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Georg Muffat
June 1, 1653 - February 23, 1704
born in Mégève, Savoy, France, composed during the Baroque period
Biography
Georg Muffat is known primarily for several instrumental collections, among which are his Florilegia orchestral suites, comprised of two sets, dating from 1695 and 1698, respectively. They are unusual because, though written by a German composer, they are fashioned in the French style, featuring dance music divulging the influence of Muffat's teacher, Lully. Among Muffat's early works, the Armonico tributo, a collection of five sonatas for strings and basso continuo, is notable for its five-part string writing and mixture of French and Corellian influences. In the end, despite these influences, Muffat must be viewed as a generally original composer, who in his versatility and multi-faceted approach managed to unite the French, Italian and German styles in his music. Though he was primarily a composer of instrumental works, he also wrote operas, though none have survived.

Georg Muffat was baptized on June 1, 1653, and was thus probably born about a week before that date. He would consider himself German, though his parents were of Scottish origin and his birthplace, Megève, Savoy, is located in France. He showed unusual musical talent as a child, and at age ten traveled to Paris and began study with Lully.