Johannes Vodnianus Campanus
Encyclopedia
Jan Campanus Vodňanský (December 27, 1572 – December 13, 1622) was a Czech
humanist
, composer, pedagogue, poet, and dramatist. He was born in Vodňany
(hence his surname
), in southern Bohemia
. He studied at the University of Prague
and in 1596 and was made Master of Liberal Arts
there. He became a teacher in Prague
and Kutná Hora
. From 1603 he taught Greek and Latin
at the University of Prague. He also taught history
and Latin
poetry
. He was repeatedly appointed as dean, prorector, and rector of this university.
Campanus was a Hussite
before renouncing this faith and becoming a Catholic
in 1622.
, but also wrote occasionally in Czech
, Greek, and German
. Some of his works, like the play Břetislav und Jitka (Bretislaus) (1614), were forbidden, because they were critical of the dukes of Bohemia. His works were recognized in Europe
for their metrical perfection.
Campanus' first collection of musical works, Sacrarum odarum libri duo, was published in Frankfurt
in 1613. The Sacrarum odarum, which includes Rorando coeli, is primarily short vocal works set in a simple, homorhythmic style.
His chant
s include:
These were published in 1612, and can be found in the Cantica canticorum in Odaria, LIII, od. 17. They were set to music by Jan Novák
in the twentieth century.
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
humanist
Humanism
Humanism is an approach in study, philosophy, world view or practice that focuses on human values and concerns. In philosophy and social science, humanism is a perspective which affirms some notion of human nature, and is contrasted with anti-humanism....
, composer, pedagogue, poet, and dramatist. He was born in Vodňany
Vodnany
Vodňany is a town in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has around 7,000 inhabitants.Administrative parts of Vodňany are: Čavyně, Hvožďany, Křtětice, Pražák, Radčice, Újezd, Vodňanské Svobodné Hory, Vodňany I and Vodňany II....
(hence his surname
Surname
A surname is a name added to a given name and is part of a personal name. In many cases, a surname is a family name. Many dictionaries define "surname" as a synonym of "family name"...
), in southern Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
. He studied at the University of Prague
Charles University in Prague
Charles University in Prague is the oldest and largest university in the Czech Republic. Founded in 1348, it was the first university in Central Europe and is also considered the earliest German university...
and in 1596 and was made Master of Liberal Arts
Liberal arts
The term liberal arts refers to those subjects which in classical antiquity were considered essential for a free citizen to study. Grammar, Rhetoric and Logic were the core liberal arts. In medieval times these subjects were extended to include mathematics, geometry, music and astronomy...
there. He became a teacher 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...
and Kutná Hora
Kutná Hora
Kutná Hora is a city in Bohemia, now the Czech Republic in the Central Bohemian Region.-History:The town began in 1142 with the settlement of the first Cistercian Monastery in Bohemia, Kloster Sedlitz, brought from the Imperial immediate Cistercian Waldsassen Abbey...
. From 1603 he taught Greek and Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
at the University of Prague. He also taught history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
and Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
poetry
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
. He was repeatedly appointed as dean, prorector, and rector of this university.
Campanus was a Hussite
Hussite
The Hussites were a Christian movement following the teachings of Czech reformer Jan Hus , who became one of the forerunners of the Protestant Reformation...
before renouncing this faith and becoming a Catholic
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
in 1622.
Works
Campanus usually wrote his works in LatinLatin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, but also wrote occasionally in Czech
Czech language
Czech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers; it is the majority language in the Czech Republic and spoken by Czechs worldwide. The language was known as Bohemian in English until the late 19th century...
, Greek, and German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
. Some of his works, like the play Břetislav und Jitka (Bretislaus) (1614), were forbidden, because they were critical of the dukes of Bohemia. His works were recognized in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
for their metrical perfection.
Campanus' first collection of musical works, Sacrarum odarum libri duo, was published in Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
in 1613. The Sacrarum odarum, which includes Rorando coeli, is primarily short vocal works set in a simple, homorhythmic style.
- Turcicorum tyrannorum qui inde usque ab Otomanno rebus Turcicis praefuerunt, descriptio (1597)
- Heilige Oden/Posvátné ódy (Umdichtung der Psalmen Davids/Přebásnění Davidových žalmů)
- Cechias (a history of Bohemia in verse form)
- Bretislaus (play)
- Elegie der Angst (Elegie o strachu)
- Bitte um Frieden (Prosba o mír)
His chant
Chant
Chant is the rhythmic speaking or singing of words or sounds, often primarily on one or two pitches called reciting tones. Chants may range from a simple melody involving a limited set of notes to highly complex musical structures Chant (from French chanter) is the rhythmic speaking or singing...
s include:
- Ad Jehovam
- Ad puelli Jesuki cunas
- Rorando coeli: Rorando coeli has two choirChoirA choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
s. They imitate one another throughout. The double choir technique utilized in this motetMotetIn 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...
evokes the more complex antiphonal works of Campanus' contemporaries in VeniceVeniceVenice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
.
Poems
- Tristitia (In lectulo quaero meo)
- Surge iam linquens (Surge iam linquens thalamum tepentem)
These were published in 1612, and can be found in the Cantica canticorum in Odaria, LIII, od. 17. They were set to music by Jan Novák
Jan Novák
Jan Novák was a popular Czech composer of classical music. Novák was primarily active in the 1960s and composed the music for several films of Karel Kachyňa...
in the twentieth century.
Death and legacy
- He died at Prague.
- A historical novel was published about him in 1956 by Zikmund WinterZikmund WinterZikmund Winter was a Czech writer and historian. The author of many historical novels and essays, he maintained an interest in Bohemian life from the fifteenth to seventeenth centuries.- Sources :*...
, called Mistr Kampanus: historický obraz.
Sources
- University of Mannheim biographical source
- University of Mannheim source
- Lawrence Kaptein, Rorando Coeli
- The Lied and Art Song Texts Page
- Medieval literature
- Laudatio Mansfeldiana aneb "Zrádci Plzáci"
- World Catalogue Libraries