Józef Elsner

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Józef Antoni Franciszek (sometimes Józef Ksawery Elsner, baptismal name Joseph Anton Franz Elsner) (Grottkau, Silesia 1 June 1769 – 18 April 1854, Elsnerów, Elsner's estate, now within Warsaw) was a composer, music teacher and music theoretician, active mainly in Warsaw. He was one of the first composers in Poland to weave elements of folk music into his works.[1] He composed many symphonic, chamber, solo, and vocal-instrumental (about 120 religious) works, and 38 operas.[1] He is perhaps best known as teacher of the young Frédéric Chopin. Joseph Elsner was born in Grottkau, Herzogtum Neisse ( (Duchy of Nysa)), near Breslau, Kingdom of Prussia, on June 1, 1769, to Silesian Catholic parents Franz Xaver Elsner. His mother was from the famous Matzke family of Glatz, which had intensive contacts with Czech culture in Bohemia. Joseph Elsner was initially educated for the priesthood at Breslau's Dominican monastery school, St. Matthew's Gymnasium, and a local Jesuit college, but chose the music field. In 1832–37 he would compose nineteen religious pieces for Breslau Cathedral. After completing his studies at Breslau and being a violinist at Brünn, in 1792 he became 2nd Kapellmeister at the German Opera[2] in Austrian-ruled Lemberg. There in 1796 he married Klara Abt, who died a year later. In 1799, with Wojciech Bogusławski, he went to New East Prussia (Prussian-ruled Poland) and became the principal conductor, first at the German Theatre,[3] then at the Polish National Theatre

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