Christian Ernst Graaf was born 1823 in Rudolstadt, Thuringia. He became a pupil of his father and eventually became his successor in the office of Kapellmeister there. In 1762 he was called to the Royal Court in The Hague. He died in 1802, shortly after directing one of his Oratorios in a Lutheran church. Graaf excelled both as composer and violinist. Many of his works were published in the Netherlands – Sinfonias, Ouvertures and other orchestral works, Sonatas for Violin and Piano, Variations, Duos for various instruments, Songs and Lieder; others remain unpublished. Graaf also published a treatise entitled Proeve over de natuur der harmonie in de generaal bas, benevens een onderricht eener korte en regelmatige becyfering (The Hague, 1782).
—Source: Musikalisches Conversations-Lexikon: An Encyclopedia of All Musical Sciences for the Educated of All Classes, edited and published by Hermann Mendel, Berlin 1875 (transl.)
