DUSSEK, Johann Ludwig (1761-1812), pianist and composer, was born at Czaslau, in Bohemia, on the 9th February 1761. His father, Johann Joseph Dussek, a musician of high reputation, was organist and choir-master in the collegiate church of Czaslau, and several other members of the family were distinguished as organists. He had thus the most favourable opportunity for tho development of the musical talent which he displayed almost from infancy. Under the careful instruction of his father he made such rapid progress that he appeared in public as a pianist at the age of six. A year or two later he was placed as a choir boy at the convent of Iglau, and he obtained his first instruction in counterpoint from Spenar, the choir-master. When his voice broke he entered on a course of general study, first at the Jesuits’ college, and then at the university of Prague, where he took his bachelor’s degree in philosophy. During his curriculum of two and a half years he had paid unremitting attention to the practice and study of his art, and had received farther instruction in composition from a Benedictine monk. In 1779 he was for a short time organist in the church of St Rombaut at Mechlin. At the close of this engagement he proceeded to Holland, where he attained great distinction as a pianist, and was employed by the stadtholder as musical instructor to his family. While at the Hague he published his first works in the form of several sonatas and concertos for the piano. He had already composed at the age of thirteen a solemn mass and several small oratorios, which still exist in manuscript. In 1783 he visted Hamburg, and placed himself under the instruction of Emmanuel Bach. Though he believed himself to have derived great benefit from this, it may be questioned whether his ...