Georg Anton Benda

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Biography

Born: June 30, 1722; Staré Benátky   Died: November 6, 1795; Köstritz  
Jirí Antonín Benda (later Germanized to Georg Anton Benda) was the third child of Jan Jirí Benda (1686 - 1757), a minor village musician and weaver, and his wife, Dorota Brixi, offspring of a well-known musical family. Georg and his older brother Franz (Frantisek) are the two most famous of Jirí's five musician children. Georg became a notable Classical composer after attending the Piarist high school in Kosmonos, Bohemia, and a Jesuit college in Read more Jicin. In 1742, his restless brother Franz found his lifetime job with King Frederick the Great of Prussia, a notable music lover who called for the rest of the Benda family to come join his musical establishment. Benda became a violinist in the Prussian court orchestra.

In 1750, he became Kapellmeister to Duke Friedrich III of Saxe-Gotha. Initially, he concentrated on church and instrumental music because the local clergy had blocked any idea of forming a musical theater. But they relented for the birthday of Duchess Luise Dorothea in 1765, for which occasion Benda wrote his first opera, Xindo reconnosciuto. This broke the ice, leading to the production of various short Italian operas (called intermezzos). Benda was sent to Italy to study opera, came back, and wrote several popular works. However, court theatrics ended after the Duchess died in 1767. The Duke himself died in 1772, resulting in Benda's duties as chapel music director being assigned elsewhere. He married and had seven children, several of them musically talented; the most famous among them was composer Friedrich Ludwig Benda.

In 1774, the Seyler theatrical troupe arrived in Gotha and commissioned Benda to write music for their German stage works. However, the company brought with it another composer who became the music director of the revived court theater. Benda resigned from the musical establishment of the Saxe-Gotha court. He traveled to Hamburg, but did not get a job there. He then spent the majority of his time in composition and elevated the art of the melodrama, to a popular form in German music. He also wrote German singspiels and a good amount of instrumental music, much of which became popular. Most of his compositions were written after he was 50. He returned on a pension, ultimately settling in Köstritz, where he died. Today, some of his offspring, along with other descendants of Jirí Benda, still perform as the Benda Musicians. Read less
Browse 1-16 of 16 Available Recordings
  • 1.
    Rudolf Firkusny Plays Dvorak, Smetana, Dussek, Benda, Etc
    Rudolf Firkusny Plays Dvorak, Smetana, Dussek, Benda, Etc
    Label: Vox Box   Catalog: 5058 Release Date: 06/10/2010   Number of Discs: 2
    Composer:  Antonín Dvorák,  Bedrich Smetana,  Vaclav Tomasek,  Jan Vaclav Vorisek  ... 
    Performer:  Rudolf Firkusny
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  • 2.
    Franz & Georg Anton Benda: Concerti / Terakado, Ad-el, Benda, De Winne, Et Al
    Franz & Georg Anton Benda: Concerti / Terakado, Ad-el, Benda, De Winne, Et Al
    Label: Accent   Catalog: 24215 Release Date: 11/24/2009   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Georg Anton Benda,  Franz Benda
    Performer:  Shalev Ad-El,  Ryo Terakado,  Jan De Winne
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Il Gardellino Ensemble
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  • 3.
    Feuer und Bravour / Musicke & Mirth
    Feuer und Bravour / Musicke & Mirth
    Label: Ramee   Catalog: 803 Release Date: 09/01/2009   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Johann Gottlieb Graun,  Georg Anton Benda,  Anonymous,  Jean-Philippe Rameau  ... 
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Musicke & Mirth
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  • 4.
    Musik Am Preussischen Hof
    Musik Am Preussischen Hof
    Label: Berlin Classics   Catalog: 94462 Release Date: 11/03/2008   Number of Discs: 5
    Composer:  Johann Gottlieb Graun,  Georg Anton Benda,  Carl Heinrich Graun,  Carl Philipp Emmanuel Bach
    Performer:  Karl-Heinz Schröter,  Erich Krüger,  Christian Trompler,  Thorsten Rosenbusch  ... 
    Conductor:  Hartmut Haenchen
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  C.P.E. Bach Chamber Orchestra
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  • 5.
    Václav Talich Special Edition Vol 16 - Dvorák, Suk, Etc
    Václav Talich Special Edition Vol 16 - Dvorák, Suk, Etc
    Label: Supraphon   Catalog: 3836 Release Date: 09/25/2007   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky,  Josef Suk,  Antonín Dvorák,  Georg Anton Benda
    Conductor:  Vaclav Talich
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Czech Philharmonic Orchestra,  Prague Soloists
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  • 6.
    Baroque Bohemia & Beyond Vol 1 - Benda, Richter, Bárta, Stamic, Vanhal
    Baroque Bohemia & Beyond Vol 1 - Benda, Richter, Bárta, Stamic, Vanhal
    Label: Musical Concepts   Catalog: 1001 Release Date: 06/12/2007   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Johann Baptist Vanhal,  Johann Wenzel Stamitz,  Franz Xaver Richter,  Josef Bárta  ... 
    Performer:  Vojtech Spurny
    Conductor:  Vojtech Spurny
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Czech Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra
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  • 7.
    Benda: Harpsichord Concertos / Bauer, Schneider, Et Al
    Benda: Harpsichord Concertos / Bauer, Schneider, Et Al
    Label: Cpo   Catalog: 777088 Release Date: 07/19/2005   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Georg Anton Benda
    Performer:  Sabine Bauer
    Conductor:  Michael Schneider
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  La Stagione
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  • 8.
    Learning By Example Vol 2 - For The Young Pianist / Shehori
    Learning By Example Vol 2 - For The Young Pianist / Shehori
    Label: Cembal D'amour   Catalog: 119 Release Date: 11/26/2002   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Jan Ladislav Dussek,  Fritz Spindler,  Ludwig van Beethoven,  Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart  ... 
    Performer:  Mordecai Shehori
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  • 9.
    J.a. Benda: Viola Concerto; F. Benda: Violin Concerto / Suk
    J.a. Benda: Viola Concerto; F. Benda: Violin Concerto / Suk
    Label: Naxos   Catalog: 8553994 Release Date: 07/16/2002   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Georg Anton Benda,  Friedrich Ludwig Benda
    Performer:  Christian Benda,  Ariane Pfister-Benda,  Josef Suk
    Conductor:  Christian Benda
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Prague Chamber Orchestra,  Suk Chamber Orchestra
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  • 10.
    Benda: Romeo Und Julie / Schneider, Immler, Et Al
    Benda: Romeo Und Julie / Schneider, Immler, Et Al
    Label: Cpo   Catalog: 999496 Release Date: 09/29/1998   Number of Discs: 2
    Composer:  Georg Anton Benda
    Performer:  Marcel Cordes,  Claron McFadden,  Scot Weir,  Christian Immler
    Conductor:  Michael Schneider
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  La Stagione,  Bremen Early Music Forum Vocal Ensemble
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  • 11.
    Amor Ist Mein Lied / Dean, Lawrence-king
    Amor Ist Mein Lied / Dean, Lawrence-king
    Label: Christophorus   Catalog: 77182 Release Date: 07/09/1996   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Johann Sebastian Bach,  Carl Philipp Emmanuel Bach,  Johann Gottfried Müthel,  Johann Philipp Kirnberger  ... 
    Performer:  Andrew Lawrence-King,  Laurence Dean
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  • 12.
    Benda: Medea, Etc / Benda, Schell, Uray, Quadbauer
    Benda: Medea, Etc / Benda, Schell, Uray, Quadbauer
    Label: Naxos   Catalog: 553346 Release Date: 07/09/1996   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Georg Anton Benda
    Performer:  Christian Benda,  Peter Uray,  Brigitte Quadbauer,  Hertha Schell
    Conductor:  Christian Benda
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Prague Chamber Orchestra
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  • 13.
    Benda: Ariadne Auf Naxos, Pygmalion / Christian Benda
    Benda: Ariadne Auf Naxos, Pygmalion / Christian Benda
    Label: Naxos   Catalog: 553345 Release Date: 06/25/1996   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Georg Anton Benda
    Performer:  Brigitte Quadbauer,  Peter Uray,  Hertha Schell
    Conductor:  Christian Benda
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Prague Chamber Orchestra
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  • 14.
    Benda: Sinfonias Nos 1-6 / Christian Benda, Prague Co
    Benda: Sinfonias Nos 1-6 / Christian Benda, Prague Co
    Label: Naxos   Catalog: 8553408 Release Date: 11/21/1995   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Georg Anton Benda
    Conductor:  Christian Benda
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Prague Chamber Orchestra
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  • 15.
    Benda: Sinfonias Nos 7-12 / Christian Benda, Prague Co
    Benda: Sinfonias Nos 7-12 / Christian Benda, Prague Co
    Label: Naxos   Catalog: 8553409 Release Date: 11/21/1995   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Georg Anton Benda
    Conductor:  Christian Benda
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Prague Chamber Orchestra
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  • 16.
    Music From The Court Of Frederick The Great / Standage
    Music From The Court Of Frederick The Great / Standage
    Label: Chandos   Catalog: 541 Release Date: 07/26/1994   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Carl Heinrich Graun,  Frederick the Great,  Georg Anton Benda,  Johann Joachim Quantz
    Performer:  Rachel Brown
    Conductor:  Simon Standage
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Collegium Musicum 90
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