Jan Trojan Turnovský (before 1550 â 1606) 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 Utraquist polyphony.
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 Beneà ¡ov call him "knÃÂz Jan Traian" (priest Jan Traian).
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, Jià ÂàRychnovský 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 Netvoà Âice (1581), Beneà ¡ov (1587), and Sepekov (1595, probably before 1590).
Turnovský was married two times. He married his first wife Kateà Âina on 11 November 1579 in Mladá Boleslav. In 1604, he — together with his second wife Zuzana Jezberová — bought a house in Beneà ¡ov. The payment from 1606 is the last mention of his life.
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 Beneà ¡ovský kancionál (Beneà ¡ov Hymnbook), collected by Václav Koláà Âovic (died 1596). One Latin ordinarium, two responsories and eleven Czech songs have been completely preserved. In addition to this Trojan composed six Czech and four Latin motets, 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 JaromÃÂà Â.
Trojan's compositions are remarkable for their well-handled polyphony technique and careful work with words in relation to music.
Selected compositions: