Selected Recordings

Concerto Grosso in G Minor, Part 3 o 3

Passacaglia with Oboe and Harpsichord

Suite II in C Major

Selected Sheet Music

Intrada in D minor

Source: IMSLP.org

Showcase Piece

Concerto Grosso in G minor, Part 2 of 3

Notes and Commentary

Johann Christoph Pez (also Petz, but not to be confused with Johann Christoph Pezel, an earlier German composer) was a musician, Kapellmeister, and composer. He was born in Munich. From 1676, he was the tower watchman and later the choir director at the Church of Saint Peter in Munich. In 1688, he became a musician at the court of prince Maximilian Emmanuel, Elector of Bavaria, who offered him the opportunity to pursue his musical studies in Rome with the leading Italian composer Arcangelo Corelli. In 1694, Pez was in the service of Joseph Clemens, Archbishop-Elector of Cologne at his residence in Bonn, working to improve the prince’s chapel orchestra. In 1695, he became Kapellmeister and advisor to the prince. Returning to Munich in 1701, he remained for five years at the court’s chapel. In 1706, he became the senior Kapellmeister (Oberkapellmeister) of Eberhard, the Duke of Württemberg, a position he held until his death.

Under his directorship, the chapel orchestra expanded considerably. Like many of his contemporaries, he was heavily influenced by the French style, and he was one of many imitators of Jean-Baptiste Lully. Although largely forgotten today, he was mentioned in a lyric poem written by Georg Philipp Telemann in 1730, who placed Pez beside the names of composers like Händel, as a grand composer of his era, singling out in particular the quality of his sonatas. He lived from September 9, 1664, to 25 September 25, 1716.—Excerpted from Wikipedia

Books and Music

Selected Books

Duplex Genius
Twelve Sonatas for two violins, viola da gamba or violoncello,
and basso continuo, Opus I (sheet music)
19.50 Euros

Selected Music

Ouvertures-Concerti (2007), 1 CD

Ouverture in D Major (2005), 1 CD

Stereo Morning Sampler (2003), 1 CD (compilation includes other composers)

More Johann Christoph Pez music

Complete Works

The list below is partial and is from IMSLP.org.

Concerto Pastorale for 2 Recorders

Intrada in D minor
Intrada in F major

Ouverture-Suite in A minor
Ouverture-Suite in C major
Ouverture-Suite in D minor No.1
Ouverture-Suite in D minor No.2
Ouverture-Suite in E minor
Ouverture-Suite in G major

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