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Johann Friedrich Agricola

Johann Friedrich Agricola (4 January 1720, Dobitschen, Thuringia — 2 December 1774, Berlin) was a German composer, organist, singer, pedagogue, and writer on music (sometimes under his "Flavio Anicio Olibrio" pseudonym). Agricola was a close disciple of [a=Johann Sebastian Bach] and co-authored the composer's well-known obituary in 1754 with [url=https://discogs.com/artist/841803]C.P.E. Bach[/url]. His annotations and diaries became a crucial historiographical source for a deeper understanding of Bach's views on early fortepianos and other instruments, including his feedback to [a=Gottfried Silbermann]. Agricola first met J.S. Bach while studying law in Leipzig in the late 1730s. Johann Friedrich relocated to Berlin in 1741 to pursue further studies in composition under [a=Johann Joachim Quantz]. He established a prolific career as a concert organist and had several of his works premiered. In 1750, following the success of Agricola's comic opera, [i]Il Filosofo Convinto In Amore[/i] in Potsdam, King [url=https://discogs.com/artist/567752]Frederick the "Great"[/url] appointed him as a court composer. In 1759, after [a=Carl Heinrich Graun]'s death, J.F. Agricola also took over as the Royal Orchestra conductor.