Constantin Christian Dedekind

Constantin Christian Dedekind (2 April 1628 – 1715) was a German poet, dramatist, librettist, composer and bass singer of the Baroque era. Biography Dedekind was born in Reinsdorf, Thuringia into a musical family, the son of musician Stefan Dedekind (1595–1636) and the grandson of composer Henning Dedekind (1562–1626). He was educated at Quedlinburg Abbey. From about 1647 he lived in Dresden. Early recognition of his poetic talent came in 1652 when Johann Rist, in his role of Imperial Count Palatine, awarded him the Dichterkrone (equivalent to making him Poet Laureate). A few years later Dedekind became a member of the (Order of Elbe Swans), Rist’s poetical society. He also pursued a musical career. From 1654 he was a bass singer in the Kapelle of Johann Georg II, Elector of Saxony in Dresden. From 1666 to 1675 he held the position of Konzertmeister there; however, he directed only the German singers within the Kapelle, a grouping referred to as the kleine deutsche Musik, as distinct from the Italian ones. He himself had requested this split in a letter of 1666 to Johann Georg II. His resignation of the position in 1675 seems to have been an eventual outcome of this rivalry. Howeve