Gluck and the Classical style

[Chaszz]

Since Gluck's music has all the harmony and sonority of the full Classical style, and Gluck was an acknowledged master by the time Haydn started writing his mature works, why is Gluck not more widely acknowledged as an important founder of the style, perhaps the most significant founder?

Of course this cannot include the structural elements such as sonata form because Gluck composed opera. But the style, feeling, orchestration, horizontal writing, melody, almost complete discarding of Baroque and transitional elements, seem to be all there.

[Peter]

I think because his influence (which was substantial into the Romantic period) was primarily in the operatic genre rather in the development of symphony, sonata and concerto. There were also of course a host of highly gifted composers (also largely fogotten)who played an important part in the development of the classical style such as G.B.Sammartini, Wagensiel, J.C.Bach, C.P.E.Bach and Monn.

[Enrique]

Was it J.C.Bach the Bach Mozart (supposedly) referred to when, uppon receiving notice of his death, he exclaimed "What a loss for music"?

[gprengel]

I must admit that I don't know very much from Gluck, only the outstanding Overture to "Iphigenie en Aulide" (with the ending from Mozart), to Alceste and Balett music from Orfeo. Are there any great chorusses someone can recommend?