Simon Bar Jona Madelka

Simon Bar Jona Madelka or Šimon Bariona Oppollensis (before 1550 in Opole – c. 1598 in Plzeň) was a Czech composer. In addition to being a composer, he was also a member of the butcher’s guild in the Plzeň. Madelka published two music collections. Biography Madelka may have come from Opole, as suggested by the cognomen Oppolensis, preserved in the collection of his music. The surname Madelka was also quite common both in Silesia and Opole. He came to Western Bohemia probably in consequence of culmination of the reformation wave in Opole Region in the middle of the 16th century. Madelka was a Catholic, and his religion may have been the main reason for his changing residences. In 1575 he was entered to the register of the butcher’s guild in Plzeň, and in 1580 became a master butcher. In 1585 he became the member of the guild’s board of elders. He died probably during the epidemic of a plague that killed 1300 to 1600 citizens of Plzeň in 1598. His name appears in the manuscripts exclusively as Šimon Bariona; the other variants of his name, Bar Jona and Madelka figure only in his printed music. He is mentioned in various musical sources with other European composers such as Clemens no