Georg Philipp Telemann, German Baroque composer, was born on the 14th of March, 1681. He was a godfather to Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, son of fellow German Baroque composer, Johann Sebastian Bach. Musique de table: Tafelmusik in d-minor for flutes and continuo: Whilst his work flourished, his personal life was painful. His first wife died only a short time… Read on
Antonio Vivaldi is one of the main composers one automatically thinks of when the word “Baroque” is used. He was extremely talented and prolific, yet most people only know of his Four Seasons, and I would like to take the time to correct this. For whilst The Four Seasons concertos have memorable melodies full of the extravagant beauty of… Read on
One of the giants of Italian Baroque, Arcangelo Corelli’s music is a masterful example of this musical style. Born a posthumous son on the 17th of February, 1653, in Fusignano, he is therefore today’s Baroque Birthday Boy! Corelli worked hard and was accepted into Bologna’s much-esteemed Accademica Filarmonica (Source: Tafelmusik) which had been founded in 1666. With his great dedication to… Read on
Johann Joseph Fux (pronounced “Fyooks” !) was an Austrian composer of Baroque music, born in the Austrian duchy of Styria, in 1660. Fux was employed by royal patrons including Holy Roman Emperors Leopold I, Joseph I, and Charles VI. Here is Fux’s Overture in D minor: Next are Sonata K.366, Sonata K.375, Sonata K.377: His “Missa Corporis Christi:” Fux was not… Read on
Alessandro Melani was born on this day, the fourth of February, 1639, in Pistoia. He was born into a family of musicians and one of his brothers was a castrato singer. Castratos were increasingly popular as the Seventeenth Century went on, and they reached their zenith of popularity in the Eighteenth century. I quite like Melani’s music, as… Read on
Johann Georg Pisendel, German Baroque composer/musician, was born on this day 26 December, 1687, and so that makes him today’s Baroque Birthday Boy! Born close to Nuremburg, Germany, Pisendel was born into an already musical family (which always helps) and he grew to become an exceptionally accomplished violinist and composer. He met and worked with some of the… Read on
Today’s Baroque Birthday Boy is Michel-Richard Delalande. Delalande has, over the years, become rather forgotten amongst his more popular contemporaries, which included the flamboyant Jean-Baptiste Lully and François Couperin. Delalande was famous in his day for writing exquisite grands motets (sacred music), popular with the Sun King, Louis XIV. Read more about him here. Here is Delalande’s “Confitebor tibi… Read on
Francesco Saverio Geminiani, Italian Baroque composer, was born on this day the 5th of December, 1687. This makes him today’s second Baroque Birthday Boy! Geminiani was a talented youth who excelled at the violin and was tutored by two great Baroque composers, Alessandro Scarlatti (who, funnily enough, was related to yet another Baroque composer born on this day… Read on