Notable Composers
The J.S. Bach Home Page. Retrieved from http://www.jsbach.org
Bach is perhaps the most recognized composer associated with the Baroque era. This website is divided into four main sections: “His Life” (includes biography, portraits and literature), “Complete Works” (browse by category, key, instrument, etc.), Recommended Recordings (browsing arranged similarly to “Complete Works”), and Links to other websites. The biography is arranged by time period and is short, but informative. The complete works section includes bibliographic information about all of Bach’s work. This is a thorough resource. (Did you know that Bach is listed on the Internet Movie Database?)
Hogwood, C. (1985). Handel. New York: Thames and Hudson.
Most famous for his oratorio Messiah, Handel is another name closely related to Baroque music. This biography looks at his life and work. Working from many primary sources and biographical information, musicologist Hogwood presents an authoritative view of Handel and his music. The book also features 100 illustrations.
Landon, H. C. R. (1993). Vivaldi: Voice of the baroque. [London]: Thames and Hudson.
Although best known for his Four Seasons concertos, Antonio Lucio Vivaldi’s other works have been largely ignored. In this book, Landon examines the lesser known work of Vivaldi. Drawing upon documents uncovered during the Baroque revival of the 1930’s, Landon delivers a concise, easy to read account of the composers life and work.
Arnold, D. (1984). The New Grove Italian baroque masters: Monteverdi, Frescobaldi, Cavalli, Corelli, A. Scarlatti, Vivaldi, D. Scarlatti. The Composer biography series. New York: W.W. Norton.
As the title suggests, this book covers the life and work of the great Italian Baroque composers. For each composer, the book includes sections on their life, and the works that define their musical styles. Each section also includes a works list and a bibliography for each composer. This book from New Grove, publisher of the authoritative New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, provides interested readers with an overview of the selected composers life and impact on classical music.
Keates, J. (1996). Purcell: A biography. Boston: Northeastern University Press.
Pucell was one of the best known English Baroque composers. He is notable for his creation of a particularly English style of Baroque music. Despite a lack of primary sources, Keates constructs an interesting and authoritative account of the great composers life.
