Whose music do you prefer: Handel's or Vivaldi's?

[Saul]

I would say Handel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXJcMedsmw8

[The new erato]

I like both composers but Händel is much greater to me.

Me too.

[Wanderer]

Who voted neither? 

[Gustav]

Who voted neither? 

I did 

[Wanderer]

I did 

I'm sure it won't be too long till we see you banned from these premises, probably under pretext of a totally different yet similarly shameful reason. 

[Mark]

So, after climbing in tandem in popularity here, these two composers are now separated by a gap - with Handel taking the lead. Is now a good time to suggest that, in the Holy Trinity of Baroque composers, the order is Bach, Handel, Vivaldi?

[Ephemerid]

Is now a good time to suggest that, in the Holy Trinity of Baroque composers, the order is Bach, Handel, Vivaldi?

That sound about right to me.  0:)

[Mark]

That sound about right to me.  0:)

But I'm sure some will argue for Telemann's inclusion, given his influence and popularity in his own day. Then again, that's like suggesting Spohr should replace Beethoven in the Holy Classical Trinity of Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn.

[Mozart]

The problem with those trios is that poor Johannes is left all alone.

[Haffner]

The problem with those trios is that poor Johannes is left all alone.

You could say Romantic: Wagner, Brahms, Mahler...Tchaikovsky, Schumann, Grieg...there's so many!

[Mark]

You could say Romantic: Wagner, Brahms, Mahler...Tchaikovsky, Schumann, Grieg...there's so many!

Andy, I think Romantic's Holy Trinity would probably look like this: Schubert, Berlioz, Wagner. That's taken chronologically, mind.

[Haffner]

Andy, I think Romantic's Holy Trinity would probably look like this: Schubert, Berlioz, Wagner. That's taken chronologically, mind.

That definitely has my vote as a good 'un, Mark!

[Mark]

That definitely has my vote as a good 'un, Mark!

I suppose that Brahms really ought to replace Berlioz, but the Frenchman was a huge influence back then (and still is, apparently), and certainly a Romantic through and through.

[c#minor]

agreed that Brahms should replace Berlioz, though i do love Berlioz. But in this mix i assume your are counting Beethoven in the classical period? at least i would hope.

But back to the time of the "enlightenment" i picked the Red Priest for 2 reasons. 1. He wrote so many concertos for so many different instruments, Vivaldi = the recorders best friend. 2. Handel has never done anything for me, can someone give me some suggestions aside for the Messiah, which i can't stand. I know, i know let the arrows begin to fly, i hate the Messiah.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

So, after climbing in tandem in popularity here, these two composers are now separated by a gap - with Handel taking the lead. Is now a good time to suggest that, in the Holy Trinity of Baroque composers, the order is Bach, Handel, Vivaldi?

I would definitely disagree with the three spot. Rameau would get my vote. Easily. And I might even bump Vivaldi clear to sixth after two other overlooked baroque Frenchmen: Lully and Charpentier. Like Handel, this French trio is more opera/stage centered and have seen their (mainstream) stock rise only in the wake of HIP with it's fresh approach to baroque opera.

Put together their output perhaps struggles to reach Vivaldi's lofty heights but the quality and originality of what's available - which isn't negligible, by any stretch - more than fills the void.

Probably a minority opinion but it's how I'd vote given the option...

[Josquin des Prez]

Is now a good time to suggest that, in the Holy Trinity of Baroque composers, the order is Bach, Handel, Vivaldi?

Nope. After Bach and Handel, Scarlatti (Domenico), Rameau, Monteverdi, Schutz, Zelenka must all come before Vivaldi. 

[DavidW]

I generally prefer the Italians in the baroque era, BUT I love Handel and even though I like Vivaldi, he never wrote Alexander's Feast now did he?

[Mozart]

True, but Handel never wrote Orlando Furioso.

[lukeottevanger]

Nope. After Bach and Handel, Scarlatti (Domenico), Rameau, Monteverdi, Schutz, Zelenka must all come before Vivaldi. 

I think I'd agree with this, especially the first three (though Monteverdi seems to be a different case, historically, perhaps); I don't know much Zelenka so can't really comment. And how about Couperin? Where do we fit him and his spectacular keyboard imagination in? I'd love to put Purcell in - at his best (Fantasias  )he is one of the very finest composers of any era, certainly leagues above Vivaldi (IMO  ), but unfortunately there isn't enough of him to really justify that.

[The new erato]

So, after climbing in tandem in popularity here, these two composers are now separated by a gap - with Handel taking the lead. Is now a good time to suggest that, in the Holy Trinity of Baroque composers, the order is Bach, Handel, Vivaldi?

If you limit yourself to the LATE Baroque; there's a large batch of early baroque composers scrambling to get into this list.