# Which English and French Baroque Composers would you recommend?



## AnthonyAlcott (May 16, 2014)

Hi everyone. I have a desire to explore more Baroque/Late Baroque composers in the French and English(?) style of those times. So far, I have explored deeply Domenico Scarlatti, Vivaldi, Monteverdi and Telemann (other than Bach). I'm most interested in harpischord compositions, but I also like string music a lot too (for instance I really love Biber's Violin Sonatas very much). I'm a little new to this era of music (I have spent most of my time to this point listening to the Romantic era more than anything else). Would you help recommend to me a direction to explore? I've read in places that English and French styles are different so I'd like to hear for myself what that might be. Also, how would you characterize the differences in style? Thanks in advance!


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

There is a lot of Baroque music, so many composers. A few tower above the others - Bach, obviously (you could spend a lifetime with _his _music), and the very different *Handel *stands out for me. And let's not forget *Purcell*. There were broadly three strands - Italian, German and French - with English music becoming less "important" after Purcell.

Trying to focus on other music that you haven't mentioned, *Zalenka *wrote some truly great music (mostly choral) as well as some lesser music (the trio sonatas are still interesting, though). The less great but still very enjoyable *Albinoni *seems an obvious choice, also. And then there is *Buxtehude*, a composer I have been enjoying a lot recently after years of thinking him rather dry.

Your taste seems to take you to works for single instruments and I'm wondering if you know Abel's Airs for solo cello? They are delightful. Also, you do mention Vivaldi but I wonder if you know his "Manchester Sonatas"? I also wonder if you have explored some of the music from the transitional period between Baroque and Classical (*CPE Bach* was a great composer who wrote a lot of solo keyboard music). And, what about going a little further back to the keyboard works of *Gibbons *and others?

I am less aware of the French tradition (I have that to look forward to) but clearly *Couperin *was a great keyboard composer.

There are many other Baroque composers, including many I have enjoyed at first but found to become less interesting after a few hearings. I'm sure I will think of others so I may revisit this thread.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

AnthonyAlcott said:


> Hi everyone. I have a desire to explore more Baroque/Late Baroque composers in the French and English(?) style of those times. . . I'm most interested in harpischord compositions, but I also like string music a lot too (for instance I really love Biber's Violin Sonatas very much) I've read in places that English and French styles are different so I'd like to hear for myself what that might be.


When someone posts like this I always think it's best to recommend not a composer, but a compilation recording - then you can just listen and see which composers capture your imagination, and follow it through from there.

I can't help as much as I'd like with harpsichord music because I'm not very knowledgeable about English baroque keyboard music. But your comment about strings got my attention, because there are are a couple of recordings I think you'd enjoy, and if you listened to both, you'd get a feel for the style differences, and you'd be introduced to a handful of composers. They're both by the same people, Wieland and Sigiswald Kuijken (they're brothers) and their friend Robert Kohnen.







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I can help you with French baroque harpsichord music, and again there's an attractive compilation CD which will give you a taste for a large number of difference composers, by Colin Tilney









But as I said my awareness of English baroque keyboard music is too limited to be able to suggest anything with any confidence.


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## Dorsetmike (Sep 26, 2018)

John Stanley is orbably best known for his organ works, however he wrote 12 concertos for organ or harpsichord and strings and 14 sonatas for flute and continuo, I actually much prefer Stanley's concertos rather than Handel's.

Opus 2 & 10, concertos










2 sonatas from Opus 4










He also wrote 30 organ voluntaries, 15 cantatas and 4 oratorios, most of the volutarie can be found on Youtube, but I've so far not found any recordings of his choral works


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## Meyerbeer Smith (Mar 25, 2016)

French (opera) music really becomes good with Rameau, in 1733.

Lully is important, but generally dreadful (_Armide_ the one exception, but Gluck's version a century later blows it out of the water); he had absolute monopoly of French opera during his lifetime, and French composers then imitated him for decades after his death. Lully's operas are bureaucratic products: subjects chosen by the king; toadying prologue; formulaic plots and scores; long stretches of recit; arias that sound like recit; insipid dance music; empty spectacle; and the _occasional_ impressive aria or chorus. (See also here.)

Rameau, on the other hand, is great: he has musical imagination; instrumental colour; and arresting harmony. _Hippolyte et Aricie_, his first opera, sparked a quarrel between Ramistes and Lullistes, who found his music too daring, too new. (It was the first "baroque" opera.) _Castor et Pollux _and _Dardanus _(serious operas) and _Platée _(comedy) are terrific, too. Berlioz and Debussy were both admirers.


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## Reichstag aus LICHT (Oct 25, 2010)

In England, you need look no further than Purcell and Handel, both of whom left behind a prodigious legacy of outstanding works.

In France, I'd agree that Rameau is easily the top choice, and I'd suggest you try out Charpentier and Leclair, too.


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## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

Reichstag aus LICHT said:


> In England, you need look no further than Purcell and Handel, both of whom left behind a prodigious legacy of outstanding works.
> 
> In France, I'd agree that Rameau is easily the top choice, and I'd suggest you try out Charpentier and Leclair, too.


I second this. For France, I would add that François Couperin wrote some pretty great harpsichord music. I hope you like trills.


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## millionrainbows (Jun 23, 2012)

I agree with Shatterhand, Rameau is very interesting. I got turned on to Rameau by this clip. I was so enamoured that I got the DVD. It's like opera on mushrooms.


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## Taggart (Feb 14, 2013)

If you like Scarlatti, try Avison he adapted Scarlatti for the sensibilities of Geordies.


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## Orfeo (Nov 14, 2013)

I was thinking of Joseph Boulogne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges (1745-1799), but he came in at the tail's end of the Baroque Era (1600-1750). Worth looking into though.


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

Check out the harpsichord pieces of Rameau, F Couperin and Purcell, also Handel but I'm never sure what nationality of composer the latter really is. Lully, Charpentier and L Couperin are also worth checking out too. Lully composed a lot of music outside of opera, much of which is very beautiful. (It sounds like the OP is not looking for opera recommendations anyway).


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