In 1706, Graupner moved to Hamburg. He became the harpischordist of the Hamburg Opera. Graupner wrote some of his operas in Hamburg. He remained in Hamburg for three years. In 1709, Ernst Ludwig, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt offered Graupner a position as vice "Kapellmeister" at the court of Darmstadt. A "Kapellmeister" is a person who manages the music for a nobleman. Graupner married in 1711. He had six sons and a daughter.