Early evidence of music from this region is documented in manuscripts from the library of the
Cistercian monastery in
Vyšší Brod (founded in 1259). One of the most important is manuscript No. 42, from 1410. It contains a hymn called
Jezu Kriste, ščedrý kněže ("Jesus Christ Bountiful Prince"), that people would sing during the preaching of
Jan Hus. With the development of towns in the 15th century, music started to play an important role in two Bohemian centers:
Prachatice and
Sušice. Václav z Prachatic (Václav of Prachatice) dealt with the theory of music at the
Charles University in Prague. His manuscript '''' is a collective work on the theory of music inspired by the thoughts of Johan de Muris, who worked in Paris, and is in the university library. Extensive musical activities in Prachatice took place in the second half of the 16th century during the
Renaissance, a notable period of
literátská bratrstva ("men of letters brotherhoods"). Their main focus was community singing performed during ceremonial services. The brotherhood established its memorial book in 1575, which described its activities until 1949, when the brotherhood perished. The Habsburg
Counter-Reformation in Bohemia after 1620 also affected music in the region. Catholic priests performed Gregorian chorals, while the people sang spiritual songs often based on the Protestant tradition. This ended in a new Catholic edition of hymn books such as
Capella regia musicalis. The Czech classicism period is exemplified by
František Xaver Brixi,
Johann Baptist Wanhal, and . Among the 18th and 19th century composers are
Vincenc Mašek,
Jakub Jan Ryba,
Jan August Vitásek. In the 19th century, German and Austrian productions also had their place here. The founder of Czech national music
Bedřich Smetana was inspired by the
Bohemian Forest while creating his symphonic poem
Vltava.
Antonín Dvořák was also inspired by the Bohemian Forest in his piece
Silent Woods. The traditional music of Bohemia and Moravia influenced the work of composers like
Leoš Janáček, Antonín Dvořák, Bedřich Smetana, and
Bohuslav Martinů. Earlier composers from the region include
Adam Michna,
Heinrich Biber,
Mathilde Ringelsberg,
Jan Dismas Zelenka,
Johann Wenzel Stamitz and
Johann Ladislaus Dussek. == See also ==