One of Tomoko’s CD piano albums features Baroque pieces. While the modern piano) was not invented until the very end of the Baroque era, the period is defined by keyboard masters who wrote for its predecessors: the harpsichord, clavichord, and organ. Today, their works are standard repertoire for modern pianists.
The "Big Three" keyboard masters
were Bach, Scarlatti, and Handel.
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750) is considered the
definitive Baroque master. His The Well-Tempered Clavier is
often called the "Old Testament" of piano music. Other essentials
include the Goldberg Variations, English and French Suites,
and his many Inventions.
Domenico Scarlatti (1685–1757) was an Italian composer
famous for writing over 555 keyboard sonatas. His works introduced
innovative techniques like hand-crossing and rapid repetitions that pushed the
boundaries of what was possible on a keyboard.
George Frideric Handel (1685–1759) is best known for
his 8 Great Suites (HWV 426–433), which are standard for
modern performance.
Other Baroque keyboard composers
are known more in their own country.
In England, John Blow (1549-1708) wrote 30 odes for royal
celebrations (he was James II private musician), 50 secular song-like pieces
and more than a hundred anthems. One of his students, Henry Purcell (1659-1695),
wrote distinctive English suites and rounds.
In France, Francois Couperin (1668-1733) is known for his
elegant harpsichord pieces with their intricate ornamentation. Countryman
Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683-1764) was a renown music theorist who used
composition techniques never known before, but placed them within the framework
of old-fashioned forms.
In Germany, Johann Pachelbel (1653-1706) mastered
counterpoint and wrote influential organ/keyboard variations. The Danish
composer Dietrich Buxtehude’s (1637-1707) works are typical of the North German
organ school.
In Italy, Girolamo Frescobaldi pioneered early Baroque
toccata and ricercar forms. Baroque composer countryman Domenico Zipoli (1688-1726)
is remembered as the most accomplished musician and composer among Jesuit
missionaries; he worked mainly in South America. Italian Lodovico Giustini
(1685-1743) is credited with writing the first music specifically for the piano.
