Johann-Anton Zinnen

Memorial stone in Neuerburg

Score by Ons Heemecht

Johann-Anton Zinnen , also Jean-Antoine Zinnen (born April 25, 1827 in Neuerburg in the Prussian Rhine Province , † May 16, 1898 in Neuilly-sur-Seine near Paris) was a German - Luxembourg musician and composer. He wrote the melody of the Luxembourg national anthem Ons Heemecht .

Life

Zinnen's mother died when he was six years old. Then his father Johann-Baptist Zinnen (Jean-Baptiste Zinnen) moved together with his children Johann-Anton, Karoline and Mathilde to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , first to Clervaux , then to Diekirch and Fels . Johann-Anton's talent for music was discovered early on and supported by his father, who was himself an enthusiastic wind musician and founded and directed the Felser Musikverein in 1836. Johann-Anton Zinnen attended the music school in Fels, which was run by his father.

At the age of 15, Zinnen was accepted into the orchestra of the 1st Battalion of the Luxembourg Federal Contingent of the Federal Army of the German Confederation in Echternach . Within four years he became a first class horn player there. In 1847, at the age of 20, he was appointed conductor of the orchestra. In 1849 he became a Luxembourg citizen. At the time he was music director of the 2nd battalion of the Luxembourg federal contingent of the Federal Army of the German Confederation in Diekirch. In 1852 Zinnen became director of the city music of the city ​​of Luxembourg and a little later director of the newly founded State Conservatory. In the following years he was totally committed to music; he headed various choral and music associations throughout Luxembourg. Finally, in 1863, Zinnen was a co-founder of the Luxembourg General Music Association .

Of his compositions, Ons Heemecht is the best known. The song was premiered on June 5, 1864 in Ettelbrück . He also wrote two operettas, marches, cantatas and songs. In 1882 the conservatory was closed for financial reasons. Zinnen then moved to Paris and played in various orchestras there. He also set up a Luxembourg wind ensemble. He died in Neuilly near Paris in 1898. His remains were buried on October 28, 1900 in the Nikolausfriedhof in Luxembourg. A monument in his honor was erected there on May 11, 1902.

At Place Guillaume II , a square in Luxembourg City, a commemorative plaque was placed on the house where he gave music lessons in 1927 to mark the composer's 100th birthday. A memorial stone with a plaque was erected in Neuerburg on Zinnenplatz.

literature

• Léon blisters: Lëtzebuerger composers in 125 Joër Lëtzebuerger Stadmusek, Harmonie Municipale de Luxembourg, asbl, 1988
• Roby Zenner: National composer Jean-Antoine Zinnen died 110 years ago, Lëtzebuerger Journal N ° 098 of May 21, 2008, p. 21