Christian Gottfried Krause


Christian Gottfried Krause was a German lawyer, composer and music commentator.

Life

Krause was born in Winzig into a musical family. His father was a Stadtpfeifer from whom he learned to play the flute, violin, keyboard and timpani. Krause studied law at the University in Frankfurt an der Oder, where he attended lectures by Alexander Gottlieb Baumgarten, among others. Baumgarten's ideas on aesthetic had a profound influence on Krause. In 1746 he moved to Berlin, where he died.
Krause's treatise Von der musikalischen Poesie marked the beginning of the Ersten Berliner Liederschule.

Musical Works

Krause's instrumental output includes a small amount of chamber music, orchestral sinfonias and partitas and keyboard works. There are also numerous pieces listed in 18th century catalogues which have not survived.

Literary works