The Best Classical Music Artists of All Time

A list of the best classical music artists of all time, including Bach, Beethoven, and Mozart.

Johann Sebastian Bach

Johann Sebastian Bach was born in Eisenach in the duchy of Saxe-Eisenach, in present-day Germany, on March 31, 1685 O.S. (April 10, 1685 N.S.). His father, named Johann Ambrosius Bach, was a trumpeter and violinist who served as a town musician in Eisenach. Bach’s mother, named Maria Elizabeth Lämmerhirt Bach, died in 1694. Two of his uncles were church organists; Aunt Johanna Helena was an amateur violinist; and another aunt, Anna Maria Schwabe, sang alto parts in church.

Bach’s first musical instruction came from his father and other family members. He attended school from age six to age thirteen. At age nine he was awarded a scholarship to study at the prestigious St. Michael’s School in Lüneburg where he boarded for nearly five years (1700–1702 and 1703–1707).

Ludwig van Beethoven

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) was a German composer and pianist, who is arguably the defining figure in the history of Western music.

Beethoven was born in the city of Bonn in the Electorate of Cologne, a principality of the Holy Roman Empire. He displayed his musical talents at an early age and was taught by Christian Gottlob Neefe, the Court Organist. His first public performance was in March 1778, when he was just seven years old.

Beethoven’s family was not wealthy, and his father—a Stability Master at the court of Bonn—often depended on Beethoven’s earnings as a musician to support them. As a result, Beethoven was often left to fend for himself—an experience that made him independent and self-reliant.

Despite his difficult life, Beethoven went on to become one of the most celebrated classical composers of all time. He composed music in several genres, including symphonies, concerti, string quartets, piano sonatas, and one opera. He also produced numerous arrangements of other composers’ works.

Beethoven’s compositions revolutionized classical music and influenced many later composers; they are considered some of the greatest works ever written in any musical genre. His importance as a composer is further underscored by the fact that he maintained such a high level of creative output despite being completely deaf from around 1811 onwards.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Few classical music artists have enjoyed the kind of popularity and acclaim that Mozart has. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest composers of all time, and his work continues to be performed and studied hundreds of years after his death. Mozart composed symphonies, concertos, operas, and sonatas that are regarded as some of the most important in the Western classical canon. His influence can still be felt in the work of many contemporary composers.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

The Best Classical Music Artists of All Time

1. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
2. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
3. Johann Sebastian Bach
4. Ludwig van Beethoven
5. Johannes Brahms
6. Felix Mendelssohn
7. Giuseppe Verdi
8. Richard Wagner
9. Antonín Dvořák
10. Claude Debussy

Giuseppe Verdi

Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi (/ˈvɛrdi/; Italian: [dʒuˈzɛppe ˈverdi]; 9 or 10 October 1813 – 27 January 1901) was an Italian opera composer. Mostly known for his operas, Verdi is one of the most influential composers of the 19th century. His works are frequently performed in opera houses all over the world and, transcending the boundaries of the genre, some of his themes have long since taken root in popular culture – such as “La donna è mobile” from Rigoletto, “Va’, pensiero, sull’ali dorate” (the Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves) from Nabucco and “Libiamo ne’ lieti calici” (the Brindisi) from La traviata.

A preeminent figure in 19th-century Italian opera, Verdi’s grand operas La forza del destino, Don Carlos, Aida, Otello and Falstaff are amongst his most famous works. He also wrote several other notable operas including Luisa Miller, Attila and Macbeth.