Top 15 Greatest Composers of All Time

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Top 15 Greatest Composers Of All Time

15 Franz Joseph Haydn..................................................................................................................................

14 George Frederick Handel...........................................................................................................................

13 Sergei Rachmaninov..................................................................................................................................

12 e!er "lyich #chaikovsky...........................................................................................................................

11 G$s!av %ahler...........................................................................................................................................

1& Gi$seppe 'erdi..........................................................................................................................................

( Johannes )rahms.........................................................................................................................................

* Franz +isz!...................................................................................................................................................

, Frederic -hopin...........................................................................................................................................

Ro/er! Sch$mann........................................................................................................................................

5 Franz Sch$/er!.............................................................................................................................................

4 Richard 0agner...........................................................................................................................................

3 +$dig van )ee!hoven................................................................................................................................

2 0olgang made$s %ozar!.........................................................................................................................1 Johann Se/as!ian )ach................................................................................................................................

15 Franz Joseph Haydn

#he a!her o !he modern symphony and !he inven!or o !he s!ring $ar!e!. He ro!e 34& ho$rs o m$sic

more !han any o!her composer. His symphonies !ho$gh leave a lo! !o /e desired as he himsel said on his

dea!h/ed 6" have 7$s! ig$red o$! ho !o $se !he inds.8 #hey are more like 1 symphony i!h 1&3 varia!ions.

He inven!ed !he s!ring $ar!e! hen only !hree mem/ers o an ensem/le ere a/le !o a!!end a reci!al. violinis! a violis! and a cellis!. Haydn $ickly re9orches!ra!ed one o his composi!ion sched$led or !ha!

evening or a $ar!e! incl$ding himsel as a second violinis!. He liked !he so$nd so m$ch !ha! he decided !o

ri!e more m$sic or !he orches!ra!ion.

lso an o$!s!anding opera ora!orio and mass composer al!ho$gh his operas ere in!ended or -o$n!

:s!erhazy;s personal opera ho$se. Haydn e<plained !ha! !hey sho$ld never /e perormed anyhere else. His

s!ring $ar!e!s and piano sona!as approach !he melodic geni$s and pris!ine ormali!y o %ozar!;s. Haydn;s

grea!es! ork= his cello concer!o or his 6-rea!ion8 ora!orio >clip a/ove? or his s!ring $ar!e!s.

14 George Frederick Handel

)orn in Germany /$! !raveled :$rope and se!!led in :ngland as !he king;s co$r! composer. He ro!e

315 ho$rs o m$sic second only !o Haydn or proliicness. His mas!ery o all !he comple<i!ies o !he )aro$e

s!yle is eviden! in all his orks. He inven!ed !he modern ora!orio hen he an!ed !o make money d$ring !he

holy seasons o !he year. @$ring !hose seasons operas ere e<pressly or/idden !o /e perormed as !hey ere

sec$lar. Handel re$es!ed rom !he king !ha! he compose a m$sical se!!ing o some s!ory in !he )i/le. #he

king alloed !his and Handel ro!e in 1,32 6:s!her8 hich as perormed /y an orches!ra and a choir i!h

solois!s singing !he par!s o !he charac!ers /$! i!ho$! ac!ing or cos!$mes.



Handel is knon !oday primarily or 6#he %essiah8 >video a/ove? !he grea!es! ora!orio ever composed

in hich some o !he mos! amo$s m$sic in his!ory lies especially !he 6Hallel$7ah -hor$s8 hich ends !he

:as!er sec!ion.

Handel also ro!e h$ndreds o concer!i grossi hich ere !he orer$nners o !he -lassical and

Roman!ic concer!o.

Handel;s grea!es! orks are !he 6%essiah8 60a!er %$sic8 and 6%$sic or !he Royal Fireorks.8

13 Sergei Rachmaninov

Ane o !he e composers ho as e$ally vir!$osic a! perormance >piano? and cond$c!ing an

orches!ra. He legendary or his second !o o o$r piano concer!i !he !hird /eing pro/a/ly !he mos! diic$l!

and pianis!ic concer!o every ri!!en con!aining one o !he ines! piano cadenzas. He is knon or ri!ing

large chords o $p !o 5 no!es per hand hich he co$ld perorm easily i!h his gigan!ic hands.

His shor!er orks incl$de large9scale piano sona!as epic eno$gh !o /e considered concer!i i!ho$!

orches!ras and prel$des o hich his mos! amo$s is !he 6rel$de in c9sharp minor8 a ork hich /ecame so

amo$s in his lie!ime !ha! he gre sick o playing i!.

His grea!es! orks are 6!he 2nd iano -oncer!o8 6!he 3rd iano -oncer!o8 !he 6Rhapsody on a #heme

o aganini8 >video a/ove? and his sona!as.

12 Peer !lyich "chaikovsky

Ane o !he ines! orches!ra!ors and one o !he s$preme melody ri!ers in all o m$sic. Bo! s$rprisingly

his avori!e composer as %ozar! in honor o hom he ro!e 6%ozar!iana8 an ela/ora!ion o several o

%ozar!;s melodies. #chaikovsky is !he all9!ime mas!er o !he /alle! and all o his are orld9amo$s= !he

6B$!cracker8 6San +ake8 6Sleeping )ea$!y.8 He ro!e !o opera!ic mas!erpieces 6:$gene Anegin8 and

6#he C$een o Spades.8

His /alle!s are ell knon or !heir melodic magniicence /$! he also ro!e symphonies !he las!

!hree o hich are $niversally accep!ed as legendary or !he resplenden! orches!ra!ion and developmen! o

!heir lyrical melodies. #he o$r!h is also no!ed or !he /om/as!ic violen! cele/ra!ory spiri! o i!s inal

movemen!. #he i!h is amo$s as an ela/ora!ion o !his same spiri! c$lmina!ing in a comple< inal movemen!

o vic!orio$s anare $ali!y. #he si<!h is considered /y many !o /e more aec!ing and /e!!er !han !he i!h or

o$r!h. "! is nicknamed 6a!he!i$e8 or i!s som/er sad emo!ion.

#chaikovsky as also a mas!er o !he concer!o and ro!e !hree piano concer!i !he irs! o hich is one

o !he mos! amo$s in his!ory and one o !he mos! s$per/ or i!s hyper9Roman!ic lyrical $ali!ies and !he

amo$s oc!ave passages. "!s irs! movemen! amo$sly ends i!h a 19491 cadence $ni$e !o all m$sic $p !o !ha!

!ime. His violin concer!o is orld renoned or i!s !echnical demands and l$sh lyrical /ea$!y. Josh$a )ell has

compared !he inal movemen! !o r$nning a !hree min$!e mile.



#chaikovsky;s grea!es! orks are his 61s! iano -oncer!o8 his 6'iolin -oncer!o8 his las! !hree

symphonies his /alle!s 6:$gene Anegin8 !he amo$s 6Aver!$re !o 1*128 >inale video a/ove D lis!en or !he

canonsE? and 6-apricio "!alienne.8

11 G#sav $ahler

#he symphonis! o dea!h yo$ co$ld call him. %ahler;s reper!oire is $i!e small compared !o !ha! o any

o!her on !his lis!. He only ro!e 1& symphonies !he las! o hich he had no! orches!ra!ed /eore he died. He

ro!e a symphonic song cycle 6@as +ied von der :rde8 hich has /een called his ines! symphony !ho$gh

he did no! in!end i! !o /e considered one and he ro!e dozens o o!her songs many preocc$pied i!h dea!h.

His irs! symphony is largely imi!a!ive o a more -lassical so$nd /$! his second /egins !he career o

!he %ahler everyone knos hen !hey hear his m$sic. "! is nicknamed !he Res$rrec!ion and i!;s inal

movemen!;s premiere as said !o have made omen pass o$! and gron men eep. His !hird is !he longes!

symphony ever ri!!en a! an average perormance leng!h o 1 ho$r and 3& min$!es. "! also ends i!h ama7es!ic /rav$ra clima<.

His si<!h is called !he !ragic and re!$rns !o his roo!s o a preocc$pa!ion i!h dea!h. #he seven!h is

no!a/le or i!s las! movemen! a anare e<!olling !he happiness o lie on :ar!h.

His eigh!h is nicknamed 6Symphony o a #ho$sand8 !ho$gh he ha!ed !his epi!he! /eca$se o !he

mons!ro$s orches!ra i! calls or. "! is !he only symphony scored en!irely or orches!ra and chor$s !he chor$s

presen! in all /$! 12 min$!es or so o i!s 1 ho$r and 2& min$!e d$ra!ion.

"! ends i!h !he mos! glorio$s heavenly galac!ic clima< in !he his!ory o m$sic as !he charac!ers o

Goe!he;s Fa$s! sing !he inal scene and are li!ed !o Heaven.

@as +ied von der :rde is a song cycle o -hinese oems praising :ar!h hich %ahler !ransla!ed in!o

German. #hey are !he ma!$ra!ion o his composi!ional s!yle.

%ahler;s grea!es! orks are his 2nd 3rd 5!h !h ,!h *!h symphonies and 6@as +ied von der :rde.8

>video a/ove?.

1% Gi#seppe &erdi

"!aly;s grea!es! opera composer. 'erdi;s opera!ic o$!p$! is s!aggering i!h 2* operas many o hich

con!ain arias !ha! have made !heir ays in!o pop$lar c$l!$re and /ecome mains!ays. His ma!$re period

prod$ced 6Ba/$cco8 6:rnani8 6%ac/e!h8 >a!er Shakespeare?8 6+$isa %iller8 6Rigole!!o8 6"l #rova!ore8

6+a #ravia!a8 6n )allo in %aschera8 6@on -arlo8 his mos! amo$s ork= 6ida8 6A!ello8 and 6Fals!a8

>/o!h a!er Shakespeare?.

)$! his ines! ho$r came i!h !he 6%essa di Re$iem per lessandro %anzoni.8 'erdi devo$!ly

-a!holic composed in !his some o !he mos! deeply religio$s ma7es!ically glorio$s and !erriying m$sic ever

heard. #he mos! amo$s sec!ion and righ!ly so is !he @ies "rae >video a/ove? or @ay o nger hich depic!s

God;s ra!h inlic!ed $pon %ankind in rmageddon. #his is !he mos! $rio$s incarna!ion o melody and

harmony ever p$! on paper. #he #$/a %ir$m hich ollos is !he lo$des! $n9ampliied m$sic ever ri!!en.

#he score calls or a /ass dr$m played 68 ive or!es.



'erdi;s grea!es! orks are his ma!$re operas and !he 6Re$iem.8

' Johannes (rahms)rahms as one o !he ines! cra!smen in m$sic his!ory re$sing !o ri!e re!rogressions and adhering

very s!ric!ly !o orm. He ro!e 2 piano concer!i o hich !he 2nd is !he mos! !i!anic concer!o or piano ever

composed. "! is no! as !echnically diic$l! as Rachmaninov;s 3rd /$! !he piano is re$ired !o overpoer !he

en!ire orches!ra m$ch o !he ay !hro$gh and !his demands a Herc$les a! !he key/oard.

He ro!e 4 symphonies all o$!s!anding a Re$iem in German his ines! ork and one o !he grea!es!

violin concer!i in his!ory. He as a s$per/ $g$e composer.

His ines! orks are 2nd iano -oncer!o 'aria!ions on a #heme o aganini >!he same !heme

Rachmaninov chose? 'aria!ions on a #heme o Haydn German Re$iem >video a/ove 6@enn allesFleisch8? and his 'iolin -oncer!o.

) Franz *isz

#he grea!es! pianis! o all !ime. +isz! sigh!read Grieg;s iano -oncer!o playing i! perec!ly !he irs! !ime

he sa !he m$sic. He ro!e h$ndreds o shor! pieces songs prel$des e!$des !o piano concer!i symphonic

poems and as an al9aro$nd mas!er o every genre in hich he composed. %os! o his piano orks are

among !he mos! !echnically demanding almos! impossi/le !o play /$! o no!e are his #ranscenden!al :!$des

designed or !he piano s!$den! !o mas!er all orms o piano perormance. #hey are pro/a/ly !he mos! diic$l! pieces o m$sic ever ri!!en or any ins!r$men! and even ve!eran proessionals re$se !o play Bo. 5 6Fe$<

Folle!s.8 >video a/ove?

" no! !he #ranscenden!al :!$des his Sona!a in / minor is e<!raordinarily diic$l! !o play. "! is his ines!

composi!ion.

+ Frederic ,hopin

#he mos! idioma!ic composer or !he piano ho ever lived. -hopin did no! $nders!and orches!ra!ion

hich he reely admi!!ed and had help rom riends incl$ding +isz! in scoring his !o piano concer!i. :ven

so !he orches!ra !akes a /ack sea! hile !he piano ind$lges in !he ines! iligree ork any composer has ever

managed.

-hopin;s melodic geni$s is s$perla!ive in all respec!s and he composed primarily shor! orks piano

orks o hich !he mos! no!a/le are his /allades e!$des sona!as maz$rkas al!zes noc!$rnes prel$des and

impromp!$s. -hopin as !he mos! innova!ive composer or all o !hese genres e<cep! !he sona!a. His ines!

ork is his )allade Bo. 1 in g minor >video a/ove?.



- Ro.er Sch#mann

#he $in!essen!ial Roman!ic composer. His m$sic is !he mos! German so$nding o all. He as a geni$s

in all genres prod$cing mas!erpiece symphonies especially his 3rd nicknamed 6!he Rhenish8 or i!s

!ri$mphan!ly )avarian $ali!y his cham/er m$sic especially his iano C$in!e! a mon$men! in !he his!ory o

m$sic and his iano -oncer!o in a minor perhaps !he ines! ever ri!!en. His ines! orks are !he iano

C$in!e! and !he iano -oncer!o. He is also ell regarded or his h$ge $an!i!y o vocal m$sic.

5 Franz Sch#.er

#he grea!es! songri!er o all !ime and !he second grea!es! mas!er o melodic lyrical composi!ion.

Sch$/er! had a na!$ral mas!ery o all !he orms o !he day /$! loved songs !he mos! and ro!e !hem so

$ickly !ha! as soon as he as inished i!h one he !hre i! !o !he loor and gra//ed ano!her shee! o paper !o

s!ar! ano!her. He ro!e 6Hark Hark !he lark8 one o his ines! on !he /ack o a /eer hall receip! in one

si!!ing. He ro!e appro<ima!ely 5& songs in !he si<!een years o his career.

His mos! amo$s ork is his iano C$in!e! nicknamed !he #ro$! or !he incl$sion o one o his songs

as a movemen!. He also ro!e masses ( symphonies o hich !he las! !o are $niversal /rilliancies sona!as

/alle!s s!ring $ar!e!s and operas.

His ines! orks are his *!h and (!h symphonies his #ro$! C$in!e! /alle! m$sic !o Rosam$nde %arche

%ili!aire and some o his songs Gre!chen a! !he Spinning 0heel #he :rl9ing and Bach! $nd #r$me

>video a/ove? among !hem.

4 Richard /agner

Ane o !he mos! ha!e$l and $npleasan! people ho ever alked !he ear!h. 0agner despised Jes and

/lamed all !he pro/lems o !he orld on !hem. )$! yo$ can;! hold any o !ha! agains! him hen yo$ hear his

m$sic. "! !ranscends all !he idiocy o !he man himsel. He only ro!e operas hich he !ermed 6m$sic

dramas.8 )$! o !hem his ines! mas!erpieces are #annha$ser +ohengrin in hich yo$;ll ind !he orld

amo$s 6Here -omes !he )ride8 !heme #ris!an $nd "solde hich some consider his ines! achievemen! @ie

%eis!ersinger von B$rn/erg arsial and his gargan!$an o$r9opera cycle @er Ring des Bi/el$ngen.

#hese las! o$r operas are !he single mos! amo$s mas!erpiece in opera his!ory. A !he !op !en longes!

operas , are /y 0agner. #he average opera leng!h is 3 ho$rs. Go!!erdamer$ng !he las! o !he Ring cycle is ho$rs long. %ore impor!an!ly 0agner inven!ed !he lei!mo!i a very shor! melody hich represen!s a

charac!er emo!ion even! or o/7ec!. He revol$!ionized !he ar! o opera and operas are no! ri!!en in any o!her

s!yle !oday e<cep! his or !he -lassical s!yle hich preceded him. #here has /een no progress /eyond him in

opera!ic ar!. "! has also /een said !ha! !he ar! o ilmmaking o$ld /e se! /ack 5&& years had 0agner no!

e<is!ed. Film so$nd!racks oe !heir a/ili!y !o enhance !he s!ory !o 0agner alone ho oes his a/ili!y !o !he

ne<! composer and almos! all ilm composers incl$ding John 0illiams agree !ha! 0agner is !he grea!es! ilm

composer in his!ory. Films can /e se! !o his m$sic.

His ines! ork is pro/a/ly #ris!an $nd "solde /$! !he Ring cycle co$ld ell /e e$al !o i!. :very!hing

he ro!e rom #annha$ser on >video a/ove? co$ld /e his ines! ork. ll his ma!$re orks are $nparalleled

in orches!ra!ion and he is one o !he very e opera composers ho ro!e his on li/re!!i.



3 *#d0ig van (eehoven

#he inven!or o Roman!ic m$sic. )eore him all !ha! co$ld /e said in m$sic had /een said >/y !he ne<!

!o composers?. )ee!hoven /egan his career /y imi!a!ing !he s!yles o %ozar! and Haydn and is considered

!he !hird grea!es! -lassical composer a!er !hem. 0i!h his 3rd Symphony nicknamed 6:roica8 and his 4!h and

5!h iano -oncer!i !he orld o m$sic en!ered i!s Roman!ic :ra o$! o hich i! may no! ye! have emerged.

#he adven! o ilm re$ired !ha! Roman!ic m$sic no! /e done aay i!h as !he more modern m$sic o

Schoen/erg )erg 0e/ern e!c. as no! s$i!a/le or !he enhancemen! o drama. #h$s as ilm;s m$sical

lineage goes direc!ly /ack !o 0agner i! goes /ack ar!her !o )ee!hoven ho inl$enced 0agner !he mos!.

"! as )ee!hoven;s !emperamen! !ha! crea!ed his ines! and mos! idiosyncra!ic orks among !hem his

3rd !o (!h symphonies his las! !hree o ive piano concer!i his violin concer!o !he ines! ever ri!!en !o

masses one o hich is !he %issa Solemnis !he second grea!es! mass ever ri!!en his cham/er m$sicespecially his s!ring $ar!e!s !he las! o hich !he +a!e C$ar!e!s are $niversally considered !o /e among !he

grea!es! m$sical orks in his!ory. A !hese "gor S!ravinsky deemed !he Grosse F$ge o !he second !o las!

$ar!e! !he grea!es! piece o m$sic ever ri!!en. )ee!hoven;s 5!h Symphony >video a/ove? /egins i!h !he

single mos! amo$s melody in m$sic his!ory. eople ho don;! even kno ho he as h$m i! every day.

)ee!hoven;s ines! orks are also !he ines! orks o !heir kind in m$sic his!ory= !he (!h Symphony !he

5!h iano -oncer!o !he 'iolin -oncer!o !he +a!e C$ar!e!s and his %issa Solemnis al!ho$gh !his las! ork is

no! $i!e as glorio$s as a mass composed /y I1 on !his lis!.

nd he achieved all !his despi!e /eing comple!ely dea or !he las! 25 years or so o his lie.

2 /olgang made#s $ozar

#he mos! gi!ed m$sical geni$s in his!ory !he mos! amo$s geni$s o any ield in his!ory and !he

perec!er o -lassical m$sic. He ro!e 41 symphonies 2, piano concer!i a large amo$n! o cham/er m$sic

23 operas 1* sona!as or piano 3 or violin or cello ch$rch sona!as organ pieces 1* masses incl$ding one

Re$iem 4 horn concer!i 2& s!ring $ar!e!s serenades diver!imen!i and many o!hers.

He as !he s$preme composer o melody and lyrical $ali!y in m$sic his!ory. ll o!her melodic

composers aspired !o his grea!ness incl$ding Sch$/er! -hopin #chaikovsky Sain!9Saens e!c. He ro!e his

m$sic in $ll orches!ral scores i!ho$! correc!ions o any kind $n!il la!e in lie hen he as sick. His irs!

dra!s ere his inal dra!s. His grea!es! orks are all legendary and canno! /e lis!ed en!irely /$! o !hem his

Re$iem %ass !he grea!es! ever ri!!en al!ho$gh he only inished hal. #he second hal as inished /y his

p$pil S$ssmayer. His las! 2& symphonies or so his las! serenade nicknamed :ine leine Bach!m$sik his

2&!h !hro$gh 24!h piano concer!i his 15!h and 1,!h masses in - %a7or and c minor respec!ively his 12

varia!ions on h vo$s dirais97e %aman hich is commonly knon as #inkle #inkle +i!!le S!ar and !here

are many o!hers.

"! as /eca$se o his perec!ion o !he -lassical mode !ha! )ee!hoven decided no! !o imi!a!e /$! ra!her

!o crea!e a ne mode. %ozar!;s ork ea!$res among o!her !hings !he ines! /alance /e!een solo

ins!r$men!s and orches!ra.



He as one o !he ines! pianis!s !o ever live and e$ally adep! a! !he violin.

ro/a/ly his grea!es! single ork or i!s pris!ine clari!y in all respec!s is his opera @on Giovanni

>video a/ove?.

1 Johann Se.asian (ach

#he grea!es! composer o m$sic ho has ever lived. )ach did no! inven! any ne s!yles o orms o

m$sic /$! ra!her perec!ed every single one o !hem hich e<is!ed in his day. He remains !he all9!ime mas!er

o !he $g$e a orm hich is so diic$l! !o ri!e !ha! even %ozar! and )ee!hoven /o!h o hom ro!e $gal

mas!erpieces ha!ed ri!ing !hem. )ach hoever improvised $g$es or 2 ho$rs a! a s!re!ch and !hen ro!e

!hem don rom memory a!erard.

)ach ro!e $niversal mas!erpieces in every genre incl$ding !he ines! concer!i grossi ever ri!!en

nicknamed !he )randen/$rg -oncer!i >clip a/ove?. He also ro!e !he ines! single ork o sacred m$sic inhis!ory !he %ass in / minor hich has /een arg$ed /y many m$sicologs!s and composers !o /e !he single

grea!es! ork o m$sic o all !ime in any genre in any s!yle.

0hereas mos! composers did no! !ypically relish comple<i!y )ach as a! home in i!. #he Sanc!$s rom

his / minor %ass is a 9par! chor$s incl$ding a 49voiced $g$e. "n !he annals o $gal composi!ion no

composer as ever a!!emp!ed ha! )ach accomplished and he did so i!ho$! diic$l!y= his mon$men!al r! o

F$g$e hich is a !horo$gh e<amina!ion o all !he me!hods /y hich $g$es are ri!!en. sing one !heme

)ach e<plains in m$sic all !he possi/ili!ies o con!rap$n!al composi!ion inheren! in a single m$sical s$/7ec!=

!he $g$e !he do$/le $g$e !he !riple $g$e !he $adr$ple $g$e !he s!re!!o $g$e !he mirror $g$e

canonizing !he $g$es e!c. " yo$ ere !o !$rn !he scores o !he !o mirror $g$es $pside don and play !hem!hey o$ld so$nd !he same.

He ro!e in !he )aro$e s!yle /$! his m$sic is as Roman!ic as any!hing )ee!hoven or 0agner or

Sch$mann ever composed and ilms can /e se! !o i!. He is !he grea!es! o all composers o all !ime /eca$se

o !he in!ellec!$al dep!h o his m$sic !he !echnical demand and !he ar!is!ic /ea$!y.

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Top 15 Greatest Composers of All Time