Christian Petzold

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Christian Petzold (1677 - 1733) was a German composer and organist. He was born in Konigstein in 1677 and died in Dresden in 1733, where he was an organist.

Petzold is known to have composed two of the pieces from the 1725 Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach: the familiar "Minuet in G major" (BWV Anh.II.114) and its partner piece, "Minuet in G minor" (BWV Anh.II.115). These were traditionally believed to have been composed by Johann Sebastian Bach but scholarship, particularly on the part of Hans-Joachim Schulze, has recently pointed to Petzold.

His works are found in many books, from piano for leisure to exam pieces.

[edit] "Minuet in G major" in popular culture

The "Minuet in G major" was used as the basic melody for The Toys' 1965 hit single "A Lover's Concerto."

It was also heard being played in the first episode of Saved by the Bell, where the band plays a straightforward version of it when their teacher is in the room, and launching into a rock and roll (faster than the aforementioned Lover's Concerto, and instrumental) when he wasn't.

A theme based on the Minuet in G major was composed by Giorgio Moroder for the movie [Electric Dreams] and it is included in a memorable scene in which a computer become rational learns to play in opposition to a cellist playing in a nearby apartment. It is credited as "The Duel by Giorgio moroder".

It has recently achieved a new popularity as a ringtone.

Discovery Kids use the theme in several of its animated sketches, as well as some Mozart works.