Constantin Christian Dedekind

Constantin Christian Dedekind (2 April 1628 – 1715) was a German poet, dramatist, librettist, composer and bass singer of the Baroque era.

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).

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.

[2] It featured a wide selection of poets from across Germany, including Martin Opitz, Paul Fleming, Simon Dach, Gottfried Finckelthaus, Johann Rist, David Schirmer, Andreas Tscherning[3] and Georg Neumark, as well as Dedekind himself.

His significance in that field was emphasised by the Nuremberg poet Sigmund von Birken in his Teutschen Rede-bind- und Dicht-Kunst (1679).