Donald Satz wrote:

>No he wasn't, and no he can't (only kidding).  No point in arguing about
>this first and second string business when both Kevin and I greatly enjoy
>Buxtehude's music.

The most sensible thing I have heard this week!

>I primarily included Buxtehude in the second string category because his
>popularity does not approach the Baroque Big Three - Bach, Handel, and
>Vivaldi.

Perhaps this is because he was one generation earlier and was a developer
of the Baroque style, whereas the big three were more culminators of the
style.  It seems to me that the biggest names come at the end of their era.
Take Josquin for example.  Every bit the composer that Palestrina was, but
Palestrina sells out the stadia and Josquin gets the opening act.

>Hey, let's put Buxtehude in the first string category and relegate Vivaldi
>to some bottom dwelling level.  I'm flexible on the subject.

Thou art but a curmudgeon, Herr Dr. Satz!

Kevin