Johann Mattheson
Johann Mattheson was born on September 28, 1681, and died on April 17, 1764. He was a German composer, critic, dictionary writer, and music theorist. His writings about the late Baroque and early Classical periods were very influential.
Antonio Caldara
Caldara was born in Venice (the exact date is not known), the son of a violinist. He became a chorister at St. Mark’s in Venice, where he learned to play several instruments, likely under the instruction of Giovanni Legrenzi.
Alessandro Scarlatti
Pietro Alessandro Gaspare Scarlatti (2 May 1660 – 22 October 1725) was an Italian Baroque composer, best known for his operas and chamber cantatas. He is seen as the most important figure of the Neapolitan school of opera. His contemporaries called him “the Italian Orpheus.” He worked in both Naples and Rome, and many of his compositions were created for Rome.
Michel Richard Delalande
Michel Richard Delalande [de Lalande] (French pronunciation: [dəlalɑ̃d]; 15 December 1657 – 18 June 1726) was a French Baroque composer and organist who served King Louis XIV. He was one of the most important composers of a type of music called grands motets. He also wrote musical pieces for an orchestra known as Simphonies pour les Soupers du Roy and ballets.
Antoine Forqueray
Antoine Forqueray was born on September 1672 and died on June 28, 1745. He was a French composer and an expert musician who played the viola da gamba. Forqueray was born in Paris.
Marin Marais
Marin Marais (French: [maʁɛ̃ maʁɛ]; born May 31, 1656, in Paris; died August 15, 1728, in Paris) was a French composer and musician who played the viol. He learned composition from Jean-Baptiste Lully and often conducted Lully’s operas. He also studied the bass viol for six months with Monsieur de Sainte-Colombe.
Marc-Antoine Charpentier
Marc-Antoine Charpentier (French: [maʁk ɑ̃twan ʃaʁpɑ̃tje]; 1643–24 February 1704) was a French Baroque composer who lived during the time of King Louis XIV. One of his most famous works is the main theme from the prelude of his Te Deum H.146, Marche en rondeau. This theme is still used today as a fanfare during television broadcasts of the Eurovision Network and the European Broadcasting Union.
Dieterich Buxtehude
Dieterich Buxtehude (German: [ˈdiːtəʁɪç bʊkstəˈhuːdə]; born Diderich Hansen Buxtehude, Danish: [ˈtiðˀəʁek ˈhænˀsn̩ pukstəˈhuːðə]; around 1637 – May 9, 1707) was a Danish composer and organist from the middle Baroque era. His music is typical of the North German organ school. He wrote music for both voices and instruments.
François Couperin
François Couperin (French: [fʁɑ̃swa kupʁɛ̃]; 10 November 1668 – 11 September 1733) was a French Baroque composer, organist, and harpsichordist. He was called Couperin le Grand (“Couperin the Great”) to tell him apart from other members of the musically talented Couperin family.
Jean-Philippe Rameau
Jean-Philippe Rameau (pronounced /rɑːˈmoʊ/; French: [ʒɑ̃filip ʁamo]; born September 25, 1683 – died September 12, 1764) was a French composer and music theorist from the late Baroque period. He is considered one of the most important French composers and music theorists of the 18th century. Rameau took over from Jean-Baptiste Lully as the leading composer of French opera.