Braunschweig, Sophia Elisabetha von

2013/01/2

Sophia Elisabetha von Braunschweig (1613–1676)Sophia_Elisabetha_von_Braunschweig

A musically gifted countess, she married August von Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel in 1635. She was a leading figure in the cultural development and standards maintained at her husband’s court (both during and after the Thirty Year’s War). She chiefly wrote sacred music, but also dance and theater music, as well as dramas and light pieces for the court’s festivals and masquerades. She was close to and collaborated with Heinrich Schütz during his time as Kapellmeister at the Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel court.