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Johann
Friedrich Fasch (1688-1758)
1688
Johann Friedrich Fasch was born in Buttelstedt near Weimar on 15
April and baptized in the local St. Nicolai Church on 17 April.
J. F.
was the first child of
school principal Friedrich Georg Fasch (died
1700) and Sophia Wegerig (also
Wegerich), daughter of a Lutheran pastor. Soon after J. F.'s
birth, his father took a position as teacher and Cantor at
the Henneberg Secondary School in Schleusingen.
1691
The Fasch family relocated to Suhl, where Fasch's father had
been appointed principal of the local Secondary School.
1697
Fasch sang in the soprano (discant) section during performances
of sacred music in Suhl.
1700
After his father's death, Fasch was raised by
Gottfried Wegerig, one of his mother's
brothers. He was a chaplain in Teuchern, the birth place of the
Hamburg opera composer Reinhard Keiser. A relative of Fasch's
family, Andreas Scheele, chamber musician and tenor soloist at the
court of Weißenfels,
arranged for J. F. to become a choral scholar at
the Weißenfels court, an important performance
venue of early German opera. Court Kapellmeister
Johann Philipp Krieger (1649-1725), a renowned composer of early
German operas, most likely fostered Fasch's
musical talent.
1701-1707
Fasch attended St. Thomas's School in Leipzig
during Cantor Johann Kuhnau's (1660-1722) tenure
as principal and becomes a member of the Thomaner Choir. Fasch taught himself how to play
the violin and keyboard instruments composed his first
vocal works, setting to music texts by Menantes
(C. F. Hunold). Among other works, Fasch also composed
overture suites modelled after those of G. P.
Telemann. These were performed with much success by the Collegium musicum, an orchestral force consisting
of secondary school and university students.
1708
Fasch began to study theology and law in Leipzig and founded the
"second ordinary Collegium musicum";
among its members are J. D. Heinichen, G. H.
Stölzel and J. G. Pisendel. Fasch also composed
numerous incidental works.
1710
Fasch and his Collegium musicum were requested to
perform regularly on the occasion of worship
services at the Pauliner Kirche and for other festive academic events
of the University of Leipzig.
1711
Fasch's application for the position of Cantor at St. Jakobi at
Chemnitz was not successful.
1711-1713
Fasch received commissions from Duke Moritz
Wilhelm of Sachsen-Zeitz to compose operas for
the Peter and Paul Fair in Naumburg and later for
the Court of Zeitz ("Clomire",
"Lucius Verus" and "Die getreue
Dido"). Fasch also requested financial support for
a study trip to Italy from the Duke but received
a recommendation to the Court of Gotha instead.
1713-1715
After finishing his university studies in Leipzig, Fasch
undertook a musical study trip through the southern and western
parts of Germany, ending up in Kassel, having passed through Zeitz, Gera, Gotha, Eisenach and Mühlhausen. He spent much
of spring of 1714 in Kassel, eventually travelling to Darmstadt
via Marburg, Gießen and Frankfurt/Main. Fasch received 14 weeks of
complimentary composition lessons from his former
St. Thomas's School prefect, Court Kapellmeister Christoph Graupner at Darmstadt, and from his
concertmaster Gottfried Grünewald. Upon returning to Saxony
Fasch visited his mother in Suhl, before departing for a second
trip that leads him to the court of Oettingen via Bamberg,
Nürnberg and Ansbach. His hopes of going to Italy remained
unfulfilled; instead, he accepted employment as a violinist in
Bayreuth during the Carnival season; on that occasion he
composed the opera "Die königliche Schäferin Margeris".
1715
Fasch accepted a position as
"secretary and administrative
assistant" in Gera.
1717
On 16 November, Fasch married Johanna Christiane
Laurentius, a pastor's daughter, in Roben near
Gera.
1719
Fasch's oldest daughter, Sophia Maria, was born in Roben on 23
January. As of May 1732 she attended the Fräuleinstift (a private
school for girls) in Coethen; she died on 13 May 1746.
On 7 May, Fasch took a position as town clerk
(later also working as organist) in Greiz, where his
father-in-law Georg Michael Laurentius served as archdeacon.
1720
On 4 October, Fasch's wife passed away, after giving birth to their son Christian Friedrich; the child
died on 15 March 1721.
1721
On 29 September, Fasch left Greiz for personal
and professional reasons. He accepted a position
as "Componist" to Count Morzin in
Prague for whom he continued to compose works
throughout his career. In 1725 Antonio Vivaldi
dedicated his Four Seasons to Morzin's orchestra.
1722
Upon the recommendation of his friend and
colleague in Gotha, G. H. Stölzel, Fasch assumed
the position of Court Kapellmeister of Anhalt-Zerbst on 29 September (Michaelis); in December,
he turned
down the vacant position of Cantor at the St. Thomas
Church at Leipzig, which
Johann Sebastian Bach would eventually accept. Fasch's
work load at Zerbst was extremely heavy: he sets to music a
double cycle of church cantatas, a passion, and
secular vocal music (serenatas), and he also composed instrumental
works on the occasion of princely celebrations.
1726-27
:"On account of musical matters" Fasch left Zerbst in
October 1726 to stay in the city of Dresden, which he had
previously visited when passing through on his way to Carlovy
Vary, Teplice and Prague. He intended to stay only until Easter 1727
but may have returned to Zerbst in the summer. During
his sabbatical in Dresden (financed by the Zerbst court) Fasch set to
music sacred Latin texts for the Catholic court chapel, on which
a friend from his youth, the Dresden court Kapellmeister Johann
David Heinichen, offered advice. Heinichen's successor as of late
1733 was none other than the arguably most prolific
composer of Italian operas in Germany, Johann Adolf Hasse. Fasch
supplied the Dresden court Kapelle with his own
instrumental music until at least 1755, the year his close
friend, concertmaster Johann Georg Pisendel, passed away.
Fasch attended undercover Bible
studies disguised as Tafelmusiken, led by Pietist
Nikolaus Ludwig Count of Zinzendorf, with whom
Fasch regularly corresponded during the 1730s. Fasch met his
future wife, Johanna Helena Simers, a pastor's
daughter from Kmehlen (died 1734) and probably a member of Zinzendorf's Dresden circle,
at these gatherings. They married on 22 July 1728 in Groß-Kmehlen.
As a practicing Pietist Fasch continued to experience conflict with
the Lutheran-Orthodox clergy in Zerbst.
1728
On 16 June, Fasch wrote to Johann Mattheson,
editor of the music periodical "Der
musicalische Patriot" in Hamburg. Fasch requested
to be put in touch with colleagues who would be
willing to exchange cycles of cantatas. An
"exchange of musical compositions"
began, with Zerbst, Dresden, Darmstadt and other
cities participating.
1730
Fasch's second daughter, Johanna Friedericka, was born on 3
October in Groß-Kmehlen.
1736
On 18 November 1736, Carl Friedrich Christian Fasch was born. His older brother August Friedrich
Christian (born 1735) most likely died as an
infant. Fasch junior secured his rank in music
history by founding the Sing-Akademie zu Berlin.
1743
In March Fasch specified the compositions of the Zerbst ducal music library in an inventory
("Concert=Stube des Zerbster
Schlosses"). It includes numerous works of
the Hamburg music director G. P. Telemann as well
as compositions of French and Italian masters, in
particular works by A. Vivaldi.
After the death of his second wife, Fasch raised his son as a
single parent and, despite continuous financial worries, made
sure that Carl received a solid musical education.
1745
Fasch composed a serenata on the occasion of the
marriage of princess Sophie Auguste Friederike of
Anhalt-Zerbst to Duke Peter of Russia on 1
September. (In 1762 she ascends the Russian
throne as Catherine II.)
1755
Fasch travelled to Dresden with his son Carl
Friedrich Christian to visit J. G. Pisendel. They
attended a Catholic mass which deeply moved and impressed Carl.
On 29 October Fasch applied for the position of music director
and Cantor of Freiberg, but was rejected due to his advanced age.
1758
The reigning Prince Friedrich August of Anhalt-Zerbst and his
mother left the city. On the run from enemy troops which
threatened Berlin during the Seven Years War, Carl Friedrich
Christian Fasch, second harpsichordist to
Frederick the Great of Prussia since 1756, and
his colleague Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach and his family spent the
summer and the fall in Zerbst. During his stay, Bach composed works for piano.
Fasch died on 5 December 1758 in Zerbst. His
daughter Johanna Friedericka arranged his
"quiet" funeral.
Carl Friedrich Christian Fasch (1736-1800)
Carl Friedrich Christian Fasch (1736-1800);
Engraving by Carl Traugott Riedel (1769-nach 1832) after Johann
Gottfried Schadow (1764-1850)
1736
18 November: Carl Friedrich Christian Fasch was
born in Zerbst as the youngest of three children
born to the Zerbst Court Kapellmeister Johann
Friedrich Fasch (1688-1758) in his second
marriage with Johanna Helena Simers (d. 1743).
prior to 1747
Carl received his first instruction in clavier
and general musicianship from his father. He
composed in his head and performed his works on
the piano when his father was not present.
ca. 1747
Carl Höckh (1707-1773), concertmaster and friend
of his father, gave Fasch violin lessons. His
father permitted him to attend performances at the Zerbst court and at the court chapel. Fasch
composed his first sacred works but destroyed them
soon after.
1750
Carl received instruction in violin playing from
the Strelitz concertmaster Johann Christian
Hertel (1699-1754). In addition, Fasch studied
music theory and organ playing, substitutes for
the organist, composes fugues and develops
excellent accompanying skills.
1751
Fasch accompanied on the clavier the violinist
Franz Benda (1709-1786), a member of Frederick
the Great's orchestra who was visiting Strelitz.
Upon his return to Zerbst, Fasch attended the Kloster
Bergen School near Magdeburg.
1753
Fasch occasionally participated in performances with the Zerbst court
Kapelle, but without pay. He prepared additional contrapuntal
exercises and wrote sacred compositions, pieces
for Clavier and violin, sinfonias and motets.
1755
Father Fasch travelled to Dresden with his son.
Attending a high mass at the Catholic court
chapel impressed Carl deeply.
1756
Upon recommendation of Franz Benda, Fasch assumed
a position as second harpsichordist of Friedrich
II (1712-1786) in Potsdam in the spring of 1756.
He alternated as accompanist of the flute-playing king with Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
(1714-1788) who had served Friedrich II since
1738.
Bach, a friend of the family, granted Carl shelter
after dispelling his father's religious
reservations toward the enlightened spirit
fostered at the Prussian court.
During the Seven Years War and Friedrich II's
lengthy absence from Potsdam, Fasch earned a
living as a music instructor.
He composed numerous works but again destroyed
them; moreover, Fasch wrote canons and figured
bass exercises for his students.
1761/62
Fasch was ordered by Friedrich II to travel to
Leipzig, paying his own way. He decided to resign
his position as soon as the war would end.
1763
Friedrich II ignored Fasch's request to be
released from his post.
1774
Fasch assumed the position of director of the
Royal Opera in Berlin for two years, succeeding
Johann Friedrich Agricola (1720-1774).
Fasch's oratorio "Giuseppe
riconosciuto", set to a libretto of the
imperial court poet Pietro Metastasio
(1698-1782), was performed by the court orchestra
at St. Hedwig's Cathedral in Berlin.
1783
Fasch was introduced to Karl Friedrich Zelter
(1758-1832), later a close friend and his
successor as director of the
"Singe-Academie". Inspired by the mass
for sixteen voices by Orazio Benevoli (1605-1672)
which the Berlin Court Kapellmeister Johann
Friedrich Reichardt (1752-1814) had brought with
him from Italy, Fasch wrote his own mass for
sixteen voices in a few weeks. He composed the
work in order to be remembered by posterity.
Attempts to perform the mass in Potsdam,
employing royal singers as well as Berlin school
choirs, remained unsatisfactory, to Fasch's sorrow.
1786
Following King Friedrich II's death Fasch burnt
all worldly possessions that remind him of his
earlier life.
1789
Fasch began to direct rehearsals with his male
and female voice students in a private house.
These practices soon developed into regular
meetings including professional singers and an
ever increasing number of participants. Thus
originated the "Singe-Academie".
1791
24 May: Fasch introduced the first
"Präsenzbuch" (lit. "presence
book"; it provided lists of attendees and of
the works rehearsed). Later on, the
"Singe-Academie" considered this their
founding date and acknowledged Carl Friedrich
Christian Fasch as their founder.
1793
22 October: The Singakademie was allowed to move
its rehearsals to a large room in the "Royal
Academy of Arts". Soon after the chorus
began calling itself "Singe-Academie";
Fasch introduced a firm internal organizational
structure.
Fasch let go of all his students in order to
dedicate himself exclusively to the Singakademie;
he also composed works and copied out all parts
himself.
Johann Gottlieb Naumann (1741-1801), Johann
Friedrich Reichardt, and Friedrich Heinrich Himmel
(1765-1814) composed works for the Singakademie as
a sign of their friendship with Fasch.
1800
3
June: Fasch felt close to death and, for the
last time, participated in a rehearsal of the Singakademie. He also burnt all his letters and and all
of his works composed prior to the Mass for
Sixteen Voices. He died on 3 August.
Johann Gottfried Schadow
(1764-1850) created a marble bust from Fasch's death mask.
7
August: Fasch was buried at the Jerusalem
Church's cemetery near the Hallesches Tor.
18 November: the Singakademie performed the Mass
for Sixteen Voices in his memory, with members of the
executive gathering for supper in his memory.
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