Benda, Georg Anton

Benda, Georg Anton (gā'ôrkh än'tôn ben'dä) [key], 1722–95, Bohemian composer. Benda, whose Bohemian name was Jiří Antonín Benda, came from a musical family that moved to Prussia in 1742. His brother, the violinist Franz (in Bohemian, František) Benda, became a favorite of Frederick II. Benda is best known for his melodramas—dramatic works in which a speaking part is set against orchestral music—and singspiels.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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