Jan Šťastný (c.1764 – c.1830) (also Stiasny, Stiastny) was a

Czech Czech may refer to: * Anything from or related to the Czech Republic, a country in Europe ** Czech language ** Czechs, the people of the area ** Czech culture ** Czech cuisine * One of three mythical brothers, Lech, Czech, and Rus *Czech (surnam ...

composer and

cellist The violoncello ( , ), commonly abbreviated as cello ( ), is a middle pitched bowed (sometimes pizzicato, plucked and occasionally col legno, hit) string instrument of the violin family. Its four strings are usually intonation (music), tuned i ...

from the end of the 18th century to the beginning of the 19th century. He is considered one of the founders of Czech national violoncello school. Information on Šťastný's life is rather sketchy. He was born around 1764 in

Prague Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...

, was taught music by his father, and played in a Prague theatre orchestra by 16 years. In 1810, Šťastný was court cellist in

Frankfurt Frankfurt am Main () is the most populous city in the States of Germany, German state of Hesse. Its 773,068 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the List of cities in Germany by population, fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located in the forela ...

(c. 1810–1814). He then worked in

Mannheim Mannheim (; Palatine German language, Palatine German: or ), officially the University City of Mannheim (), is the List of cities in Baden-Württemberg by population, second-largest city in Baden-Württemberg after Stuttgart, the States of Ger ...

, and was music director in

Nuremberg Nuremberg (, ; ; in the local East Franconian dialect: ''Nämberch'' ) is the Franconia#Towns and cities, largest city in Franconia, the List of cities in Bavaria by population, second-largest city in the States of Germany, German state of Bav ...

around 1820. Apparently at some point he lived and worked in England, where in London he met Czech singer and composer Josef Theodor Krov, who called Šťastný, the "Beethoven of the violoncello". Traces of Šťastný disappear after 1826. Šťastný's cello and ''basso continuo'' composition is regarded, in the opinion of violinist, conductor, and cello music historian

Wilhelm Joseph von Wasielewski Wilhelm may refer to: People and fictional characters * William Charles John Pitcher, costume designer known professionally as "Wilhelm" * Wilhelm (name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name or surname Other uses * Wilhe ...

, as one of the best examples of antique cello compositions. He composed cello pieces (11 opus numbers), duets, variations, sonatas, divertimento, instructive pieces, concertino, ''Grand Trio''.

References

External links

* 1760s births 1830 deaths Czech classical cellists Czech classical composers Czech male classical composers Musicians from Prague Place of death unknown 18th-century composers from the Holy Roman Empire {{Cellist-stub