Christoph Schaffrath


Christoph Schaffrath was a German musician and composer of the late Baroque to Classical transition era.

Career

Schaffrath was born in Hohnstein. He applied to be organist at the Sophienkirche in Dresden, but did not receive this position. He did serve in the court of the Crown Prince Frederick as a harpsichordist in the orchestra. From 1741, however, he was strictly the musician to the King's sister, Amalia.
As a composer Schaffrath limited himself to instrumental music including symphonies, keyboard pieces, sonatas and concertos. Schaffrath's music can be considered transitional, including pieces which are stylistically galant. The majority of his works may now be found in the state library in Berlin.
He composed many types of music. He was most notable for overtures, symphonies, harpsichord concerti, quartets, trios, duets for a solo instrument and obbligato harpsichord, and sonatas for harpsichord.

Recordings

Ouvertüre A-Dur / Flötenkonzert e-Moll / Sinfonie XIII g-Moll / Cembalokonzert Es-Dur / Ouvertüre a-Moll, Händelfestspielorchester Halle cond. Howard Arman, Music Alliance AG, 1995 Sonates Pour Viole & Autres Instruments, Massimiliano Raschietti: Harpsichord; Guido Balestracci: Viola da Gamba; Martin Zeller: Viola da Gamba, Violoncello; Amandine Beyer: Violin, Zig Zag Territoires, 2005Trios & Sonatas, Epoca Barocca, cpo, 2006Six Sonatas, Christoph Anselm Noll, Christoph Lehmann: Harpsichord; Alessandro Piqué: Oboe; Hartwig Groth, Jan Freiheit: Viola da Gamba; Margarete Adorf: Violin, Epoca Barocca, cpo, 2009XII Soli per il Cembalo, Marius Bartoccini: Harpsichord, Clavichord, Brilliant Classics, 2026