German composer. Sang as a boy in Weissenfels under J. P. Krieger; studied with Kuhnau in Leipzig; early works show Telemann's influence. In 1712 he visited many cities and courts en route to Darmstadt, where he studied under Graupner and Grünewald; he worked in Bayreuth and Lukavec before accepting in 1724 the post of Kapellmeister in Zerbst, where he remained for the rest of his life. An autobiographical sketch appeared in Marpurg's Historisch-kritisch Beyträge in 1757. None of his music was printed in his lifetime; much of it, including four operas and twelve cantata Jahrgänge, is lost. Fasch's modern reputation rests on his overtures, symphonies, concertos, and chamber music; manuscript copies by Bach and others show their broad circulation, while scholars see him as an important link between the Baroque and classical styles.