Born in Nuremberg, the organist and composer Johann Philipp Krieger showed phenomenal early talent as a keyboard player. He studied further in Copenhagen, served at the court in Bayreuth and then as organist in Halle, moving with the court to Weissenfels as Court Kapellmeister.

Church Music

Krieger was a prolific composer. His works include a quantity of sacred cantatas, 2,000 of them listed in his own catalogue (though many of these are now lost).

Operas

Krieger added to the repertoire of German opera. Only a few arias survive, with the libretti, from the 18 operas he is known to have written.

Instrumental Music

Krieger’s instrumental music includes sets of sonatas for two violins and continuo, and for violin, viola da gamba and continuo, as well as various keyboard compositions.