# Favorite Classical Period Composer other than the 'big four'



## Bwv 1080 (Dec 31, 2018)

What is your favorite classical period composer other than Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven or Schubert?


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## Jacck (Dec 24, 2017)

CPE Bach, then maybe Gluck, Cherubini, Dussek, Humel, Mysliveček


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## ORigel (May 7, 2020)

CPE Bach, then Boccherini.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

I'll take Hummel.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

Hummel, Boccherini, and, if he counts, CPE Bach.

J M Kraus, Clementi, Krommer-Kramar and Kozeluch for example also did some good stuff, but in smaller quantities ... 

Weber and Kuhlau - I wouldn't include them, chronologically speaking ...Clenti


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## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

Haydn's little brother, Mike.

And Vanhal.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Probably Louis Spohr, assuming he isn't considered too pivotal. Otherwise it would be Hummel.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

elgars ghost said:


> Probably Louis Spohr, assuming he isn't considered too pivotal. Otherwise it would be Hummel.


Yes, Spohr too, of course, especially the chamber music IMHO.


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

Adolph Hasse (I count him as a Classicist since his final masterpiece, Mass in G minor was written in the 1780s), and Michael Haydn.
I wrote the flllowing as a response to someone else's comment "are there any good pieces by Michael Haydn other than his C minor requiem":

I appreciate his Missa sancti nicolai Tolentini, Missa tempore quadrigesimae, Missa in honorem sanctae Ursulae, Missa subtitulo sancti Francisci, (and to a lesser extent, Rupertimesse and Missa sancti Aloysii)

I think Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert were all inspired by his work.


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## Xisten267 (Sep 2, 2018)

Gluck! (spfjsgsfgjsgjç)


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## Simplicissimus (Feb 3, 2020)

Are we considering Mendelssohn to be a Classical period composer? If so, then he’s in there for me. Also CPE Bach.


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## Kjetil Heggelund (Jan 4, 2016)

Boccherini, Cherubini, Hummel and Spohr. CPE Bach is too baroque in my ears, but a "favoriter" composer  My wife pointed out that a cello sonata by Boccherini has the theme from Blackadder. Fantastic!


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## vtpoet (Jan 17, 2019)

I'm heartened to see so many say CPE Bach. I love his music and I've collected just about everything of his that's been performed. I agree with Hammeredklavier as concerns Hasse and M Haydn. Our tastes seem similar.


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## Chilham (Jun 18, 2020)

Another vote for Gluck.


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## Olias (Nov 18, 2010)

Anton Reicha (for the 25 wind quintets).


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## lextune (Nov 25, 2016)

I had to really think about it for a moment there, ha! But I would go for Muzio Clementi. I didn't realize how far above everyone else the "Big four" as OP put it, were for me.


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

Kjetil Heggelund said:


> CPE Bach is too baroque in my ears, but a "favoriter" composer


Sure, but his organ concerto in G major wq34 sounds somewhat similar to a Mozart church sonata, and the opening of his Magnificat to the credo of Mozart Krönungsmesse , to me. I think CPE was heavily Classical.


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

Georg Robert von Pasterwitz (7 June 1730 - 26 January 1803) was an Austrian composer and teacher. He was born in Bierhütten, near Passau. First educated at Niederaltaich, he entered the Benedictine monastery in Kremsmünster in 1749. He then enrolled at the University of Salzburg, studying theology, law and mathematics. It was during this time that he met Johann Ernst Eberlin, who became his music teacher. Pasterwitz completed his studies in 1759 and soon started teaching philosophy at the monastery's Ritterakademie, eventually rising to teach courses in mathematics, physics, economics, and political science; since about 1755 he was also active as composer, producing stage works for the monastery almost every year.

Between 1767 and 1783 Pasterwitz served as the monastery's choir director. Due to reforms started by Joseph II, he had to give up some of his duties and became instead the monastery's treasurer and eventually official representative, when it was threatened with dissolution in 1785. Pasterwitz died in 1803 in Kremsmünster, having served as dean of the Upper School there until 1801. Pasterwitz's surviving oeuvre comprises some 500 works, mostly liturgical pieces and dramatic works for the church. He composed a large number of short contrapuntal pieces for keyboard: 324 were published between 1790 and 1803, and were the only works published during the composer's lifetime. They show him as a competent master of both counterpoint and the keyboard. For the monastery, Pasterwitz regularly composed dramas and dozens of liturgical pieces: masses, offertories, vespers, etc.


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

vtpoet said:


> I'm heartened to see so many say CPE Bach. I love his music and I've collected just about everything of his that's been performed. I agree with Hammeredklavier as concerns Hasse and M Haydn. Our tastes seem similar.


I also greatly appreciate CPE Bach:

CARL PHILIPP EMANUEL BACH - Organ Concerto in G Major, Wq 34
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, Flute Concerto in D minor Wq. 22
Bach C.P.E.: Concerto in D minor, 1. Allegro, H. 427
C.P.E. Bach / Symphony in E minor, Wq. 178
CPE Bach Keyboard Concerto in G-major Wq 4 2nd mvt
C.P.E. Bach: Symphonies for Hamburg
C.P.E. Bach - Solfeggietto in C minor (H 220, Wq. 117: 2)
Carl Philipp Emaunel Bach Fantasy in F-sharp minor H. 300
C.P.E. Bach - Symphony For Strings in B Minor Wq. 182/5
C.P.E. Bach Concerto for Harpsichord and Fortepiano in E flat major, H 479, Wq 47
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, Fantasie in C minor
Symphony in G major (Wq 173 / H 648) - C.P.E. Bach
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach. Cello Concerto No. 1 in A minor, Wq. 170
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach. Cello Concerto No. 2 in B flat major, Wq. 171
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach. Cello Concerto No. 3 in A major, Wq. 172
Keyboard Concerto in G Minor, Wq. 6, H. 409: III. Allegro
Bach C.P.E.: Concerto in D minor, 3. Allegro assai, H. 427
C.P.E. Bach - Concerto for 2 Harpsichords in F major, H. 408 (1740)
Keyboard Concerto in E Minor, Wq. 15, H. 418: III. Vivace


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## BenG (Aug 28, 2018)

I love Clementi as much as Mozart at the moment


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## Axter (Jan 15, 2020)

Antonio Salieri deserves a mention.


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## tortkis (Jul 13, 2013)

Olias said:


> Anton Reicha (for the 25 wind quintets).


Yes, but for 36 Fugues and other piano pieces (and string quartets) in my case.

And I like Johann Wilhelm Wilms.


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)




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## Roger Knox (Jul 19, 2017)

Simplicissimus said:


> Are we considering Mendelssohn to be a Classical period composer? If so, then he's in there for me. Also CPE Bach.


Mendelssohn was precocious - his Midsummer Night's Dream Overture is a mature work that dates from 1825, when he was only 16. Even so, it says Classical period (not classical style, of which there are some characteristics in his music) and his composing career from 1825-1848 is definitely Romantic period.


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## Roger Knox (Jul 19, 2017)

Jan Dussek, born 1760


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## Fabulin (Jun 10, 2019)

My choice would be Clementi.



tortkis said:


> And I like Johann Wilhelm Wilms.


I had to... read this twice.


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## Pyotr (Feb 26, 2013)

Niccolo Paganini


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## Musicaterina (Apr 5, 2020)

Luigi Rodolfo Boccherini.


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## 8j1010 (Aug 29, 2020)

I've been listening to a lot of music in between Classical and Romantic style, specifically Schubert (even more specific, 36 originaltanze), but if I can't pick Schubert or Beethoven, Clementi is great.

I really like the late sonatas, and the so called "London Sonatas" (https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nE-5znKg1M9jHj_Lrfr6X0KsFYKO7-9eQ). Specifically Op.11 No.1,



and Op.16 





I've said this before on this forum, and I'm not sure if it's an unpopular opinion or not, but most classical music sounds so happy and idyllic to me. Of course there is Mozart's requiem, D Minor Fantasia, and other works similar to that, but nothing compares to Romanticism in my opinion. Schubert, Beethoven, Clementi, and other composers of that era are unique in that they have the emotional depth of the Romantic period, but the clean and preciseness of the Classical period are still prominent in their music.


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)




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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

8j1010 said:


> I've said this before on this forum, and I'm not sure if it's an unpopular opinion or not, but most classical music sounds so happy and idyllic to me. Of course there is Mozart's requiem, D Minor Fantasia, and other works similar to that, but nothing compares to Romanticism in my opinion.


I think Romanticism is somewhat exaggerated in that regard. Look at works like Chopin F minor fantaisie, B flat minor scherzo or Tchaikovsky E minor symphony, or Liszt hungarian rhapsodies 
in C sharp minor (Nos. 2, 12). I don't see how those works contain less "happiness" than, say:



hammeredklavier said:


> I find this to be the most interesting work Mozart wrote at 20.
> It consists of 9 movements, but there are elements of contrast and connections between them:
> _"hostia sancta"_ (9:24), which comes after the dark, solemn _"verbum caro factum"_ (8:03) feels brighter by contrast, but it also has its dark elements of contrast constantly injecting a sense of tension, within itself:
> [10:55]: _"stupendum supra omina miracula"_,
> ...


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## Agamenon (Apr 22, 2019)

Gluck. hands down.


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## Vienne (Aug 21, 2020)

I wish to mention J.C. Bach, Cimarosa and Anton Eberl.


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## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

CPE Bach is growing on me quite a bit.


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## larold (Jul 20, 2017)

_What is your favorite classical period composer other than Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven or Schubert?_

This seems to ask multiple questions such as:

-- Who is your third-favorite classical era composer after Haydn and Mozart?
-- Who is your third-favorite romantic era composer after Beethoven and Schubert?
-- Who is your favorite composer in any other era?

J.S. Bach in my favorite composer in the Baroque era, Hummel would follow Haydn and Mozart in the Classical era, Mendelssohn in the romantic 19th century, and Bruckner in late romantic era. I have no clear cut favorite composer in the 20th century or modern era. Ditto our current century.


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## consuono (Mar 27, 2020)

Probably J. C. Bach. And then Clementi. C. P. E. seems more like a transitional composer to me.


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

hammeredklavier said:


>


I wish there were more recordings of Leopold Mozart, - he's still an "unknown territory" I want to explore, to gain insight into the history and stuff.

"Of the manuscript compositions by Herr Mozart which have become known, numerous contrapuntal and other church pieces are especially noteworthy." https://etd.ohiolink.edu/!etd.send_file?accession=ucin1335462994#page=9
"Leopold Mozart was a talented musician who well understood his craft as a composer....many of his church pieces, of which we find masses, litanies, offertories and many others in considerable number are among the best that he wrote."
-Ernst Fritz Schmid
"As a church composer, Leopold stands at the height of his time."
-Wolfgang Plath
"his liturgical works are of greater worth than his chamber pieces."
-German musicologist Christian Friedrich Daniel Schubart








http://conquest.imslp.info/files/im...MLP169311-Litaniæ_de_Venerabili_C.pdf#page=42


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## ORigel (May 7, 2020)

ORigel said:


> CPE Bach, then Boccherini.


Now I would replace Boccherini with Cherubini.


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## agoukass (Dec 1, 2008)

Franz Joseph Haydn and Luigi Boccherini.


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

Michael Haydn's Missa Sti. Gabrielis & Beethoven's Missa solemnis

*[ 1:17 ]* I like the "melodic angularity" at 1:45





*[ 1:20 ]*





Michael seems to be good at this sort of drama. I find the way to end the dies irae in his requiem particularity memorable: 
11:15 ~ 13:39 (the imitations of "amen" at 13:05)


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## trbl0001 (Sep 13, 2020)

It's an interesting question as I always thought of Schubert as Romantic rather than Classical, and even Beethoven as two thirds Romantic.

I was just thinking how strange it was how Mozart and Haydn dominate the classical era. If you look at composers born from 1686-1769 - nearly 100 years when so much changed - it's really a long way to third place in terms of general awareness and performance in concerts and number of recordings, with only Gluck's "Orfeo" really being well-known. You look at composers born 1770-1850, for example, and Beethoven and Schubert do not dominate to anything like the same extent.

I've only recently discovered Reicha and Cimarosa, Tartini, etc, through a radio station, and I think there's some great stuff that doesn't seem to have enough recognition. I agree with the comments on CPE Bach, as well, he doesn't seem to get performed nearly enough.


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## Geoff48 (Aug 15, 2020)

Bach J.C. Yes I know his output isn’t the largest but I love his melodies, almost like Mozart but I little more Italian.
The first piece I heard of his, many years ago, was a piano concerto movement on the old HMV Classical Music in Sound LPs which I had borrowed from the local record library. I’m not sure how authentic the performance was, I believe the conductor was Adrian Boult, can’t remember the pianist, but it made a great impression. Recently I met the piece again played by George Malcolm on the recent Academy of St. Martin in the Fields set. It was enjoyable but made nothing like the impact the old HMV did.
Then I found another LP of this music, very melodic, but this included his G minor Symphony op 6 No 6. Strange how G minor brings out the best in composers, Mozart 25 and 40, Haydn 39 and the Hen, Mendelssohn's Ist piano concerto though that last isn’t overly dramatic.
As Ive grown older I come across much more of his music. I doubt I could listen to a complete CD without getting bored but in small doses really nice. And that is not meant to be a disparaging comment, if we are honest how many composers of the second rank can we listen to in quantity without a break, and he makes a great start to an evenings listening. And I prefer him placed by a modern chamber orchestra, Leppard or Zinman, rather than the HIP specialists.


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## Roger Knox (Jul 19, 2017)

trbl0001 said:


> I was just thinking how strange it was how Mozart and Haydn dominate the classical era. If you look at composers born from 1686-1769 - nearly 100 years when so much changed - it's really a long way to third place in terms of general awareness and performance in concerts and number of recordings, with only Gluck's "Orfeo" really being well-known ... I've only recently discovered Reicha and Cimarosa, Tartini, etc, through a radio station, and I think there's some great stuff that doesn't seem to have enough recognition. I agree with the comments on CPE Bach, as well, he doesn't seem to get performed nearly enough.


Unheralded Composers of the Classical Era indeed -- German/Austrian, Italian, French/Belgian, Bohemian, British Isles, Spanish/Portuguese -- with Eastern Europe, Russia, Switzerland, Netherlands, Scandinavia, Americas to come -- plus whomever I have offended! I agree with your point. Questions come up such as how many classical era works would one listen to? how many composers would one listen a lot to? how much opera? There are many composers who I'd listen to, many fewer I'd listen a lot to. Among my favourites are Gluck, CPE Bach, Pergolesi, Jommeli, Traetta, Clementi, Boyce, Dussek, Cherubini.


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## Xaltotun (Sep 3, 2010)

Absolutely Cherubini! Lovely string quartets and mindblowing church music.

And the credo for 8 voices that is seldom recorded but among the best pieces in classical music.


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