Your favorite classical composers/works?

Ajahu, you are blessed getting to see and hear such groups as "Keller Quartet", " Le Petite Bande, with Sigiswald Kuijken". Classical music in the states is a train wreck with the obsession of "PoP CulTURE". I am not knocking great rock artists such as Neil Young, Lou Reed etc, mind you but there is such a load of forgetable dribble that it's mind blowing. It's a real shame to boot as there are some great orchestras in this country that go unnoticed by younger generations. Why you ask? One only need look no further than the parents to what CuLTure is being digested in there homes, automobiles and workplace. Im fortunate to live in a place that music and art are tantamount to it's people. I've been blessed as well to meet, see and hear Penderecki's opera The Black Mask, as well as a slew of significant 20th century work's at the Santa Fe Opera over the course of 20 years. Sorry had to get that of my chest.

Favorite composers;
Early Music; Hildegard Von Bingen, Perotin, Guiot De Dijon , Nortre Dame period, The Cantigas De Santa Maria by Alfonso X ElSabio,The Galicia Castilla, the Bamberg and Montpellier Codices and last but not least The Carmina Burana, Roman de Fauvel, Machaut and all Trouvere, Minnessinger, Troubadour music of Spain, Germany, France, Italy, England etc.

Renaissance Early And Late; Tomas Luis De Victoria, Christobal De Morales, Dufay, Palestrina, Ockghem, Josquin Desprez , Luys Milan, Antonio Cabezon, Tallis, Bartomeu Carceres and William Byrd.

Early and late Baroque; Bach and family, Francois and Louis Couperin, Forqueray, Rameau, Purcell, Marais, Saint Colombe, Vivaldi and Telemann.

Classical; Beethoven, Haydn and Mozart.

Romantic;Wagner and Bruckner.

Impressionism; Satie, Debussy.

Early 20th Cent; Schoenberg, Webern, Berg, C. Ives, K.A. Hartmann, Shostikovitch, O. Messiaen and Pierre Schaffer.

Post WWII; Luigi Nono, Allan Pettersson, Boulez, Stockhausen, H.W. Henze, Ligeti, Lutoslawski, B. Parmagiani, Vagn Holmboe, I. Lidholm, Francios Bayle, Bernd Zimmermann, Kokkonen, and Penderecki.

Current; H. Holliger, A. Part, Demitriscu, Saariaho, S. Reich, P. Glass etc...

May I add a few not so popular or well known musicians/lps/cds, which are immensely beautiful.
Teleman, metodische sonatas, sony seon, a wonderful vollection of recorder/violin sonatas performed by the Boston Museum Trio and Frans Bruggen. Such a beautiful, erotic and sensual music - a completly different world than Bach's sonatas. Hearing that one may understand while the contemporary music lovers regarded so highly Telemann.
MOnterverdi, L incoronazione de Poppea, a truly modern and beautufil music from the mid XVI-th century: Bonnie and Clyde in emperor clothes.
Haynd Violin sonatas, Played by Pauk, Hungaroton. Of what music!
Biber, violin sonatas, Red Hot Chilli Pepper from the mid-XVIIIth century, low priced cd-s on the Apex series by Harnoncourt and a rival version by Andrew Manze.

I have to admit a soft spot for Purcell and Rameau. A more recent composer I like is Valentin Sylvestrov, Ukrainian I think.

I agree about Telemann and Valentin Sylvestrov. Both beautiful composers. Check out Telemann's 12 Fantasias for flute by Han's Martin Linde on EMI Electola recorded back in 1975 on vinyl. I don't know if you can get it on CD. A definite reference disc for original instrurment flute. The most beautiful flute recording I have ever heard, it flow's like a dark honey. I have not heard Bruggen's performance of the same work. Does it exist ?

Eduard Tubin from Estonia is another mid to late 20th Cent great I forgot to mention. Check out any recording on Bis with Neeme Jarvi if you like Euro Expressionism.
American Expressionism / Pluralism mentions, George Crumb, George Rochberg and Elliot Carter.

Oh, Bartokfan. Pettersson was a genius. There is no composer that can beat you to death with such humility, passion and elegance. Very intense and not for the weak hearted. Either you love this man or hate him. Needless to say I love him and praise his sacrifice and strength of humanity.