Christian Ferdinand Abel
Encyclopedia
Christian Ferdinand Abel (July or August 1682, Hanover
, Germany
– buried 3 April 1761 (or 1737?), Köthen, Germany) was one of the most famous German Baroque violin
ists, cellists
and especially viol
virtuosos.
His father was a composer, violinist and organist Clamor Heinrich Abel
. For some time Christian served in the Swedish army of Charles XII
during the occupation of the northern Germany. There he married Swede Anna Christina Holm.
Then he went to Berlin, where he was a prominent member of the Hofkapelle of the king Frederick I of Prussia
. He remained there until its dissolution by Frederick William I of Prussia
in 1713. With several of his colleagues he moved to Köthen to work in 1714 founded Hofkapelle as a violinist and gambist under Augustin Reinhard Stricker. After Stricker's successor Johann Sebastian Bach
, he held office as a Premier-Musicus of the Hofkapelle. Bach was godfather of his daughter Sophie-Charlotte born on 6 January 1720 in Köthen. In the same year, Abel and Bach accompanied the Prince Leopold on his trip to Carlsbad
. It is believed that Bach composed his three sonatas for viola da gamba and harpsichord BWV 1027-1029 probably for Abel to teach Leopold to play the viol. In 1723, Bach left Köthen to accept a post of cantor at the St. Thomas Church, Leipzig leaving his post in municipal orchestra free and therefore Abel succeeded him.
Abel spent the rest of his life in Köthen, where he was also buried.
Abel's son Carl Friedrich Abel born in 1723 in Köthen was also a productive and known composer and gamba virtuoso. But he was most known for founding London Bach-Abel concerts in collaboration with Johann Christian Bach
, the first subscription concerts in England. His oldest son Leopold August Abel
was also a composer and violinist
Hanover
Hanover or Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
– buried 3 April 1761 (or 1737?), Köthen, Germany) was one of the most famous German Baroque violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
ists, cellists
Cello
The cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
and especially viol
Viol
The viol is any one of a family of bowed, fretted and stringed musical instruments developed in the mid-late 15th century and used primarily in the Renaissance and Baroque periods. The family is related to and descends primarily from the Renaissance vihuela, a plucked instrument that preceded the...
virtuosos.
His father was a composer, violinist and organist Clamor Heinrich Abel
Clamor Heinrich Abel
Clamor Heinrich Abel was a German composer, violinist and organist.Abel was born in Hünnefeld, Westphalia, Germany. He worked as a court musician in Köthen, an organist in Celle and from 1666, as a ducal chamber musician in Hanover...
. For some time Christian served in the Swedish army of Charles XII
Charles XII of Sweden
Charles XII also Carl of Sweden, , Latinized to Carolus Rex, Turkish: Demirbaş Şarl, also known as Charles the Habitué was the King of the Swedish Empire from 1697 to 1718...
during the occupation of the northern Germany. There he married Swede Anna Christina Holm.
Then he went to Berlin, where he was a prominent member of the Hofkapelle of the king Frederick I of Prussia
Frederick I of Prussia
Frederick I , of the Hohenzollern dynasty, was Elector of Brandenburg and Duke of Prussia in personal union . The latter function he upgraded to royalty, becoming the first King in Prussia . From 1707 he was in personal union the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel...
. He remained there until its dissolution by Frederick William I of Prussia
Frederick William I of Prussia
Frederick William I of the House of Hohenzollern, was the King in Prussia and Elector of Brandenburg from 1713 until his death...
in 1713. With several of his colleagues he moved to Köthen to work in 1714 founded Hofkapelle as a violinist and gambist under Augustin Reinhard Stricker. After Stricker's successor Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
, he held office as a Premier-Musicus of the Hofkapelle. Bach was godfather of his daughter Sophie-Charlotte born on 6 January 1720 in Köthen. In the same year, Abel and Bach accompanied the Prince Leopold on his trip to Carlsbad
Karlovy Vary
Karlovy Vary is a spa city situated in western Bohemia, Czech Republic, on the confluence of the rivers Ohře and Teplá, approximately west of Prague . It is named after King of Bohemia and Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV, who founded the city in 1370...
. It is believed that Bach composed his three sonatas for viola da gamba and harpsichord BWV 1027-1029 probably for Abel to teach Leopold to play the viol. In 1723, Bach left Köthen to accept a post of cantor at the St. Thomas Church, Leipzig leaving his post in municipal orchestra free and therefore Abel succeeded him.
Abel spent the rest of his life in Köthen, where he was also buried.
Abel's son Carl Friedrich Abel born in 1723 in Köthen was also a productive and known composer and gamba virtuoso. But he was most known for founding London Bach-Abel concerts in collaboration with Johann Christian Bach
Johann Christian Bach
Johann Christian Bach was a composer of the Classical era, the eleventh and youngest son of Johann Sebastian Bach. He is sometimes referred to as 'the London Bach' or 'the English Bach', due to his time spent living in the British capital...
, the first subscription concerts in England. His oldest son Leopold August Abel
Leopold August Abel
Leopold August Abel was a German violinist and composer. He was born in Köthen in 1717. He was the elder brother of Karl Friedrich Abel. He studied violin under Benda...
was also a composer and violinist
Sources
- German and Spanish Wikipedia article