Jakub Jan Ryba
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Jakub Šimon Jan Ryba (October 26, 1765 - April 8 1815) was a Czech teacher and composer of classical music. His most famous work is Czech Christmas Mass "Hey, Master!".
Ryba was born in Preštice near Plzeň. His father was a schoolteacher, which was a very poorly paid occupation at the time. In 1780 Ryba went to Prague, where he studied at the Piarist gymnasium. His teacher Cassianus Hanel taught him music. Ryba was a very good student and he soon started to compose. He dreamt of being a famous composer. In 1784 his father ordered him to work as a teacher in Nepomuk. Ryba reluctantly obeyed, but he was soon fired. After wandering for a few months, he received a message that his mother had died. After a long illness, he moved to Mníšek pod Brdy. Being popular among local inhabitants for performing music, he was quite happy there, but after some hesitation he accepted a schoolteacher position in Rožmitál pod Tremšínem.
The school prospered under his superintendence, but he had constant conflicts with the local pastor and council. His frequent requests for funds for repairs of the school building were usually rejected. In 1796, he wrote his most famous work, Czech Christmas Mass "Hey, Master!", also as a consequence of a reconciliation with local pastor.
An insufferable lack of money and the hostility of his superiors led him to suicide. On April 8 1815 Ryba attended morning mass. Later, he was found in a dense forest with his throat cut with a razor. He had Essay on peace of soul by Seneca the Younger, his favourite author, with him.
His works include mainly pastorals and masses.nl:Jakub Simon Jan Ryba