Back to Main Page
Notable Baroque Composers (1600 – 1750)
If you wish to be generally familiar with classical music, here is a short list of composers you should know from this period.
| Name | Birth | Death | Nationality | Representative Pieces |
Bach, Johann Sebastian
ML410 .B1 | 1685 | 1750 | German | Mass in B Minor
Brandenburg Concertos (chamber)
St. Matthew Passion (oratorio)
The Well-Tempered Clavier (keyboard) |
Handel, George Frideric
ML410 .H13 | 1685 | 1759 | German | Messiah (oratorio)
Julius Caesar (opera)
Suite No. 5 in E major (harpsichord)
Music for the Royal Fireworks (wind band) |
Monteverdi, Claudio
ML410 .M77 | 1567 | 1643 | Italian | L’Orfeo (opera)
8th Book of Madrigals “Madrigals of War and Love”
Vespro della Beata Vergine (voices, chorus, and orchestra) |
| Pachelbel, Johann | 1653 | 1706 | German | Canon and Gigue in D (3 violins and basso continuo)
Toccata in E Minor (organ) |
Purcell, Henry
ML410 .P93 | 1659 | 1695 | English | The Fairy Queen (semi-opera)
Te Deum (choir and orchestra)
Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary (choir and orchestra) |
Rameau, Jean-Phillippe
ML410 .R2 | 1683 | 1764 | French | Pièces de clavecin (harpsichord)
Pygmalion (opera) |
Scarlatti, Alessandro
ML410 .S22 | 1660 | 1725 | Italian | La Giuditta (opera)
St. Cecilia Mass |
Scarlatti, Domenico
ML410 .S221 | 1685 | 1757 | Italian | Essercizi (keyboard)
Salve Regina (choir) |
Telemann, Georg Phillipp
ML410 .T26 | 1681 | 1767 | German | Tafelmusik (chamber)
St. Matthew Passion (choir and orchestra)
Viola Concerto in G Major (viola and orchestra) |
Vivaldi, Antonio
ML410 .V82 | 1678 | 1741 | Italian | The Four Seasons (violin and orchestra)
Juditha triumphans (oratorio)
Gloria (choir)
Concerto for 2 Violins, Strings and Continuo in G major |