10 of the Best Electronic Classical Music Composers

In no particular order, here are 10 of the best contemporary classical music composers who work predominantly with electronics.

Who are the best electronic classical music composers?

1. György Ligeti
2. Morton Feldman
3. Steve Reich
4. Luciano Berio
5. Karlheinz Stockhausen
6. Iannis Xenakis
7. Pierre Boulez
8. Elliott Carter
9. Aaron Copland
10. John Cage

What are their best works?

1. Max Richter
-Richter’s eight-hour overnight composition Sleep is meant to do exactly what its title suggests: help the listener drift off into a deep and restful sleep. The work is based on the theory of Slow Wave Sleep, which posits that the brainwaves produced during certain stages of sleep can have a profound effect on our health and well-being.
-On the Nativity of Christ, which was composed for the 250th anniversary of Handel’s Messiah, Richter reworked some of the original material and wove in his own electroacoustic flourishes to create a mesmerizing new take on a classic work.

2. Ryuichi Sakamoto
-Sakamoto rose to prominence as a member of the groundbreaking Japanese electronica group Yellow Magic Orchestra before embarking on a hugely successful solo career that includes film scores (The Revenant, The Last Emperor) and pop hits (“Forbidden Colours”). In recent years, he’s turned his attention to more experimental fare, often in collaboration with other artists.
-As documented in Stephen Rivele and Christopher Wilkinson’s 2016 film Coda, Sakamoto’s cancer diagnosis in 2014 placed his entire body of work into perspective and spurred him on to create some of his most beautiful music yet. His latest album, async, is a perfect example of this new chapter in his career — an enigmatic and deeply moving collection that finds Sakamoto at the top of his game.

3. Brian Eno
-Few artists have been as influential — or as impossible to pin down — as Brian Eno. A central figure in the development of ambient music, Eno has also dabbled in everything from rock and roll (with Roxy Music) to avant-garde composition (with Robert Fripp) to pop songwriting (with David Bowie). He’s even made furniture!
-One constant throughout Eno’s varied career has been his willingness to experiment with new technologies, whether it’s using random processes to generate melody (as on his 1978 classic Ambient 1: Music for Airports) or harnessing the power of artificial intelligence (as on his recent album Reflection). These days, at age 70, he shows no signs of slowing down — he’s as innovative as ever, and his influence can be felt across all genres of music.

4. Philip Glass
-Philip Glass is one of the most prolific composers alive today, with over fifty operas, symphonies, concertos, and chamber pieces to his name. A leading figure in the so-called “minimalist” movement of composers who came to prominence in the 1960s and 1970s, Glass has been described as “one of America’s greatest living composers” by The New York Times. While minimalist music is often associated with long stretches of austere repetition, Glass’ works are notable for their emotional warmth and lyrical beauty.
-Despite having composed some complex works for large orchestras, Glass is just as comfortable working with smaller ensembles or even unaccompanied solo instruments. His 1999 violin concerto Hindusm is one such work; written for legendary violinist Joshua Bell, it showcases Glass’ trademark ability to write accessible yet challenging music that feels both modern and strangely familiar at the same time.

5. Steve Reich
-Steve Reich is another pioneer of minimalism who has exerted a tremendous influence on contemporary music over the course of his long career. A central figure in what came to be known as “process music,” Reich experiments with repetition and gradual change in order to create works that evolve slowly over time like living organisms. This approach can be heard clearly on pieces like Piano Phase (1967), one of Reich’s best-known early works; composed for two pianos played side by side, it begins with both pianists playing identical octaves at different speeds before gradually shifting out of phase with each other until they are playing completely different melodies altogether.

These are just five electronic classical music composers out there; each bringing their own unique style

What makes them the best?

In a genre often defined by its international collaborators and experimental spirit, these 10 composers stand out for their individuality and mastery of their craft.

Born in Argentina, composer and producer Hildur Gudnadottir has been nominated for two Academy Awards and won a Golden Globe for her work on the music of the film Joker. She has released several solo albums of dark, atmospheric music that melds classical strings with electronic textures. Gudnadottir’s music has also been used in the television series Trapped and Chernobyl.

Composer Max Richter is known for his “post-minimal” style that incorporates elements of classical, pop, rock, and ambient music. His best-known work is the 8-hour-long composition Sleep, which was released in 2015. Richter has also scored several films, including Waltz With Bashir and Shutter Island.

Danish composer Hans Abrahamsen is best known for his chamber music, which often makes use of extended techniques and unusual instrumental combinations. His best-known work is the 1996 chamber opera Let Me Tell You, based on a novella by Paul Auster. Abrahamsen has also written several works for piano, including the 2017 piece Winternacht.

American composer Julia Wolfe is a founding member of the influential new music ensemble Bang on a Can. Her music often incorporates elements of folk and blues traditions, as well as found sound recordings. Wolfe’s best-known works include the oratorio Anthracite Fields, which won the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Music, and Fire in my mouth, a 2018 symphony about the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire.

Japanese composer Mamoru Fujieda is known for his “pattern music” compositions, which are created by converting data from various sources into musical notation. Fujieda has composed works based on data from astronomical observations, cardiac monitors, and even grass growing in his garden. His 2011 composition The Wind Ensemble celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Nobel Prize with 100 short fanfares based on past winners’ names.

Australian composer Kate Moore is known for her large-scale works that combine live performers with electronics and video projection. Moore’s 2017 composition Here Lies Mary Spencer was inspired by her great-grandmother’s experience as a World War I nurse. The work was performed by an all-female orchestra and choir at Carnegie Hall in 2018.

English composer Anna Clyne is known for her dynamic and colorful orchestral works. Clyne frequently uses graphic notation in her scores, giving performers some freedom to interpret her intentions. Her best-known works include Within Her Arms (2011), inspired by stories of women who have served as wartime nurses; Masquerade (2013), inspired by 18th-century Venetian Carnival masks; and The Seamstress (2017), inspired by Clyne’s own great-grandmother who worked in a clothing factory during World War II.
Czech composer Pavel Haas was sent to Auschwitz concentration camp in 1941 where he composed settings of poems by fellow inmates Viktor Ullmann and Frantisek Halas while awaiting execution…