Top 5 Classical Composers

[Bellini48]

You intend that they belonged to the classical period in a tight sense? Beethoven belonged to the inherent CLASSICAL period also, and you wouldn't call him great? He even started to burst the 'classical' period's seams, anticipating the romantic period. I agree with your exposition, very accurate, but the original thread was intended differently. Most non-experts intend 'classical' music far more generally than we do. And this misunderstanding is taken up by media in general when pubblicizing musical genres. Of course we cannot call MONTEVERDI a classical, as studied musicians. Nor Orlando Di Lasso, or Palestrina. Not to mention the Trobadours and Trouviers of the middle ages. But most would refer to them erroneously as classical or 'cultured' music, as opposed to popular music, that some would call 'uncultured'. Erroneously, I would add. But thank you for your analysis.