10 Baroque composers

1. BACH, Johann Sebastian 1685 - 1750 German composer and organist. The greatest of the Baroque composers. Yet during his lifetime he was better known as an organist than as a composer.

2. CORELLI, Arcangelo 1653 - 1713 Italian late baroque composer. Has been called:- "Father of the Concerto Grosso" - "Founder of Modern Violin Technique" - "The World's Greatest Violinist"

3. HANDEL, George Frideric 1685 - 1759 Born in Germany the same year and region as Bach. He later moved to England, his adopted country. He is best known for his grand oratorio 'Messiah', his Water Music and Music for the Royal Fireworks.

4. LULLY, Jean-Baptiste 1632 - 1687 Italian born French composer. He was the musical director of the court of Louis XIV, "The Sun King".

5. MONTEVERDI, Claudio 1567 - 1643 Important Italian composer considered to be the 'Father of Opera'.His first opera was "Orfeo", performed in Mantua in 1607.

6. PACHELBEL, Johann 1653 - 1706 German composer, teacher and organist. Unfairly labelled a 'one hit wonder' he is nevertheless best known for his Canon in D.

7. PERGOLESI, Giovanni Battista 1710 - 1736 Italian composer recognised as the 'Father of Comic opera'. Tragically died at only 26, yet his works had an enormous influence on European music.

8. PURCELL, Henry 1659 - 1695 He was the first English composer of comparable stature to the European composers. Yet another composer to die too young, at 36 years old.

9. VIVALDI, Antonio 1678 - 1741 'The Red Priest', Italian composer, violinist, teacher, priest, opera impresario. His Four Seasons is the most played piece of classical music in the world.

10. TELEMANN, Georg Philip 1681-1767 German Baroque composer and multi-instrumentalist. Almost completely self-taught in music, he became a composer against his family's wishes