Franz Sparry (28 April 1715 – 7 April 1767; also known as Josef Sparry) was a composer of the

Baroque The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...

period. Sparry was born in

Graz Graz () is the capital of the Austrian Federal states of Austria, federal state of Styria and the List of cities and towns in Austria, second-largest city in Austria, after Vienna. On 1 January 2025, Graz had a population of 306,068 (343,461 inc ...

, and studied at the

University of Salzburg The University of Salzburg (, ), also known as the Paris Lodron University of Salzburg (''Paris-Lodron-Universität Salzburg'', PLUS), is an Austrian public university in Salzburg, Salzburg municipality, Salzburg (federal state), Salzburg State, ...

before joining the

Benedictine order The Benedictines, officially the Order of Saint Benedict (, abbreviated as O.S.B. or OSB), are a mainly Christian mysticism, contemplative Christian monasticism, monastic Religious order (Catholic), order of the Catholic Church for men and f ...

. He subsequently went back to Salzburg to study theology, and began his career as a composer; he wrote a ''Tafelmusik'', his best-known work. From 1747 he was director of music at Kremsmünster Abbey.Howard E Smither, ''A History of the Oratorio'', vol. 3. University of North Carolina Press, 1987. . p. 44 He died in

Kremsmünster Kremsmünster is a town in Kirchdorf an der Krems District, in the Austrian state of Upper Austria. Settled in 777, it is home to the Kremsmünster Abbey. The Abbey was founded 777 by Duke Tassilo III of Bavaria and is one of the oldest abbeys ...

References

1715 births 1767 deaths Austrian classical composers Austrian Baroque composers 18th-century classical composers 18th-century Austrian male musicians Austrian male classical composers {{austria-composer-stub