# What are some Baroque composers whose music is more approchable?



## Lord Lance (Nov 4, 2013)

No offence to Bach and his lovers/appreciators/fans/fanboys, but I have heard his orchestral and organ/harpsichord compositions and none of them had even a slight effect on me. I got aggravated by the thirtieth minute of WTC I.

Four Season was all right but not _great_ - most certainly better than Bach. And since vocal music is also no, no [Operas actually make me seriously hate the composers], I thought consulting a forum might be a better idea.


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

What is this effect you are expecting/hoping for?


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## Lord Lance (Nov 4, 2013)

Being able to connect with the piece..... wait, was that sarcasm?


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

The op doesn't give me hope that you will soon change your opinion about baroque music, given the works you cite...but I don't know, good old Handel's Water Music Suite? The concerto grossi too.

There is hardly a more "approachable" piece of classical music than the four seasons...but for more Vivaldi, try his L'estro Armonico concerti.


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## Lord Lance (Nov 4, 2013)

clavichorder said:


> The op doesn't give me hope that you will soon change your opinion about baroque music, given the works you cite...but I don't know, good old Handel's Water Music Suite? The concerto grossi too.
> 
> There is hardly a more "approachable" piece of classical music than the four seasons...but for more Vivaldi, try his L'estro Armonico concerti.


I did like parts of it... So could you suggest something?


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

Ludwig van Beethoven said:


> Being able to connect with the piece..... wait, was that sarcasm?


No, just hoping for a clue. There are a few performers who don't get all serious and grind their teeth when they play Bach's music. You could check out Heinrich Schiff's cello suites, and/or Mela Tenenbaum playing just about anything.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Ludwig van Beethoven said:


> I thought consulting a forum might be a better idea.


Suggest you continue to search out and listen to music you like better. More likely than not, at some point you'll hear some Bach and say "Aha! Now I get it!"


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## Cosmos (Jun 28, 2013)

I consider Vivaldi to be the most approachable composers. His melodies are nice, good use of rhythm, and his concertos are short. I suggest listening to the more famous ones, Four Seasons, La Tempesta di Mare, Concerto for two violins, concerto for four violins, etc.


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

Ludwig van Beethoven said:


> I did like parts of it... So could you suggest something?


I suggested three sets of works. 30+ pieces of music in Water Music, Concerto Grossi(Handel) and L'estro Armonico(Vivaldi).

I could always suggest some less mainstream works as well. Try Corelli concerto Grossi, or try one of the many many Telemann overtures, or CPE Bach harpsichord concertos.

Youtube link of CPE Bach here. To me this is very interesting music.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

Ludwig van Beethoven said:


> No offence to Bach and his lovers/appreciators/fans/fanboys, but I have heard his orchestral and organ/harpsichord compositions and none of them had even a slight effect on me. I got aggravated by the thirtieth minute of WTC I.
> 
> Four Season was all right but not _great_ - most certainly better than Bach. And since vocal music is also no, no [Operas actually make me seriously hate the composers], I thought consulting a forum might be a better idea.


Undoubtedly, you´ve been listening too much to HIP-recordings.

Try some more old-school ones

- Vivaldi L´Estro - Marriner,AcStM 




- Bach Well-Tempered - Samuil Feinberg or Sviatoslav Richter 



- Bach St.Matthew - Klemperer 




- Händel Messiah - Karl Richter 



- Händel Concerti Grossi - Pommer (actually not old-school playing, but somehow different) 




- Pergolesi Stabat Mater - Abbado 




Lesser known, eccentric Baroque:
- Rebel Les Elemens


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## Ingélou (Feb 10, 2013)

Is it *tunes* that you're after - something to lift and grab you? Okay - I'm a tunes person myself.

Why not try the French Baroque music of Lully, who began by composing for dancers. Here is his popular 'Suite pour Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme'; hang about for the March for the Ceremony of the Turks - it will blow you away:





Or some Purcell? Here is the orchestral suite from Abdelazer, again, something people often seem to like (especially the Rondeau, no 2): 





Nothing stirs the soul like baroque trumpet music: Jeremiah Clarke - 




& of course his Trumpet Voluntary/Prince of Denmark's March: 




and finally, not really 'orchestral', but try this, courtesy of another poster, hocket :tiphat:, a ravishing John Holloway version of Bertali's Ciaconna:





Actually, *listen to this last one first*. It is irresistible. 

*Enjoy your listening.*


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## Blake (Nov 6, 2013)

If you're into some brass works. Check out Giovanni Gabrieli's music for brass. He's in the era where Renaissance was shifting to Baroque. I love heavenly brass.


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## scratchgolf (Nov 15, 2013)

Here are a couple you may enjoy
Albinoni 



Vivaldi 




or if you're looking for a bargain to explore a huge variety of Baroque I recommend the following
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_s...ords=big+baroque+box&sprefix=big+baro,aps,146


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## Blancrocher (Jul 6, 2013)

joen_cph said:


> - Bach Well-Tempered - Samuil Feinberg or Sviatoslav Richter


Interesting to see Feinberg mentioned. He doesn't have the technical prowess of pianists like Richter or Gulda, but he does seem (like Richter) to have a very personal affinity for Bach's music--I enjoy repeated listens to his recordings more than I thought I would after my first. Incidentally, since hearing Feinberg's performances of other composers, I've since taken an interest in his own music. This is just by the way.

To the OP: maybe Scarlatti?


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## HaydnBearstheClock (Jul 6, 2013)

Ludwig van Beethoven said:


> No offence to Bach and his lovers/appreciators/fans/fanboys, but I have heard his orchestral and organ/harpsichord compositions and none of them had even a slight effect on me. I got aggravated by the thirtieth minute of WTC I.
> 
> Four Season was all right but not _great_ - most certainly better than Bach. And since vocal music is also no, no [Operas actually make me seriously hate the composers], I thought consulting a forum might be a better idea.


Try Georg Philipp Telemann - for eg., his Water Music:


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

My guess is that by your chosen screen name, and no real response from you saying more specifically what you are looking for out of the music, expecting it to be, that your taste is probably more into Beethoven and the later Romantics to come than earlier classical or baroque era music -- the type of drama and overt emoting found in the music of Beethoven and the later romantics being just of too different a stamp for those who prefer it to find much of anything to like about music from those earlier eras.

With the literally one hundred or more baroque composers listed in the big Wikipedia article headed Classical Music, in the segment on baroque, "list of baroque composers,"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Baroque_composers
...if you have found nothing from any of those via typing in a few names on youtube, baroque is probably just not for you at the present time.


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## Lord Lance (Nov 4, 2013)

Ingélou said:


> Is it *tunes* that you're after - something to lift and grab you? Okay - I'm a tunes person myself.
> 
> Why not try the French Baroque music of Lully, who began by composing for dancers. Here is his popular 'Suite pour Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme'; hang about for the March for the Ceremony of the Turks - it will blow you away:
> 
> ...


Guilty as charged and thank you! I will certainly listen to these pieces...

Never heard Purcell


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## Guest (Jun 3, 2014)

Obviously there will be exceptions who enjoy other composers, especially those of other nationalities/"scenes", but in general, if you can't appreciate Johann Sebastian Bach, you're better off leaving the Baroque Era alone until the Master no longer eludes you.

In before responses from those who skipped over "Obviously there will be exceptions".


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## Lord Lance (Nov 4, 2013)

joen_cph said:


> Undoubtedly, you´ve been listening too much to HIP-recordings.
> 
> Try some more old-school ones
> 
> ...


Nah, piano is a logical successor to the harpsichord, the next evolution! Bach would be very please to hear his WTC on piano too. Harpsichord's natural tone and range is limited.

While we are at it, I should mention I am one of the few traditionalist who does not like period performances. Beethoven is x10 better in a modern orchestra - for me - than in a "HIP orchestra" [Imagine a British douchebag saying that - a wannabe or something.] Say, have you heard Hans Schmidt Isserstedt's Beethoven cycle? Its a rare gem, much better than the god awful Norrington set.


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## Winterreisender (Jul 13, 2013)

If Bach and Vivaldi do nothing for you, I wouldn't know what to suggest. I suppose there's always Pachelbel's _Canon in D_? Perhaps that's what you're after.


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## Blake (Nov 6, 2013)

Bach was the last of the big names for me to warm up to. I don't know why he's recommended to newbies, as his music is some of the most complex of all time. It's like telling someone who's never driven before to hop in a F1 car.


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## Chronochromie (May 17, 2014)

I'm not a lover of Bach (or Baroque in general for now), but I can recommend Francois Couperin (love the Concerts Royaux) and Telemann.


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## atmplayspiano (Apr 12, 2014)

Handel is my favorite Baroque composer. The opera overtures are excellent.


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## atmplayspiano (Apr 12, 2014)

Ludwig van Beethoven said:


> Nah, piano is a logical successor to the harpsichord, the next evolution! Bach would be very please to hear his WTC on piano too. Harpsichord's natural tone and range is limited.
> 
> While we are at it, I should mention I am one of the few traditionalist who does not like period performances. Beethoven is x10 better in a modern orchestra - for me - than in a "HIP orchestra" [Imagine a British douchebag saying that - a wannabe or something.] Say, have you heard Hans Schmidt Isserstedt's Beethoven cycle? Its a rare gem, much better than the god awful Norrington set.


Agreed. Period performances are like using a cell phone from the 90s. The instruments are outdated.


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## Chronochromie (May 17, 2014)

Just discovered Corelli. Wonderful too.


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

atmplayspiano said:


> Agreed. Period performances are like using a cell phone from the 90s. The instruments are outdated.


I love my clam phone.


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

It's Happy Hour. Tartini, anyone?


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## Bruce (Jan 2, 2013)

There are so many baroque composers, and so many recordings available--just sample a few and see if they grab your attention. Some of my own favorites are Händel's Concerti grossi, or Couperin's Harpsichord Suites. Bach's music can be quite heavy, which to me is one of its attractions, but for lighter fare you might want to try some of the French composers, such as Couperin, Rameau, Charpentier, or Dandrieu.


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## mikey (Nov 26, 2013)

Without knowing exactly what you don't like, it's hard to suggest...
Scarlatti
Purcell
Corelli
Rameau
Couperin


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

What are some Baroque composers whose music is approchable? I'll go for broke here and say ... all of them.

KenOC commented that you may not appreciate Bach today, but as you continue to listen you'll come to that "Aha!" moment where you will get him. I know when I first became enamoured of classical music, in my early teens, I had little tolerance for Bach or Baroque. That _has_ changed. And I now realize the fault was with me, not with the music. Especially not with Bach.

I would suggest picking up one of the large Baroque collection boxes (SONY has a 60 CD set titled _Baroque Masterpieces_) or even a smaller collection like the 6 CD EMI set _100 Best Baroque_) and poke around a bit. I'm sure something will click, and then follow from there. Way will lead to way. In the end, believe it or not, you'll find Bach and realize you should have begun there all along.

the EMI set






; the Sony set








All the best with your exploring of music.


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