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Baroque Listening Project

2K views 10 replies 7 participants last post by  larold 
#1 ·
I'm fairly new at this, but love music and love history, so I'm trying to have a "brief" survey of about 500 works across early music until today (before the album era) of "classical" music.

Here's my current Baroque listing list... anything you'd say is a must for a beginner I'm missing here? Any fantastic recordings you've found to be much better?

  1. J. S. Bach: Die Kunst Der Fuge In Der Fassung Von H.E. Dentler Ensemble L'Arte Della Fuga 1750
  2. Handel: Water Music; Music For The Royal Fireworks Jordi Savall / Le Concert Des Nations 1749
  3. Handel: Solomon Nicholas McGegan / Festspielorchester Gottingen 1749
  4. J. S. Bach: Mass In B Minor Otto Klemperer / New Philharmonia Orchestra 1749
  5. Handel: Messiah Sir Neville Marriner / Academy Of St Martin-in-the-Fields 1742
  6. J. S. Bach: Goldberg Variations; Italian Concerto Trevor Pinnock 1741
  7. Vivaldi: Musica Per Mandolino E Liuto Rolf Lislevand 1741
  8. Rameau: Pieces De Clavecin En Concerts Aapo Häkkinen / Petri Tapio Mattson / Mikko Perkola 1741
  9. J. S. Bach: 3 Concerti Trevor Pinnock / The English Concert 1740
  10. Domenico Scarlatti: Sonatas Ivo Pogorelich 1740
  11. J. S. Bach: Harpsichord Concertos Andreas Staier / Freiburger Barockorchester 1739
  12. Handel: Xerxes Ivor Bolton / Bayerische Staatsoper 1738
  13. Handel: Complete Organ Concertos Trevor Pinnock / The English Concert 1738
  14. Domenico Scarlatti: Thirty Sonatas For The Harpsichord Joseph Payne 1738
  15. Rameau: Castor Et Pollux Suite / Purcell: 3 Fantasias Frans Brüggen / Orchestra Of The 18th Century 1737
  16. Pergolesi: Stabat Mater Claudio Abbado / London Symphony Orchestra 1736
  17. Rameau: L'Orchestre De Louis XV Jordi Savall / Le Concert Des Nations 1735
  18. J. S. Bach: Organ Works / Toccata & Fugue E. Power Biggs 1735
  19. J. S. Bach: The Coffee Cantata Johannes Somary / Baroque Orchestra / Amor Artis Chorale 1734
  20. J. S. Bach: Weihnachtsoratorium Rene Jacobs / RIAS-Kammerchor / Akademie Für Alte Musik Berlin 1734
  21. Handel: Concerti Grossi Op.3; Sonata A 5 Richard Egarr / The Academy Of Ancient Music 1734
  22. J. S. Bach: Cantata BWV 140, Magnificat BWV 243 Karl Richter / Münchener Bach-Orchester / Münchener Bach-Chor 1733
  23. Telemann : Recorder Sonatas & Fantasias Frans Brüggen / Anner Bylsma / Gustav Leonhardt 1730
  24. J. S. Bach: "Double" Concerto For 2 Violins In D Minor Zubin Mehta / New York Philharmonic 1730
  25. François Couperin: Pieces De Clavecin, Book 4 Mitzi Meyerson 1730
  26. Telemann: Tafelmusik Musica Antiqua Köln, Reinhard Goebel 1733
  27. Pergolesi: Concerto Di Violino Con Più Strumenti; Sinfonia Per Violoncello E Basso Continuo Fabio Maestri / Orchestra Filarmonica Marchigiana 1730
  28. J.S. Bach: Matthäus-Passion Rene Jacobs / RIAS-Kammerchor / Akademie Für Alte Musik Berlin 1729
  29. Awake The Trumpet's Lofty Sound: Music For Trumpets & Organ Wolfgang Hannes / Berhard Läubin / Simon Preston 1729
  30. Handel: Coronation Anthems; Concerti A Due Cori Trevor Pinnock / The English Concert / Choir Of Westminister Abbey 1727
  31. Vivaldi: La Dorilla In Tempe, Opera En 3 Actes Gilbert Bezzina / Ensemble Baroque De Nice 1726
  32. Vivaldi: The Four Seasons Gil Shaham / Orpheus Chamber Orchestra 1725
  33. Telemann: Concerto In D Major; La Bouffonne; Grillen-Symphonie; Alster Overture Simon Standage / Collegium Musicum 90 1725
  34. The Complete Keyboard Works Of J.S. Bach, Vol. 6 João Carlos Martins 1725
  35. J. S. Bach: Johannespassion Mathias Grünert / Kammerchor Der Frauenkirche / Ensemble Frauenkirche Dresden 1724
  36. J. S. Bach: The 6 Unaccompanied Cello Suites Yo-Yo Ma 1723
  37. J. S. Bach: The Well Tempered Clavier (Books I & II) Sviatoslav Richter 1722
  38. Zelenka: Trio Sonatas Nos. 1-6 Burkhard Glaetzner 1722
  39. J.S. Bach: 6 Brandenburg Concertos / 4 Orchestral Suites Trevor Pinnock / The English Concert 1721
  40. Handel: The Complete Sonatas For Recorder Marion Verbruggen / Ton Koopman / Jaap Ter Linden 1720
  41. J. S. Bach: 6 Partitas Trevor Pinnock 1720
  42. Durante: XII Duetti A Soprano E Contralto Roberto Gini / Ensemble Concerto 1720
  43. Vivaldi: Concerti Fabio Biondi / Europa Galante 1720
  44. Vivaldi: Cello Sonatas Marco Ceccato / Accademia Ottoboni 1720
  45. Telemann: Trumpet Concertos Iona Brown / Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields 1720
  46. Marais: Pièces De Viole Du Quatrième Livre Jordi Savall 1717
  47. Domenico Scarlatti: 12 Sonatas For Guitar Luigi Attademo 1715
  48. Rebel: Les Elements / Destouches: Les Elémens Christopher Hogwood / Academy Of Ancient Music 1715
  49. Albinoni: Complete Oboe Concertos John Georgiadis / The London Virtuosi 1715
  50. Vivaldi: Gloria In D Major RV 589 Trevor Pinnock / The English Concert 1715
  51. Marcello: 6 Concertos La Cetra & Concerto In D Minor For Oboe And Strings Giorgio Sasso / Insieme Strumentale Di Roma 1715
  52. Albinoni: Adagio / Corelli: Christmas Concerto / Vivaldi: L'amoroso Herbert Von Karajan / Berliner Philharmoniker 1714
  53. Corelli: 12 Concerti Grossi Op. 6 Trevor Pinnock / The English Concert 1714
  54. Tartini: Concerti Per Flauto; Sonate; "Trillo Del Diavolo" Massimo Mercelli / Marco Rogliano / Ensemble Respighi 1713
  55. Vivaldi: Stabat Mater; Nisi Dominus; Salve Regina Trevor Pinnock / The English Concert 1712
  56. Handel: Rinaldo René Jacobs / Freiburger Barockorchester 1711
  57. Vivaldi: 12 Concertos, Op. 3 "L'Estro Armonico" Brecon Baroque / Rachel Podger 1711
  58. Campra: Cantates Françaises William Christie / Les Arts Florissants 1710
  59. Albinoni: Concerto Op. 9,2; Concert A 5; Concerto For Organ & Strings; Adagio Various Artists 1708
  60. Cavalli: Requiem & Antiennes à La Vierge Françoise Lasserre / Ensemble Vocal Régional De Champagne-Ardenne / Akademia 1705
  61. Alessandro Scarlatti: Cantate E Duetti Rinaldo Alessandrini / Concerto Italiano 1700
  62. Caldara: Cantatas / Stradella: Motets Il Seminario Musicale / Gérard Lesne / Sandrine Piau 1700
  63. Pachelbel: Hexachordum Apollinis John Butt 1699
  64. Gverav: Poema Harmonico Hopkinson Smith 1694
  65. Buxtehude: Trio Sonatas, Op. 1 Jonathan Cohen / Arcangelo 1694
  66. Pachelbel: Canon & Gigue / Handel: The Arrival Of The Queen Of Sheba Trevor Pinnock / The English Concert 1690
  67. Charpentier: Te Deum, H.146, Litanies De La Vierge & Missa "Assumpta Est Maria" William Christie / Les Arts Florissants 1690
  68. Purcell: Dido & Aeneas William Christie / Les Arts Florissants 1689
  69. Purcell: Ten Sonatas In Four Parts • Twelve Sonatas Of Three Parts London Baroque 1683
  70. Lully: Grand Motets, Vol. 1 Hervé Niquet / Le Concert Spirituel 1684
  71. Purcell: Fantasias For The Viols Hesperion XX / Jordi Savall 1680
  72. Buxtehude: Membra Jesu Nostri / Schütz: O Bone Jesu John Eliot Gardiner / English Baroque Soloists / Monteverdi Choir 1680
  73. Lully: Psyché Paul O'Dette / Boston Early Music Festival Orchestra & Chorus 1678
  74. Heinrich Biber: Sonaten Ãœber Die Mysterien Des Rosenkranzes Gunar Letzbor / Ars Antiqua Austria 1674
  75. Bologna 1666 Julia Schröder / Kammerorchester Basel 1666
  76. Lully: Atys William Christie / Les Arts Florissants 1676
  77. Buxtehude: Abendmusiken Ensemble Masques / Vox Luminis 1670
  78. Dieterich Buxtehude And The Mean-Tone Organ, Volume 1 Hans Davidsson 1670
  79. Storace: Selva Di Varie Compositioni D'intavolatura Per Cimbalo Rinaldo Alessandrini / Concerto Italiano 1664
  80. Cavalli: Xerse René Jacobs / Concerto Vocale 1654
  81. Matthew Locke: Consort Of Flower Parts Jordi Savall 1650
  82. Legrenzi: Venice Before Vivaldi El Mundo 1650
  83. Rossi: Orfeo William Christie / Les Arts Florissants 1647
  84. Rossi: Oratorio Per La Settimana Santa William Christie / Les Arts Florissants 1641
  85. Carissimi: Duets & Cantatas René Jacobs / Concerto Vocale 1640
  86. Frescobaldi: Works For Harpsichord Gustav Leonhardt 1640
  87. Allegri: Masses, Miserere & Motets David Trendell / The Choir Of King's College London 1638
  88. Merula: Arie E Capricci A Voce Sola Jordi Savall / La Capella Reial De Catalunya / Montserrat Figueras 1633
  89. Schütz: Symphoniae Sacrae I, Op. 6 Hans-Christoph Rademann 1629
  90. Monteverdi: Motetti E Madrigali A 2 Soprani Ilaria Geroldi & Marina Morelli 1615
  91. Gabrieli: Sonate E Canzoni "Per Concertar Con L'Organo" Concerto Palatino / Bruce Dickey 1615
  92. Monteverdi : Il Sesto Libro De Magrigali Rinaldo Alessandrini / Concerto Italiano 1614
  93. Monteverdi: Vespro Della Beata Vergine John Eliot Gardiner / English Baroque Soloists / Monteverdi Choir 1610
  94. Monteverdi: Missa In Illo Tempore Philippe Herreweghe / Ensemble Vocal Européen De La Chapelle Royale 1610
  95. Airs De Cour Ensemble Orinda 1610
  96. Monteverdi: L'Orfeo Jordi Savall / La Capella Reial De Catalunya 1607
  97. Caccini: Le Nuove Musiche Ars Antiqua Ensemble / Candice Gautier / Arkadiy Volkov 1602
  98. Vecchi: L'Amfiparnaso Ensemble Clément Janequin / Dominique Visse 1597
  99. Monteverdi: Il Secondo Libro De' Madrigali Rinaldo Alessandrini / Concerto Italiano 1590
  100. Luzzaschi: Concerto Delle Dame Di Ferrara Cristina Miatello / Helena Afonso / Marinella Pennichi / Sergio Vartolo 1580
 
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#4 ·
Fantastic! Thank you! I'll have to check it out. It's been a lot of work picking which works to listen to to be an even sample of both the "best works" as well as maybe less known composers, but not wasting too much time on esoteric composers as time is limited and that's really not the focus of my project.

Very interested in hearing about how people have processed this themselves either as students of music or otherwise.

It's been a lot of work and sampling multiple recordings and making quick decisions. I'm finding with classical music the recording is massive because a work can be a huge turn off if you have the wrong recording. Sometimes less often than others. But something as simple as "the wrong" tempo, how it was recorded, etc. can really take a great work and make it less appealing.

This will easily take me at least a year to go through (500 albums roughly worth of music) - and only so quickly because I'm familiar enough with some of them.
 
#5 · (Edited)
The list is too long for me to think about properly but after a quick glance it looks as though it doesn't focus enough at the start of baroque, composers like Sweelinck and his pupils, and Chambonnières and Vieux Gaultier and Trabaci.

Gverav is normally written Guerau by the way! Francisco Guerau.
Thanks for the spelling tip. Likely doing the whole Latin alphabet thing. I probably copied that from somewhere and wouldn't have noticed, so thank you very much.

Also thank you for pointing me to earlier baroque music I couldn't find. I'm struggling to find a balance between "historically representative" and "the best works of baroque music". Would you consider those artists historically significant or producers of the best baroque music? I realize both of those "terms" are subjective, but still curious/respect your take on the subject.

Thanks!

EDIT: Also speaking of spelling, I apologize for the weird export of non-English language characters. I hope to fix that once I can.
 
#7 ·
Froberger is missing. Needs more Froberger!
Tafelmusik honestly bores me to tears. I think half of the reason Telemann has such a poor reputation is that everyone listens to that first. His recorder concertoes, the cantatas and the Darmstadt overtures are what I've listened to from Telemann which I like the most.
Where's Purcell's Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary? One of the most powerful and affecting works of music ever written IMO.
Bach's Coffee Cantata is a meme. There's like 100 better ones, e.g. BWV 61, BWV 80, BWV 1, BWV 147...
 
#11 · (Edited)
I didn't see many of Bach's cantatas. Certainly BWV 56, 82, 78 and 147, along with his Orchestral Suites, would be included in any introductory Baroque project.

May also with to include Jeremiah Clarke's Trumpet Voluntary and Henry Purcell's Indian Queen, Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary and Dido and Aeneas. The list of Handel should include Solomon and Israel In Egypt.

The list seems loaded with minor composers while nothing by Torelli. Throw in the Sonata No. 5 for trumpet to start. Add some Pergolisi, perhaps the Stabat Mater and/or Concertino No. 4. And nothing by Rameau, the third or fourth greatest Baroque composer? Start with the Pièces de clavecin, Orchestral Suites and move onto Les Indes galantes, Pygmalion and/or some of the operas.
 
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