Jan Benda was the older brother of two more famous Bohemian composers, usually known in German — as in their time; Bohemians often “naturalized” their names when working abroad — as Franz (Frantisek) Benda, the eldest, and Georg Anton (in Czech Jiři Antonin) Benda, the benjamin of the family. Jan studied in Dresden, the capital of the Saxon electorate, and received violin lessons from his older brother Franz. The three Benda brothers all became members of the Prussian royal court orchestra, at Potsdam. Jan stayed there (since 1733?) till his early death (aged only 39).

[Based on the booklet written anonymously for the recording mentioned in the Music section, and his brothers’ entries in N. Slonimsky’s “The Concise Baker’s Biographical Dictionary of Musicians”, New York, NY, Schirmer Books, 8th edition, 1994.]