Carl Friedrich Abel

Carl Friedrich Abel (1723–1787) was a German composer. He was a fine player on the viola da gamba, and composed important music for that instrument. Abel was born on 22nd December 1723 in Cöthen, the son of Christian Ferdinand Abel, the principal viola da gamba and cello player in the court orchestra of Johann Sebastian Bach. On Bach's recommendation, in 1748 he was able to join Johann Adolph Hasse's court orchestra at Dresden where he remained for ten years.