleslav
. Later he moved to Netvořice
(1581), Benešov
(1587), and Sepekov
(1595, probably before 1590).
Turnovský was married two times. He married his first wife Kateřina on 11 November 1579 in Mladá Boleslav. In 1604, he — together with his second wife Zuzana Jezberová — bought a house in Benešov. The payment from 1606 is the last mention of his life.
and eleven Czech songs have been completely preserved. In addition to this Trojan composed six Czech and four Latin motet
s, two song fragments, five Czech plenaria and seven compositions intended for Utraquist religious service. These compositions are preserved in fragments.
Some of his works are preserved in the sources of Czech literary fraternities in Prague
, Rokycany
, Hradec Králové
and Jaroměř
.
Trojan's compositions are remarkable for their well-handled polyphony technique and careful work with words in relation to music.
Selected compositions:
Czech people
Czechs, or Czech people are a western Slavic people of Central Europe, living predominantly in the Czech Republic. Small populations of Czechs also live in Slovakia, Austria, the United States, the United Kingdom, Chile, Argentina, Canada, Germany, Russia and other countries...
Renaissance composer
Renaissance music
Renaissance music is European music written during the Renaissance. Defining the beginning of the musical era is difficult, given that its defining characteristics were adopted only gradually; musicologists have placed its beginnings from as early as 1300 to as late as the 1470s.Literally meaning...
. He became known in the second half of the 1570s. His compositions are included in the most important sources of the Utraquist
Utraquism
Utraquism was a Christian dogma first proposed by Jacob of Mies in 1414. It maintained that the Eucharist should be administered "in both kinds" — as both bread and wine — to all the congregation, including the laity...
polyphony music.
Biography
In the oldest sources, his name was Latinized to Traianus Turnovinus or Traianus Gregorides Turnovinus. Later he began to use the name Jan. The sources from Benešov call him "kněz Jan Traian" (priest Jan Traian).Very little is known about his early life. He was born in Turnov
Turnov
Turnov is a town on the Jizera river in the northern Czech Republic. It has about 14,500 inhabitants and lies in the southern part of Liberec Region. It is a traditional center for gemstone polishing, glass craftmanship and arts....
, and his father was a baker. The oldest known mention of his life dates from 1564 when he was matriculated
Matriculation
Matriculation, in the broadest sense, means to be registered or added to a list, from the Latin matricula – little list. In Scottish heraldry, for instance, a matriculation is a registration of armorial bearings...
at the Charles University in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
. He was matriculated together with several other composers, Jiří Rychnovský
Jiří Rychnovský
Jiří Rychnovský was a Czech composer of the Renaissance and early Baroque era. He was the mayor of Chrudim. His musical work consists of Czech and Latin sacred music with advanced vocal polyphony, reveals a knowledge of European designs, but also the efforts of self expression...
and Pavel Spongopaeus Jistebnický
Pavel Spongopaeus Jistebnický
Pavel Spongopaeus Jistebnický was a Czech composer of Renaissance and early Baroque era. He worked as a teacher all his life...
among others. However, it is not entirely clear whether they really studied there.
As an Utraquist
Utraquism
Utraquism was a Christian dogma first proposed by Jacob of Mies in 1414. It maintained that the Eucharist should be administered "in both kinds" — as both bread and wine — to all the congregation, including the laity...
priest he served in Davle
Davle
Davle is a market town in Central Bohemian Region, Czech Republic. It is located more than south of Prague at the confluence of the Vltava and Sázava rivers.- History :...
(1579), and the same year he was possibly active also in Mladá Boleslav
Mladá Boleslav
Mladá Boleslav is a city in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic, on the left bank of the Jizera river about 50 km northeast of Prague.Founded in the second half of the 10th century by King Boleslav II as a royal castle...
. Later he moved to Netvořice
Netvořice
Netvořice is a municipality and market town in Benešov District in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. -References:*This article was initially translated from the Czech Wikipedia....
(1581), Benešov
Benešov
Benešov is a town in the Central Bohemian Region, Czech Republic, about southeast of Prague. The Konopiště castle and the Czech national mountain Blaník are near the town.-History:...
(1587), and Sepekov
Sepekov
Sepekov is a market town in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has around 1,350 inhabitants.Hamlets Líšnice and Zálší are administrative parts of Sepekov.-Famous people born in Sepekov:...
(1595, probably before 1590).
Turnovský was married two times. He married his first wife Kateřina on 11 November 1579 in Mladá Boleslav. In 1604, he — together with his second wife Zuzana Jezberová — bought a house in Benešov. The payment from 1606 is the last mention of his life.
Style and works
The oldest dated composition originates from 1572, the earliest work was composed in 1602. Fifteen of his forty compositions have been preserved completely. A half of Trojan's compositions is preserved and carefully dated in the collection Benešovský kancionál (Benešov Hymnbook), collected by Václav Kolářovic (died 1596). One Latin ordinarium, two responsoriesResponsory
-Definition:The most general of a responsory is any psalm, canticle, or other sacred musical work sung responsorially, that is, with a cantor or small group singing verses while the whole choir or congregation respond with a refrain. However, this article focuses on those chants of the western...
and eleven Czech songs have been completely preserved. In addition to this Trojan composed six Czech and four Latin motet
Motet
In classical music, motet is a word that is applied to a number of highly varied choral musical compositions.-Etymology:The name comes either from the Latin movere, or a Latinized version of Old French mot, "word" or "verbal utterance." The Medieval Latin for "motet" is motectum, and the Italian...
s, two song fragments, five Czech plenaria and seven compositions intended for Utraquist religious service. These compositions are preserved in fragments.
Some of his works are preserved in the sources of Czech literary fraternities in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, Rokycany
Rokycany
Rokycany , is a town in the Plzeň Region of the Czech Republic. It lies to the East from the region capital of Pilsen on the confluence of the River Klabava and the Holoubkov Brook . Alternatively, the Holoubkovský potok is referred to as the Borecký potok and the section of the Klabava River down...
, Hradec Králové
Hradec Králové
Hradec Králové is a city of the Czech Republic, in the Hradec Králové Region of Bohemia. The city's economy is based on food-processing technology, photochemical, and electronics manufacture. Traditional industries include musical instrument manufacturing – the best known being PETROF pianos...
and Jaroměř
Jaromer
Jaroměř is a town in the Hradec Králové Region of the Czech Republic. It is located 15 kilometers northeast of the district town of Hradec Králové. The town lies at the confluence of three rivers, notably the Mettau and the Elbe...
.
Trojan's compositions are remarkable for their well-handled polyphony technique and careful work with words in relation to music.
Selected compositions:
- Missa super Jerusalem cito veniet (1578) - the most valuable composition, written to the theme of Jacob Clemens non PapaJacob Clemens non PapaJacobus Clemens non Papa was a Flemish composer of the Renaissance based for most of his life in Flanders...
- Jezu Kriste Vykupiteli - Czech motet
- Vstalť jest z mrtvých Kristus Pán - Easter motet
Further reading
- Horyna, Martin: Jan Trojan Turnovský (ca 1550–1606). Opera musica. Missa, cantiones et moteti ad 3, 4 et 5 voces aequales, score. Monumenta Musicae Antiquae Bohemiae Meridionalis 2., University of South Bohemia in České BudějoviceUniversity of South Bohemia in České BudějoviceThe University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice is a public university located in České Budějovice, Czech Republic.-Structure:The university consists of eight faculties and one institute, as follows:* Faculty of Economy...
, České Budějovice 2002, XXXVIII + 114 s. - Všetečková, Nina: Jan Trojan Turnovský, život a dílo (příspěvek k problematice vokálně polyfonní tvorby). FF UK 1975. Thesis.