Johann Christoph Pepusch

Johann Christoph Pepusch (John Christopher Pepusch)

Early Georgian Portraits Catalogue Entry

Sitter in 4 portraits
John Christopher Pepusch was born in Berlin, where he studied music, and moved to London in 1697, by which time he was already a well-known composer. He worked as a composer and musician, often for London's theatres, and almost certainly composed the music for John Gay's comic Beggar's Opera which opened in 1727. Later Pepusch held a number of distinguished positions in the musical world, including Director of the Academy of Ancient Music. Although he is now overshadowed by his contemporary George Friderick Handel, Pepusch's reputation in his own time was high, and he was especially admired as a teacher of music.