Abel, Carl Friedrich

Abel, Carl Friedrich – The Periodical Overture in 8 parts No. 16 (Edited by Barnaby Priest and Alyson McLamore / New print)

(1723–1787)

When printer Robert Bremner (c.1713–1789) presented a symphony in D major by Carl Friedrich Abel (1723–1787) as the Periodical Overture No. 16, he most likely had obtained the music directly from the composer, who was living in London at the time. Born into a musical family in Cöthen, Abel developed notable skills on the cello and viola da gamba early on, and in 1743, at age twenty, he was hired to be a player in the Dresden court orchestra, directed by Johann Adolph Hasse (1699–1783). Abel seems to have started composing in that city as well. But the Seven Year’s War (1756–1763) brought that chapter of Abel’s life to a close: when Frederick the Great began destroying the city, Abel fled Dresden sometime during 1757 or 1758.1 In 1759, Abel launched a significant new chapter in his life. He had made his way to London, giving a public concert on 5 April. George Frideric Handel (1685–1759) died just a few days later, and it was perhaps telling that Abel quickly became one of the most influential of the new generation of musicians active in England.2 In his debut concert, Abel performed on various instruments, including the pentachord. That unusual string instrument had recently been invented by Sir Edward Walpole, and Abel’s inclusion of it in the program indicated that he had already started to gain aristocratic support in England. He also became good friends with an avid amateur gamba player who was much more famous as an outstanding painter: Thomas Gainsborough (1727– 1788). Gainsborough traded paintings and drawings for lessons, music, and even an instrument; the portrait of Abel shown on this page was by Gainsborough.3 Moreover, the Tate Britain gallery owns a painting of one of Abel’s Pomeranian dogs and her pup, currently on long loan to Gainsborough’s House in Sudbury. …

read more / German translation not available … > HERE
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