Jan Dismas Zelenka (1679–1745) is considered one of the most outstanding Bohemian Baroque composers and spent most of his life in Dresden. Czech musicologists refer to Zelenka and other Bohemian composers of the 17th and 18th centuries as having "emigrants," as many of them, including Zelenka, sought professional success outside their homeland. Although influenced by his Dresden colleagues, Zelenka's work remained deeply rooted in the Catholic-Austrian-Bohemian musical tradition. He embraced the "Catholic" style that had become popular in the late 17th century, a style that, with the rise of magnificent Baroque churches, also reshaped church music.
The son of an organist in Lounovice, Zelenka received his musical training in Prague and later worked as a choirmaster at the Jesuit college there. Around 1710, he joined the Dresden court orchestra, initially as a violone player under J. D. Heinichen. Although he later traveled to Vienna and Italy, Zelenka remained closely associated with the Dresden court for many years as a violinist and composer of Catholic church music. His work shows parallels to that of Johann Sebastian Bach, even though the two composers belonged to different religious traditions.
Zelenka's Lamentations represent a Baroque reinterpretation of older Renaissance forms and are characterized by a wealth of musical expression. His musical and liturgical perspective was shaped both by his experiences with the Jesuits and by the ecclesiastical requirements in Dresden. Zelenka's skillful use of rhetorical devices is particularly noteworthy, revealing his profound understanding of the spiritual content of music. The Lamentations are an excellent example of Austro-Bohemian Baroque music and illustrate Zelenka's masterful rendering of religious texts.