Who Are the Most Famous Classical Music Composers?

We take a look at some of the most famous classical music composers of all time and explore their work.

Johann Sebastian Bach

Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist of the Baroque period. He enriched established German styles through his mastery of counterpoint, harmonic and motivic organisation, and the adaptation of rhythms, forms, and textures from abroad, particularly from Italy and France. Bach’s compositions include the Brandenburg Concertos, the Goldberg Variations, the Mass in B Minor, two Passions, and hundreds of cantatas of which around two hundred survive. His music is revered for its technical command, artistic beauty, and intellectual depth.

Ludwig van Beethoven

Ludwig van Beethoven is one of the most important figures in all of classical music. He was a German composer and pianist, who is considered to be one of the most influential musicians of the Western world. He was born in 1770 in the city of Bonn, which was then part of the Electorate of Cologne, a principality of the Holy Roman Empire. His family was musical, and his grandfather-and godfather- Kapellmeister Ludwig van Beethoven, was Bonn’s most prosperous and eminent musician. His father Johan was also a singer in the electoral court’s chapel. Although Beethoven’s musical abilities were clear at an early age, his father Johann imposed harsh discipline on him, hoping to make him another prodigy like Mozart. Unfortunately for Johann, his plan backfired; after repeated physical abuse, Ludwig began to withdraw and became sullen and moody.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 1756 – 5 December 1791), baptised as Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the classical era. Born in Salzburg, Mozart showed prodigious ability from his earliest childhood. Already competent on keyboard and violin, he composed from the age of five and performed before European royalty. At 17, Mozart was engaged as a musician at the Salzburg court but grew restless and travelled in search of a better position. While visiting Vienna in 1781, he was dismissed from his Salzburg position.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky is one of the most popular and well-loved of all classical composers. His music has been used in countless movies and television shows, and his melodies are instantly recognizable to many people. Tchaikovsky was born in Russia in 1840 and began studying music at a young age. He composed his first opera, The Voyevoda, when he was just 26 years old. Some of his other famous works include Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, and Sleeping Beauty. Tchaikovsky died in 1893 at the age of 53, but his music continues to live on and be enjoyed by people all over the world.

George Frideric Handel

George Frideric Handel was a celebrated German-British baroque composer, best known for his operas, oratorios and concerti grossi. He was born in Halle, Germany in 1685 and died in London, England in 1759. During his lifetime, he composed some of the most popular and well-known classical pieces such as “The Messiah,” “Zadok the Priest” and “Water Music.”