According to a sleeve note (BIS LP-8 "Clas Perhrsson"), Johann David Heinichen was called Germany's
Jean-Philippe Rameau by his contemporaries. As gleaned from Internet sources, Heinichen was a German composer who received his education at the Thomasschule in Leipzig, where
Johann Sebastian Bach was later to teach, serving as assistant to the then cantor, Kuhnau, and proceeding thereafter to the University of Leipzig. After an initial career as a lawyer inWeissenfels, Heinichen returned to musical activity in Leipzig, followed by a period of work and study in Italy. In 1717 he was appointed Court Kapellmeister in Dresden, a position he retained until his death in 1729.
Heinichen wrote operas in the earlier part of his career and moved to Italy with the express purpose of studying the art of Italian opera at its source. In addition to opera, his works include instrumental music, serenades, pieces for voices and instruments as well as church music.