Classical Composers List A-Z 🎻🎼 Classical Music Eras
ADDucation’s list of famous classical composers includes composers spanning music eras from the Baroque era (1590-1760), through the Classical era (1730-1820) and Romantic era (1815-1914) and Modernist era (1890-1950) into the 21st century around the world.
- ADDucation’s list of classical music composers was last updated on 18 Aug 2024
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Classical Composers | Born | Birthplace | Nationality | Died | Where Died | Classical Era | Mini Biographies of Classical Composers |
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Bach, Johann Sebastian | 21 Mar 1685 | Eisenach, Germany | 🇩🇪 Germany | 28 Jul 1750 | Leipzig, Germany | Baroque | Johann Sebastian Bach was the youngest child in a family of musicians, born in Eisenach, Germany, where he served as cantor in a nearby school in Leipzig. Bach’s Peasant cantata, Coffee cantata and Shepherd cantata, his musical cycle The Art of Fugue and his numerous oratorios were all very popular. The festive season wouldn’t be the same without Johann Sebastian Bach’s Christmas Oratorio playing on the radio or in concert. The musical oeuvre of this master classical composer is monumental. |
Beethoven, Ludwig van | 17 Dec 1770 | Bonn, Germany | 🇩🇪 Germany | 26 Mar 1827 | Vienna, Austria | Classical | Ludwig van Beethoven was born in Bonn but lived mainly in Vienna. Beethoven’s piano pieces; Für Elise and Rage over a Lost Penny, string quartets, nine symphonies and Fidelio, his only opera, established him as one of the most famous classical composers who often tops top 10 classical composers lists. Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis and his Ninth Symphony, which he composed after he became deaf, sounds like a hymn to joy and is today’s European anthem. Beethoven’s Third Symphony, later renamed Eroica, was originally dedicated to Napoleon after his invasion of Russia, was also popular. |
Bizet, Georges | 25 Oct 1838 | Paris, France | 🇫🇷 France | 3 Jun 1875 | Bougival, Paris, France | Romantic | The Parisian Georges Bizet was probably one of the biggest provocateurs of his time. Bizet’s early works didn’t overly appeal to audiences at the time and Carmen, his last opera, was initially derided as disreputable and immoral but gained worldwide popularity shortly after his death. The plot of Carmen must have been shocking to audiences at that time: An erotically liberal woman with an unbridled lust for life who turned the heads of many a man, with smugglers, soldiers, gypsies, embodying the petty-bourgeois milieu, all staged in an anarchic and provocative fashion. Bizet died just a few months after its first performance aged 36. |
Brahms, Johannes | 7 May 1833 | Hamburg, Germany | 🇩🇪 Germany | 3 Apr 1897 | Vienna, Austria | Romantic | Johannes Brahms hails from Hamburg in North Germany and, like many musicians at the time, adopted Vienna as his new home. Brahms’ creations are extremely versatile including chamber music, songs (e.g. the famous lullaby Guten Abend, gute Nacht – Good evening, good night), choral pieces, and Hungarian dances. Brahms was especially renowned for his four symphonies, characterized by their freedom and complexity, to secure his place as one of the best classical composers in history. |
Bruckner, Anton | 4 Sep 1824 | Ansfelden, Austria | 🇦🇹 Austria | 11 Oct 1896 | Vienna, Austria | Romantic | Josef Anton Bruckner began his musical career as a choirboy in the monastery of St. Florian in Austria. Bruckner became the cathedral organist in Linz because of his musical abilities. As a composer Bruckner was an admirer and emulator of Richard Wagner. Bruckner is known mostly for his symphonies in which the wind instruments play a major role. They are always characterized by festive, glorious, and especially devout motifs. |
Chopin, Frederic | 22 Feb 1810 | Żelazowa Wola, Duchy of Warsaw, Poland | 🇵🇱 Poland | 17 Oct 1849 | Paris, France | Romantic | Frédéric François Chopin’s grave is in Paris, but his monument in Warsaw is his home. It’s symbolic of this classical composer whose father came from France and his mother from Poland. Chopin’s lived and worked mainly in Paris. His strength lies less in large-scale compositions, but more in small solo pieces. Chopin’s instrument was the piano and he was known as the “poet of the piano”. Although many of Chopin’s works are technically difficult solo pieces he also wrote two piano concertos. Chopin had a long-term relationship with French author George Sand. |
Debussy, Claude | 22 Aug 1862 | Saint-Germain, France | 🇫🇷 France | 26 Mar 1918 | Paris, France | Modernist | (Achille) Claude Debussy was one of the most famous French classical composers. The second half of the 19th century saw the beginnings of the Impressionist movement and artists whose images were dissolved and bathed in sparkling, bright splashes of color. So it was, too with music. Impressionism had the effect of making the music airy, light and elegant. Debussy was a prominent representative of this trend and perfected this art movement in his piano concertos. |
Dvořák, Antonin | 8 Sep 1841 | Nelahozeves, near Prague, Czech Republic | 🇨🇿 Czechia | 1 May 1904 | Prague, Czech Republic | Romantic | Antonín Leopold Dvořák had a special relationship to chamber music. Dvořák drew on the folk music of his country, but gave the works a classic form. Dvořák loved clarity and informality and always had new musical ideas. Initially Dvořák struggled to get his ideas across but after he was appointed professor, and later director, of the Prague Conservatory he enjoyed more success. Dvořák spent several years in New York during which time he composed his famous Symphony No. 9 in E minor, also known as the New World Symphony. Johannes Brahms was highly instrumental in disseminating his compositions. |
Egk, Werner | 17 May 1901 | Auchsesheim, Donauwörth, Germany | 🇩🇪 Germany | 10 Jul 1983 | Inning, Germany | Modernist | Werner Egk (Werner Joseph Mayer) is amongst the very best modern orchestra musicians. Egk’s music is often dramatically powerful but can also be exceedingly tender, lyrical and moving. Egk’s best known works are The magic violin, Peer Gynt and Joan of Zarissa. Egk also created the choral work Columbus and the ballet Abraxas. Egk, born in Donauwörth, was a Bavarian through and through and died, aged 82, in Inning on Lake Ammer. |
Elgar, Edward William | 2 Jun 1857 | Worcester, England | 🏴 England / UK | 23 Feb 1934 | Worcester, England | Modernist | Sir Edward William Elgar was born in Lower Broadheath, a village outside Worcester, England. Elgar was a self-taught composer influenced by european composers. Elgar first worldwide achieved success during his forties with Enigma Variations. His best known works include two symphonies, the Enigma Variations, concertos for violin and cello, the Pomp and Circumstance Marches. His choral works include chamber music and songs, notably The Dream of Gerontius, which he recorded excerpts of on gramophone records. |
Grieg, Edvard | 15 Jun 1843 | Bergen, Norway | 🇳🇴 Norway | 4 Sep 1907 | Bergen, Norway | Romantic | Edvard Grieg was born in Bergen, Norway. Grieg was a romantic era composer and pianist. Grieg founded the Norwegian nationalist school of music. Grieg wrote ten collections of Lyric Pieces for piano between 1867 and 1901 with rhythms rooted in the northern folk tradition. Grieg’s incidental music to Peer Gynt, Op. 23 and the Holberg suite, Op. 40 are among his most popular works. |
Handel, George Frideric | 23 Feb 1685 | Halle, Germany | 🇩🇪 Germany / England 🏴 | 14 Apr 1759 | London, England | Baroque | George Frideric Handel was born in Halle, Germany. Handel composed and wrote operas, including Agrippina, which well received, especially in Italy and England, but Handel was best known for his oratorios, choral and orchestral works (Water Music) which glorified figures from the Old Testament. Handel’s most significant oratory is the Messiah, which was first performed in England, where Handel spent many years of his life. At the climax of the Hallelujah piece, the audience collectively stood up, a practice which is still happens at performances in England today. |
Haydn, Joseph | 31 Mar 1732 | Rohrau, Austria | 🇦🇹 Austria | 31 May 1809 | Vienna, Austria | Classical | Franz Joseph Haydn is one of the greatest classical composers of all time. After Haydn had already made a name for himself with symphonies, piano sonatas and string quartets, he went on to create two oratorios which are now considered his greatest works. In Creation Haydn lauds the creator and his great work: The earth and mankind. In the Seasons he sings the praises of spring, summer, autumn and winter. Haydn’s music, despite its seriousness is also joyful. |
Hindemith, Paul | 16 Nov 1895 | Hanau, Germany | 🇩🇪 Germany | 28 Dec 1963 | Frankfurt, Germany | Neoclassical | Paul Hindemith, like Schoenberg, was a representative of modern atonal music. Hindemith’s music ties in with Johann Sebastian Bach and his counterpoint in quite a novel way, that is point to point, or note against note. Hindemith’s most famous works are; The Life of Mary and his opera Mathis der Maler (Mathis the Painter). |
Lehar, Franz | 30 Apr 1870 | Komárom, Hungary | 🇭🇺 Hungary | 14 Oct 1948 | Bad Ischl, Austria | Romantic | Franz Lehar was originally a violinist and military bandmaster but his operetta The Merry Widow became such a worldwide success Lehar went on to become one of the most celebrated operetta classical composers. Especially popular today are; The Count of Luxembourg, Paganini, The Tsarevich, Friederike and The Land of Smiles. Lehar’s operettas belong to the so-called “silver age of operetta” and there’s always something exhilarating about them. |
Leoncavallo, Ruggero | 8 Mar 1858 | Naples, Italy | 🇮🇹 Italy | 9 Sep 1919 | Monte-Catini Terme | Romantic | Ruggero Leoncavallo wrote nine operas and struggled financially until his two-act opera Pagliacci, which was the epitome of “realism” and “real life”, bought him fame and financial success. In Leoncavallo’s era, Italian poets attacked the harsh realities of life, so that’s what he did and set it appropriate music. |
Liszt, Franz | 22 Oct 1811 | Raiding, Burgenland, Hungary | 🇭🇺 Hungary | 31 Jul 1886 | Bayreuth, Germany | Romantic | Franz Liszt’s career started in Hungary aged 12. He had been kissed on the forehead by Beethoven, who was delighted with his piano playing, at a farewell concert before departing for to perform in Paris and all across Europe. Liszt was greeted everywhere with enthusiastic applause, not just as a virtuoso pianist (Dance of Death and Piano Sonata in B Minor), but also as a composer. Liszt’s strength lies primarily in his piano pieces including Piano Sonata in B minor but he also wrote orchestral works, oratorios, masses, waltzes (Mephisto Waltz) and Rhapsodies (Hungarian Rhapsodies). Liszt was a prolific and versatile composer who wrote over 700 compositions, one of the world’s best classical composers. Liszt’s daughter Cosima was Richard Wagner’s second wife. |
Mahler, Gustav | 7 Jul 1860 | Kalischt, Bohemia, Czech Republic | 🇨🇿 Czechia | 18 May 1911 | Vienna, Austria | Romantic | Gustav Mahler began composing and performing as a pianist in childhood. Mahler’s symphonies and opulent orchestral works were not only recognized as masterpieces, and loved around the world, many years after his death. Mahler’s most famous work was his 9th Symphony The Song of the Earth, an expression of a great love for Earth, life and the desire for peace. Gustav Mahler was also a famous conductor and opera director. |
Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, Felix | 3 Feb 1809 | Hamburg, Germany | 🇩🇪 Germany | 4 Nov 1847 | Leipzig, Germany | Romantic | Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy was born in Hamburg and worked in Berlin, Scotland, England, Italy, Düsseldorf and Leipzig, where he died, aged 38. He learned a lot from the old masters, especially Johann Sebastian Bach. Thanks to him, the Matthew Passion – which had been completely forgotten in his time – was performed again. Even in his youth Mendelssohn was an important piano artist so it’s no surprise his piano compositions are among his best works. Mendelssohn wrote more than 750 compositions including the world famous Wedding March. Mendelssohn founded the first German Academy of Music in 1843 in Leipzig and the world’s first conductor in its current form. |
Millöcker, Carl | 29 May 1842 | Vienna, Austria | 🇦🇹 Austria | 31 Dec 1899 | Baden near Vienna, Austria | Romantic | The Viennese have a special affection for buoyant music, so it’s no surprise Carl Millöcker comes from this vibrant city. Millöcker began his career as a flute virtuoso and played for a long time in Franz von Suppé’s orchestra. Millöcker later became conductor at the Theater an der Wien and wrote his own operettas, the best known being The Beggar Student, Poor Jonathan and Gasparone. Millöcker died just hours before the turn of the century in Baden near Vienna. |
Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus | 27 Jan 1756 | Salzburg, Austria | 🇦🇹 Austria | 5 Dec 1791 | Vienna, Austria | Classical | Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was a child prodigy who played and composed music then grew up to be one of the most famous classical composers who remains greatly admired around the world. Mozart was a master in every field of music. Among Mozart’s most popular compositions are the famous Serenade in G Major Eine kleine Nachtmusik, the opera The Abduction from the Seraglio, The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni, Cosi fan tutte and The Magic Flute. All of Mozart’s works are documented in the so-called Köchelverzeichnis (Köchel Catalogue) which includes over 70 church works, 19 operas, 41 symphonies, 30 piano concertos, and many other concerts, chamber music pieces, marches, serenades and songs. Mozart’s last composition was his famous Requiem which he couldn’t quite finish. Mozart died a few weeks after the premiere of The Magic Flute aged just 35. The official record states “severe miliary fever” but without a specific reason. |
Orff, Carl | 10 Jul 1895 | Munich, Germany | 🇩🇪 Germany | 29 Mar 1982 | Munich, Germany | Modern | Munich-based music teacher Carl Orff created, among other things, the Orff’sche Schulwerk (Orff Approach) and saw himself as a composer of a living world theater. Orff’s most opulent work, Carmina Burana in 1937, consists of a collection of 24 poems and songs that were written in the Middle Ages by Germans, French, Italians and Britons. It’s widely viewed as an international hymn to the lust for life and a choral paean to the pleasures of this world. |
Pfitzner, Hans | 5 May 1869 | Moscow, Russia | 🇩🇪 Germany | 22 May 1949 | Salzburg, Austria | Romantic | Hans Erich Pfitzner was born in Moscow, but his parents were German and he lived and worked for a long time in Berlin and Munich. His most famous oratorio is entitled “Of German Soul”. His emotional music comes from the deepest depths of the soul and it is no coincidence that his oratorio texts are based on the great romantic poet Eichendorff. |
Prokofiev, Sergei | 23 Apr 1891 | Sontsovka, Ukraine | 🇷🇺 Russia | 5 Mar 1953 | Moscow, Russia | Modernist | Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev’s first compositions were at the age of 5. He grew up in an uncertain political era that forced him early on into a troubled emigrant’s existence. He fled into exile to Chicago during the October Revolution where his opera “The Love for Three Oranges” and his third piano concerto premiered. After a few years in Paris, he finally returned to his homeland in 1936 where he composed the musical tale “Peter and the Wolf” (initiated by Natalia Saz) and the opera “War and Peace”. Prokofiev was an extremely versatile classical composer who addressed almost all genres of neoclassical, modern and in parts lyrical music. |
Puccini, Giacomo | 22 Dec 1858 | Lucca, Italy | 🇮🇹 Italy | 29 Nov 1924 | Brussels, Belgium | Romantic | Giacomo Puccini’s desire to become one of the best classical composers was driven by his enthusiasm for Verdi’s Aida opera. Puccini preferred texts with emotional plots and composed insinuating melodies that found favor worldwide. Even today, Puccini’s works are enthusiastically performed in concert halls around the globe, especially La Bohème, Tosca, Madame Butterfly and Turandot, which only premiered two years after his death. Puccini died after an ear operation in Brussels. His surgeon was so shocked by his sudden death that he ran over a woman on the way home. |
Rachmaninoff, Sergei | 4 Jan 1873 | Staraya Russa, Russia | 🇷🇺 Russia | 28 Mar 1943 | Beverly Hills, USA | Romantic | Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff grew up in the country and moved to St. Petersburg with his family in 1882. Rachmaninoff’s mother recognized his talent for the piano and sent him to study in Moscow at the age of 12. While still a student Rachmaninoff composed the opera Aleko and the Piano Concerto No. 1 in F sharp minor. Around 1900/1901 he wrote his most famous work, the Piano Concerto No. 2, Op 18 in C minor. After fleeing to America during the October Revolution he lacked “Russian inspiration” to create new compositions. Rachmaninoff spent most of the 1930’s in Switzerland before returning to Beverly Hills where when died three days before his 70th birthday. |
Ravel, Maurice | 3 Jul 1875 | Ciboure, France | 🇫🇷 France | 28 Dec 1937 | Paris, France | Modernist | Maurice Ravel is one of the masters of chamber music. The Frenchman was influenced by his compatriot Debussy. Ravel’s music is elegant, cultured, witty and sometimes even funny. Ravel is skilled in a subtle mood painting. Sometimes Ravel draws on the old French masters, sometimes he takes motifs from the folk music of his homeland in the Pyrenees. But Ravel always transforms everything into modernity and its own style. Ravel is often wrongly reduced to merely the Bolero when he was undoubtedly one of the best classical composers of his generation. |
Reger, Max | 19 Mar 1873 | Brand, Germany | 🇩🇪 Germany | 11 Nov 1916 | Leipzig, Germany | Classical | Max Reger was one of the great innovators of classical music. Reger rejected music with emotional sentiments and returned to the strict and genuine style of Johann Sebastian Bach, attempting to make his musical elements a new “experience” for the the present. In addition to organ, choral and orchestral works, Reger wrote 231 songs. Reger’s best-known works are characterized by a folkie-simplicity and warmth such as Mary’s Lullaby. |
Rossini, Gioachino | 29 Feb 1792 | Pesaro, Italy | 🇮🇹 Italy | 13 Nov 1868 | Passy, Paris, France | Romantic | Gioachino Rossini is most famous for his operas. Rossini composed his first opera when he was just fourteen years old but it wasn’t staged until he was 20. Rossini’s best-known operas are the comedies The Barber of Seville and La Cenerentola. Between 1824 and 1829 he lived in Paris where he created William Tell – his 38th opera. He subsequently returned to his father in Bologna where his output diminished considerably until his death in 1868. Rossini was an enthusiastic chef and even today, some “alla Rossini” dishes are attributed to him. |
Schoenberg, Arnold | 13 Sep 1874 | Austria, Vienna | 🇦🇹 Austria | 14 Aug 1951 | Los Angeles, USA | Modernist | Arnold Schoenberg became one of the most famous classical composers due to his invention of twelve-tone music. This so-called “atonal music” isn’t confined by a key signature or scale. Any of the 12 tones can be used in any way, which can sound chaotic to the uninitiated, but became a highly significant movement in the 20th century. As the Nazis rose to power Schoenberg moved to America in 1933 where he lived for the rest of his life. |
Schubert, Franz | 31 Jan 1797 | Austria, Vienna | 🇦🇹 Austria | 19 Nov 1828 | Vienna, Austria | Romantic | Franz Schubert composed symphonies, songs, masses, dances and operas. Despite dying, far too early, at the age of just 31 Schubert was one of the most talented classical composers ever. Schubert’s chamber music is particularly significant, exemplified by his very well-known piano Trout Quintet. Some of his chamber music is reminiscent of Beethoven, whose work Schubert highly respected. Beethoven once returned the compliment:
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Schumann, Robert | 8 Jun 1810 | Zwickau, Germany | 🇩🇪 Germany | 29 Jul 1856 | Endenich/Bonn, Germany | Romantic | Robert Schumann created piano concertos, string quartets, oratorios, operas and symphonies, but of particular merit are his songs which he based on poems by Eichendorff, Rückert and Heinrich Heine and set to music. Schumann was married to Clara Schumann (1819-1896) who was also an excellent musician and had a great influence on his life and work. |
Smetana, Bedřich | 2 Mar 1824 | Litomysl, Bohemia, Czech Republic | 🇨🇿 Czechia | 05 Dec 1884 | Prague, Czech Republic | Romantic | Bedřich Smetana is most famous for his opera The Bartered Bride, however this comic opera is not typical of this famous Czech classical composers work. Smetana had a more serious nature dedicated to greater and sublime sounds found in his symphonic poems and cycles. For example The Moldau from My Fatherland and his songs and choruses. In 1874 Smetana suffered from tinnitus and went deaf but continued to compose for many years until he was admitted to a mental asylum in 1884 where he died later that same year. Smetana expressed his suffering in a string quartet titled From My Life. |
Strauss II, Johann | 25 Oct 1825 | Ulrich,Vienna, Austria | 🇦🇹 Austria | 3 Jun 1899 | Vienna, Austria | Romantic | Johann Strauss II was the most famous son of a traditional Viennese musical family which included his father (Johann Strauss) and his brothers (Josef Strauss and Eduard Strauss). Strauss wrote many waltzes including the Danube Waltz, Emperor Waltz, Voices of Spring and Stories from the Vienna Woods, which earned him the nickname “The Waltz King”. His other great passion was composing operettas including The Bat, A Night in Venice, The Gypsy Baron and Wiener Blut (Viennese Blood). Strauss’ operettas are, like his waltzes, engaging and full of life. |
Strauss, Richard | 11 Jun 1864 | Munich, Germany | 🇩🇪 Germany | 8 Sep 1949 | Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Bavaria, Germany | Modernist | Richard Strauss was one of the most important German classical composers. Strauss created the operas Salome, Elektra, Ariadne auf Naxos and The Woman without a Shadow and others. Strauss’s music is both timely and dramatic. It’s often full of passion and pathos, but sometimes cheerful – like his popular opera Der Rosenkavalier (The Knight of the Rose). |
Stravinsky, Igor | 17 Jun 1882 | Oranienbaum, St. Petersburg, Russia | 🇷🇺 Russia | 6 Apr 1971 | New York, USA | Modernist | Igor Stravinsky adopted much of the Russian folk song tradition in his music. His works were initially simple with primitive melodies and atonal. After he moved to Paris, he adapted more to the Western European style and his work became more polished, clear and rhythmic. He made chamber music, symphonies, oratorios, operas and ballets. His most famous work is the ballet The Firebird. Stravinsky fled to the US in 1940 and died in 1971 in New York. |
Tchaikovsky, Pyotr Ilyich | 7 May 1840 | Votkinsk, Vyatka Governorate, Russia | 🇷🇺 Russia | 6 Nov 1893 | St. Petersburg, Russia | Romantic | Ilyich Tchaikovsky was the son of a Russian father and a French mother and he composed seven symphonies, the best known being the sixth symphony Pathétique. Tchaikovsky also wrote operas, chamber music, songs and ballets including Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker. Despite dying unexpectedly, aged 53, in St. Petersburg he’s among the best classical composers of all time. The cause of death remains unknown but is thought to be cholera. |
Verdi, Giuseppe | 10 Oct 1813 | Le Roncole, Parma, Italy | 🇮🇹 Italy | 27 Jan 1901 | Milan, Italy | Romantic | Giuseppe Verdi, the Italian opera composer, initially suffered numerous setbacks and failures. Verdi persevered and today is celebrated as one of the best classical composers in history. Verdi’s operas are lively, dramatic and passionate. His best known works include; Nabucco, Rigoletto, Aida, La Traviata and Falstaff. Verdi was politically active and contributed to the reunification of the Italian peninsula. Verdi died of a stroke aged 87 and in his final years he founded a retirement home for musicians and artists in Milan where his body rests today. |
Vivaldi, Antonio | 3 Apr 1678 | Venice, Italy | 🇮🇹 Italy | 28 Jul 1741 | Vienna, Austria | Baroque | Antonio Vivaldi’s name is often linked to his famous “Four Seasons” violin concerts around 1725 which contributed to his rediscovery in the 20th century. Vivaldi was aka “The red priest” because he was also a priest and had red hair. Vivaldi wrote more than 240 violin and 39 bassoon concertos and 49 operas. These established him as one of the most prolific and popular classical composers during his lifetime. Although many of his works are largely forgotten today they were very popular in their day. In many of Vivaldi’s works, he preferred a lively musical sequence; quick, slow, quick. |
Wagner, Richard | 22 May 1813 | Leipzig, Germany | 🇩🇪 Germany | 13 Feb 1883 | Venice, Austria | Romantic | Richard Wagner’s operas are not just compositions, they’re poems too. Wagner focused on German legends and medieval literature set to powerful and dramatic music symbolizing the human struggle. His principal works are Tannhäuser, Lohengrin, The Ring of the Nibelung, Tristan and Isolde and Parsifal. Wagner spent many years keeping one step ahead of his creditors and to further his own career Wagner smeared the Jewish composer Mendelssohn’s work writing (originally anonymously):
Undoubtedly one of the reasons the Nazis took to him. Although Wagner died in Venice the epicenter of his legacy lives on at the Bayreuth Festival (Bayreuther Festspiele) in Germany. |
Weber, Carl Maria von | 18 Dec 1786 | Eutin, Bishopric of Lübeck, Germany | 🇩🇪 Germany | 5 Jun 1826 | London, England | Romantic | Carl Maria von Weber is best known for his operas Der Freischütz, Euryanthe and Oberon. Weber’s music is folksy and romantic, which was typical for his day. Weber died, aged just 40, in London. 18 years after his death, Webers remains were moved to Dresden at Richard Wagner’s instigation. |
Wolf, Hugo | 13 Mar 1860 | Windischgrätz, Duchy of Styria, Gradec, Slovenia | 🇦🇹 Austria / Slovenia 🇸🇮 | 22 Feb 1903 | Vienna, Austria | Romantic | Hugo Wolf (Hugo Philipp Jacob Wolf) was a sensitive composer. Among others, he set the poems of Goethe, Moerike, Eichendorff and Gottfried Keller to music, along with some Spanish and traditional Italian poetry. In some ways, Wolf’s works are reminiscent of Schumann’s music who, coincidentally, died like Wolf; mentally deranged. |
See also: A-Z Notable Composers…
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