Volkert was born in Friedland (now
Frýdlant in the
Czech Republic), and received music lessons at home and later in
Prague, where for a few years he was in the opera chorus. In 1790 he became assistant to Ignaz Haas, organist at the cathedral in Königgrätz (now
Hradec Králové), succeeding him on Haas's death in 1800. At Königgrätz he composed church music, and also composed music for travelling theatre companies.
In Vienna In 1810 Volkert was organist in Vienna at the
Schottenstift. In 1821 he was assistant to
Wenzel Müller,
Kapellmeister at the
Theater in der Leopoldstadt. He composed music for more than 100 dramatic works performed at this theatre: comic operas,
Possen mit Gesang and pantomimes, by dramatists
Karl Meisl,
Josef Alois Gleich and others. Little of this music has survived. He wrote one dramatic work, for which he also wrote the music, a
Zauberoper entitled
Die Abenteuer auf der Schlangenburg, staged in 1814 at the Theater in der Leopoldstadt, which was well received; a revival of the opera at the
Theater in der Josefstadt in 1818 was a failure. ==References==