Your Top 10 Baroque composers

[North Star]

Because we need polls

J.S. Bach
Vivaldi
Zelenka
Fr. Couperin
Rameau

A. Scarlatti
D. Scarlatti
Handel
Pergolesi
Monteverdi

(not necessarily in order)

[DavidW]

Bach
Vivaldi
Handel
Rameau
Couperin
D. Scarlatti
Telemann
Biber
Frescobaldi
Purcell

Off of the top of my head, might change?

[Bogey]

Here are ten that I continue to return to.  Some I only have a few discs of, but will continue to buy more.

Handel
Quantz
Fasch
Monteverdi
Spanish baroque, but as posted before, this is a pretty splintered group.
Lully
Telemann
Bach
Ariosti
Vivaldi

[Bogey]

Neat thing about this period for me, with only a couple exceptions is that David could trade his list for mine and I would be ok with that.

[North Star]

Neat thing about this period for me, with only a couple exceptions is that David could trade his list for mine and I would be ok with that.

+1, there were just so many wonderful composers back then, and more of their music is being discovered all the time.

[Ken B]

Meanies.

Bach

then in approx order
Handel
Purcell
Monteverdi
Schutz
Rameau
D Scarlatti
Biber
Couperin
Charpentier

[Ken B]

+1, there were just so many wonderful composers back then, and more of their music is being discovered all the time.

+1

[North Star]

Meanies.

Charpentier, Schütz & Purcell might well be on my list if it had room for 13 names.

[Ken B]

Charpentier, Schütz & Purcell might well be on my list if it had room for 13 names.

There is an embarrassment of riches. But Schutz and Purcell are in the top half of mine I think. Purcell for sure, might oust Handel from second spot, not sure.

[chasmaniac]

Based on recordings owned, rather than a qualitative judgement, though I suspect the latter wouldn't change the list.

Bach
Handel
Telemann
Vivaldi
Purcell
Couperin
Monteverdi
Schütz
Buxtehude
Charpentier

[Sergeant Rock]

J.S.Bach
Handel
Corelli
Monteverdi
Marais
Vivaldi
Pachelbel
Pergolesi
Rameau
Nicola Matteis

Sarge

[DavidW]

Neat thing about this period for me, with only a couple exceptions is that David could trade his list for mine and I would be ok with that.

Ditto.

[Brian]

Out of order

J.S. Bach
S.L. Weiss
Zelenka
D. Scarlatti
Rameau
F. Couperin
Vivaldi
Biber
Lully
Anonymous

[North Star]

Anonymous

You can't think of 10 favourites from the era, Brian - and it's not because you can't choose between some names? Please tell me you've heard music of Baroque composers not on your list! 

[TheGSMoeller]

1st Place:
Rameau

Tied for 2nd place   
Biber
Monteverdi
Telemann
Vivaldi
J.S. Bach
Corelli
Purcell
Geminiani
The Forqueray Family

[Sammy]

In order:

1.   J.S. Bach
2.   Handel
3.   Froberger
4.   Telemann
5.   L. Couperin
6.   Zelenka
7.   F. Couperin
8.   Rameau
9.   Scheidemann
10. Frescobaldi

[amw]

In the order I thought of them: Bach, Rameau, Froberger, Zelenka, Scarlatti, Handel, Charpentier, Frescobaldi, Marais, Biber, Marini. Preference order would be 1) Bach, 2) Handel, 3) Marais, 4-10) the rest.

The Couperins are waiting in the wings; I considered Monteverdi and Sweelinck Renaissance composers and therefore disqualified them.

I shamefully do not know any Buxtehude.

[Pat B]

J.S. Bach
Vivaldi
Biber
Handel
Zelenka
Corelli
D. Scarlatti
Couperin (small sample size)
Schütz
Monteverdi

Need to listen to more Marais, Buxtehude, and Rameau.

[Ken B]

I just want make sure, even though there are composers who wrote better music, that Caccini gets a mention here.

[Que]

I usually do not participate in polls, but this provides a challenge..

Of course 10 is a somewhat too low a number to mention all the top Baroque composers. I've attempted to provide a fair distribution over the various "schools" or geographic traditions.

The pioneers that paved the way from Renaissance to Baroque:
1. Monteverdi
2. Sweelinck
3. Frescobaldi
4. Schutz

Germanic tradition:
1. J.S. Bach
2. Froberger
3. Biber
4. Zelenka
5. Buxtehude

The French tradition:
1. L. Couperin
2. Charpentier
3. Marais
4. F. Couperin
5. Rameau

The Italians:
1. Vivaldi
2. A. Scarlatti
3. D. Scarlatti
4. Bononcini
5. Pergolesi

In his own mix of German, Italian and English traditions:
Handel

Oops, is that more than 10? Sorry, guys...