Ryba, Jakub Jan 10/26/1765 - 04/08/1815

Jakub Jan Ryba (1765-1815) was a Bohemian teacher, cantor and composer. He was born in Pøeštice to a Bohemian cantor family. His father worked in Rožmitál (Rosenthal), Volynì, Pøeštice (Pschestitz) and Nepomuk. Ryba studied voice, violin, violoncello and organ with his father and later figured bass and composition and already at the age of ten could substitute for him at the organ.



In 1780 he came to the Gymnasium of the Piarists in Prague. Here he became acquainted with the music of Josef Seger and other composers and copied compositions of Bach und Haydn. In 1788 he became teacher and cantor in Rožmitál pod Tøemšínem.



In 1790 he married Anna Legler and had thirteen children, of which six died young. The constantly worsening material conditions and the lack of recognition of his work were the main reasons for his gradual avoidance of society. He became afraid of people, lost his faith in friendship and justice and committed suicide.