Abel Family - Music and Life

 

Portrait of the Abel family 

(Ch. F. Abel is on the left)

 

 

Christian Ferdinand Abel (July or August 1682, Hanover/Germany – buried 3 April 1761 (or 1737?), Koethen, Germany) was one of the most famous German Baroque violinists, cellists and especially viola virtuosos.

His father was the composer, violinist and organist Clamor Heinrich Abel, who was born in the German county Westphalia around 1640. 

 For some time Christian served in the Swedish army of Carles during the occupation of northern Germany. There he married the Swede Anna Christina Holm.

Then he went to Berlin, where he was a prominent member of the Hofkapelle of King Frederick I of Prussia. He remained there until its dissolution by Frederick William in 1713. With several of his colleagues he moved to Köthen to work at the court there as a violinist and gambist under Augustin Reinhard Stricker. Abel also worked with Stricker's successor Johann Sebastian Bach. 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 as cantor at the St. Thomas Church in Leipzig, thus leaving his post in the municipal orchestra free. Abel succeeded him as Premier-Musicus of the Hofkapelle. Abel spent the rest of his life in Köthen, where he was also buried.

Abel's son Carl Friedrich Abgel born in December 22, 1723 in Köthen was also a productive and known composer and gamba virtuoso. But he was most known for founding the London Bach-Abel concerts in collaboration with Johann Christian Bach, the first subscription concerts in England. His oldest son Leopold August Abel, born March 24, 1718, buried August 25, 1794 was also a composer and violinist and became Royal Conductor at Ludwigslust Castle.