Gottfried Grünewald
Gottfried Grünewald was a German operatic bass, harpsichordist and composer.Life
Grünewald was baptised in Seifhennersdorf near Zittau, on 15 October 1673. He is supposed to have studied law at the University of Leipzig. From 1703 he was a bass singer and composer at the Oper am Gänsemarkt in Hamburg. Two of his operas were performed there with him in the title roles, in 1704 Der ungetreue Schäfer Cardillo, and in 1705 Germanicus which had received its world premiere in Leipzig the previous year.
From 1709, he worked as vice kapellmeister at the court of Johann Georg, Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels, where he married Johanna Rosina Krieger, the daughter of Johann Philipp Krieger. From 1711, he held the same position at the court in Darmstadt, with Kapellmeister Christoph Graupner. Around 1717, several journeys are documented as a pantalon virtuoso.
Of his compositions, only seven partitas for harpsichord survived, written in the style of the period. Everything else is lost, possibly on the orders of Graupner's successor, or on the composer's request.
Grünewald died in Darmstadt.*
