Carl Friedrich Fasch

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Carl Friedrich Fasch (18 November 1736 - August 3, 1800) was a German composer and harpsichordist.

Born in Zerbst, he was the son of the composer Johann Friedrich Fasch, a pupil of J.S. Bach. He was initially taught by his father. In 1756 he began service at the court of Frederick the Great of Prussia, where he deputised as Court harpsichordist to C.P.E. Bach, to whose post he succeeded when Bach left the court in 1774. In 1791 he founded the Berlin Singakademie which quickly became an important centre of Berlin musical life. In its concerts Fasch promoted the music of J.S. Bach and other masters of the Baroque period, as well as contemporary music. The Akademie was visited by Beethoven in 1796.

Fasch died in Berlin in 1800. He was succeeded as head of the Akademie by Carl Friedrich Zelter.