Brad Shorr
These ratings of Baroque and early Classical composers are of course subjective. Consider them conversation-starters in the exploration of great music. Overrated Composers Ludwig van Beethoven. No question that Beethoven’s symphonies are incredible, as are many of his other works. Nevertheless a good deal of his work is hard to…
Handel, who was born in Halle (now part of Germany), moved to London fairly early in his career with the intention of popularizing Italian opera there. Between 1711 and 1740, he composed a slew of operas, some of the greatest ever created. For a while, the English audience ate them…
Since my immersion in classical music, I’ve been nerding out on Handel. A year ago, I would have wondered why in the world there are Handel societies. Now, I can’t imagine a world without them. So far I’ve listened at least twice to 26 of Handel’s operas and oratorios. Limiting…