Johann Karl Rochus Ordonez (19 April 1734 – 6 September 1786), also known as Carlo d'Ordonez,[1][2] was one of a number of composers working in Vienna during the second half of the eighteenth century.
Ordonez was an early member of the Tonkuenstler-Societaet, an organization devoted to raising money through public concerts for the widows and orphans of musicians, and maintained a close association from 1771, the year of its foundation, until 1784.
The same year he was forced to retire on half-salary from his position with the Lower Austrian Land Court, a circumstance which caused him great financial distress.
The outstanding balance was paid by his son-in-law, Joseph Niedlinger, a minor government official in the Upper Building Management Division of the court.
In addition to his two operatic works - a marionette opera, Musica della Parodie d'Alceste and a Singspiel, Diesmal hat der Mann den Willen - Ordonez is known to have composed a significant amount of church music (now lost), a secular cantata, 73 symphonies, a violin concerto and a large corpus of chamber music of which the 27 authenticated string quartets are of particular importance.