Birkenstock, Johann Adam

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Birkenstock, Johann Adam

German violinist and composer; b. Alsfeld, Feb. 19, 1687; d. Eisenach, Feb. 26, 1733. He studied in Kassel with Ruggiero Fedeli, then in Berlin with Volumier and in Bayreuth with Fiorelli. After being employed in the Kassel Court Orch. (1709–30), in 1730 went to Eisenach, where he served as Kapellmeister. His sonatas for violin with basso continuo (Amsterdam, 1722) are included in several anthologies.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire