Classical Music Composers Timeline

Classical music has evolved significantly since its beginnings in the medieval era. It’s fascinating to see how each generation has shaped its development, from monophonic Gregorian chant to serialism and beyond.

In this post, we’ve created a timeline of some of the most influential classical composers in history. From Bach to Beethoven and Dufay to Webern, these composers have made major contributions to modern music and are often considered among the best.

Please note that some composers spanned multiple eras, so we’ve categorized them as best as we can, even though they might belong in more than one!

Medieval Era(500–1400)

The longest classical music era, the medieval period lasted from AD 500 to 1400.

Because it was so long, music historians split this time into three sub-periods: the early Medieval period (500–1150), the High Medieval period (1150–1300), and the Late Medieval period (1300–1400).

The typical style of music during this period was monophonic — a type of musical texture that involved a single melodic line with no harmony. However, toward the end of the Medieval era, polyphonic music began to be used more and more, which led to the Renaissance era.

Below are some of the notable composers from the medieval era:

Stephen of Liège (850–920): Made significant contributions to the liturgical and musical traditions of the church, including the compilation of chant manuscripts.
Fulbert of Chartres (c. 960–1028): Composed hymns and chants that enriched the liturgical music of his time.
Peter Abelard (1079–1142): Composed beautiful hymns and liturgical music that influenced medieval musical traditions.
Hildegard of Bingen (1098–1179): Created many original and expressive pieces of sacred music that are still celebrated today.
Léonin (c. 1155–1200): Known for developing polyphonic music, particularly through his work on the Magnus Liber Organi.
Pérotin (1160–1238): Advanced the development of polyphonic music by creating intricate and innovative compositions for the Notre Dame Cathedral.
Adam de la Halle (c. 1250–c. 1306): Famous for creating one of the earliest French operas, Le Jeu de Robin et Marion.
Philippe de Vitry (1291–1361): Developed the Ars Nova style, which transformed rhythmic notation in music.
Guillaume de Machaut (c. 1300–1377): Renowned for writing the Messe de Nostre Dame, one of the earliest complete settings of the Mass by a single composer.
Francesco Landini (c. 1335–1397): Celebrated for his beautiful and complex ballate, which were among the most popular forms of music in 14th-century Italy.

Renaissance Era (1400–1600)

The Renaissance music era, which spanned from AD 1400 to 1600, saw a big development in several different areas.

Composers had a lot more freedom in terms of form, harmony, instrumentation, and purpose of the music they were writing.

Below are some of the notable composers from the Renaissance era:

Guillaume Dufay (1397–1474): Celebrated for his sacred and secular styles, as well as the motet Nuper rosarum flores.
Johannes Ockeghem (c. 1410–1497): Known for his polyphonic compositions, especially the Missa Prolationum.
Alexander Agricola (c. 1446–1506): A key figure in the Habsburg musical establishment.
Josquin Des Prez (c. 1450–1521): Had a great influence on polyphonic vocal music, including masses and motets.
Jean Mouton (1459–1522): Best known for his complex motets and masses.
Pierre de la Rue (c. 1452–1518): Best known for his polyphonic mass Missa L’Homme Armé.
Robert Fayrfax (1464–1521): Renowned for his exceptional choral works, particularly the mass Missa O quam glorifica.
Francisco de Peñalosa (c. 1470–1528): Recognized for his intricate polyphonic works, particularly the motet O sacrum convivium.
Robert Carver (c. 1490– c. 1547): Most famous for his elaborate choral works, especially the mass Missa Dum sacrum mysterium.
Clément Janequin (c. 1485–1558): Best known for his innovative and descriptive chanson La guerre (The Battle).
Francesco Canova da Milano (1497–1543): Famed for his expressive lute compositions, particularly Fantasia no. 33.
Thomas Tallis (c. 1505–1585): Best known for his monumental choral work Spem in alium, a 40-part motet.
Jacques Arcadelt (c. 1504–1568): Famous for his widely performed madrigal Il bianco e dolce cigno.
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (c. 1525–1594): Celebrated for the Missa Papae Marcelli (Pope Marcellus Mass).
Francisco Guerrero (1528–1599): Renowned for his sacred music, particularly the Missa de Beata Virgine.
Orlando di Lasso (1532–1594): Best known for his motets, notably Tristis est anima mea.
Francisco Soto de Langa (1534–1619): Best known for his sacred villancicos, particularly the renowned “Riu, riu, chiu.”
Gioseffo Guami (1542–1611): Famed for his madrigals and instrumental canzonas, particularly the Canzone La Lucchesina.
William Byrd (1539–1623): Became famous for his sacred music, especially the Ave Verum Corpus.
François-Eustache Du Caurroy (1549–1609): Contributed to the era’s sacred music, particularly his motet Miserere mei Deus.

Baroque Era (1600–1750)

The Baroque era was from around AD 1600 to 1750, and a lot of changes were seen in the music being written during this time.

The music became a lot more dramatic with more use of dynamics and contrast with lots of musical ornamentation.

It also saw the birth of some new music forms, like opera, concertos, sonatas, oratorios, and more.

Below are some of the notable composers from the Baroque era:

Hieronymus Praetorius (1560–1629): An organist renowned for his polyphonic choral works, especially his “Magnificat” settings.
John Dowland (1563–1626): Best known for his melancholy lute songs, particularly “Flow, My Tears.”
Manuel Cardoso (1566–1650): Well known for his sacred music, especially his “Requiem.”
Claudio Giovanni Antonio Monteverdi (1567–1643): Played a crucial role in the transition from Renaissance to Baroque music, especially known for his innovative opera L’Orfeo.
Thomas Simpson (1582–c. 1628): Known for his instrumental music, especially his collection of dance pieces in The Monthes.
Petronio Franceschini (1651–1681): Known for his Sonata in D, which showcases the expressive qualities of Baroque music.
Arcangelo Corelli (1653–1713): Famous for his Concerto Grossi, which set the standard for the concerto form.
Henry Purcell (c. 1659–1695): Renowned for his opera Dido and Aeneas, which is celebrated as one of the greatest works of Baroque music.
Alessandro Scarlatti (1660–1725): Developed the opera seria genre, particularly exemplified in his opera Griselda.
Tomaso Albinoni (1671–1751): Best known for his Adagio in G Minor.
Antonio Lucio Vivaldi (1678–1741): Famous for his violin concertos, especially The Four Seasons.
Georg Philipp Telemann (1681–1767): Renowned for his prolific output and his influential Tafelmusik suites.
Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683–1764): Best known for the opera Hippolyte et Aricie, which established him as a leading figure in French Baroque opera.
Giuseppe Matteo Alberti (1685–1751): Famed for his violin concertos, particularly the Concerto in D Major.
George Frideric Handel (1685–1759): Famous for his oratorio Messiah, which includes the equally celebrated “Hallelujah” chorus.
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750): Celebrated for his masterpiece the Brandenburg Concertos.
Giuseppe Domenico Scarlatti (1685–1757): An extraordinary keyboardist known for his sonatas.
Johann Friedrich Fasch (1688–1758): Admired for his intricate orchestral suites.
Jean Jacques-Christophe Naudot (c. 1690–1762): Best known for his virtuosic flute concertos.
Johann Adolph Hasse (1699–1783): Famed for his operas, particularly “Cleofide,” which exemplify the expressiveness of the Opera seria style.

Classical Era (1750–1820)

The Classical music era spanned from around 1750 to 1820 and was a time of great development in the music world.

Not only were some iconic instruments like the piano invented, but it also saw a return to more simplistic melodies that were memorable and very singable.

Below are some of the notable composers from the Classical era:

Wilhelm Friedemann Bach (1710–1784): The eldest son of Johann Sebastian Bach and famed for his inventive keyboard music, particularly his Fantasias.
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714–1788): The second son of Johann Sebastian Bach and known for his influential keyboard works, especially his Sonatas.
Christoph Willibald Ritter von Gluck (1714–1787): Helped revitalize the opera genre with his Orfeo ed Euridice.
Johann Georg Leopold Mozart (1719–1787): Famed for his violin textbook Versuch einer gründlichen Violinschule, which shaped violin teaching for generations.
Johann Ernst Bach II (1722–1777): Known for his church music, particularly his cantatas.
Johann Gottlieb Goldberg (1727–1756): Inspired Johann Sebastian Bach’s Goldberg Variations, which were named after him.
Franz Joseph Haydn (1732–1806): Developed the symphony and string quartet, particularly through works like the London Symphonies.
Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach (1732–1795): His symphonies and chamber music bridged the Baroque and Classical styles.
Johann Christian Bach (1735–1782): Had a major influence on the classical style and operas, particularly Artaserse.
Antonio Salieri (1750–1825): Known for his operas and for being a prominent musical figure in Vienna during his time.
Muzio Clementi (1752–1832): Called the Father of the Pianoforte and celebrated for his piano sonatas.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791): A prodigy famed for his numerous symphonies, operas, and concertos, such as The Magic Flute and Eine kleine Nachtmusik.
Franz Xaver Sussmayr (1766–1803): He completed Mozart’s unfinished Requiem.
Bedřich Diviš Weber (1766–1842): Founded the Prague Conservatory.
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827: Bridged the Classical and Romantic eras and was famed for his nine symphonies, particularly Symphony no. 9.
Niccolo Paganini (1782–1840): A virtuosic violinist best known for his 24 Caprices.
Carl Maria von Weber (1786–1826): Established German Romantic opera with Der Freischütz.
Gioachino Antonio Rossini (1792–1868): Also famed for his operas, especially The Barber of Seville and William Tell.
Franz Peter Schubert (1797–1828): Made a significant impact with his lieder (art songs) and his “Unfinished Symphony.”
Domenico Gaetano Maria Donizetti (1797–1848): Contributed greatly to the opera genre with works like Lucia di Lammermoor and L’elisir d’amore.

Romantic Era (1820–1900)

The Romantic era, spanning from around AD 1820 to 1900, was a time of emotional, expressive music.

Composers now wrote music to express feelings such as grief and love through extreme dynamic range, complex chord sequences, the use of rubato, and other musical devices.

It also saw the development of new forms such as tone poems, lieders, nocturnes, and rhapsodies, among others.

Below are some of the notable composers from the Romantic era:

Vincenzo Bellini (1801–1835): Greatly influenced the bel canto opera style.
Louis-Hector Berlioz (1803–1869): Famed for his orchestral work “Symphonie fantastique.”
Johann Strauss I (1804–1849): Popularized the waltz with pieces like the “Radetzky March.”
Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn (1809–1847): Contributed significantly to the Romantic era with pieces like the “Overture to a Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
Frédéric Chopin (1810–1849): Revolutionized piano music with his nocturnes and etudes.
Robert Alexander Schumann (1810–1856): Renowned for his piano concertos.
Franz Liszt (1811–1886): Transformed piano performance with his compositions and the development of the symphonic poem.
Wilhelm Richard Wagner (1813–1883): Redefined opera with his epic “Ring Cycle” and the concept of Gesamtkunstwerk (total artwork).
Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi (1813–1901): Dominated the opera scene with masterpieces like La Traviata and Aida.
Charles-François Gounod (1818–1893): Fame for his operas, particularly Faust, and his religious music like “Ave Maria.”
Jacques Offenbach (1819–1880): Significantly shaped the operetta genre with his work Orpheus in the Underworld.
Clara Josephine Wieck Schumann (1819–1896): Elevated the role of the piano in Romantic music with her exceptional performances and compositions.
César Franck (1822–1890): Contributed significantly to French music with his symphonic masterpiece Symphony in D Minor.
Josef Anton Bruckner (1824–1896): Influenced symphonic music with his grand and complex symphonies, particularly his Symphony no. 7.
Johann Strauss II (1825–1899): Became famous for his waltzes, including “The Blue Danube.”
Johannes Brahms (1833–1897): Enriched the Romantic repertoire with his Hungarian Dances and Symphony no. 1.
Eduard Strauss (1835–1916): Continued the family tradition of composing Viennese waltzes and polkas, such as “Bahn Frei!”
Georges Bizet (1838–1875): Contributed to the opera genre, notably Carmen.
Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky (1839–1881): Contributed greatly to Russian music with his opera Boris Godunov and the suite Pictures at an Exhibition.
Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840–1893): Achieved worldwide fame with his ballets, like Swan Lake and The Nutcracker.
Antonín Dvorak (1841–1904): Celebrated for his New World Symphony, which drew on European classical traditions and American folk music.
Jules Massenet (1842–1912): Made a major impact on opera with his work Manon.
Edvard Hagerup Grieg (1843–1907): Famous for his Peer Gynt suite, which includes the piece “In the Hall of the Mountain King.”
Gabriel-Urbain Fauré (1845–1924): Highly regarded for his “Requiem.”
Sir Edward William Elgar (1857–1934): Best known for his Enigma Variations and the Pomp and Circumstance marches.
Giacomo Puccini (1858–1924): Achieved great fame with operas like La Bohème and Tosca.
Gustav Mahler (1860–1911): Renowned for his expansive symphonies, such as Symphony no. 5.
Achille-Claude Debussy (1862–1918): Known for his impressionist music, particularly the piece “Clair de Lune.”
Richard Strauss (1864–1949): Made a significant contribution to orchestral music with his tone poem Also sprach Zarathustra.
Jean Sibelius (1865–1957): Most famous for his symphonic poem Finlandia, which became a symbol of Finnish nationalism.
Erik Satie (1866–1925): Recognized for his unique and minimalist piano pieces, particularly the Gymnopédies.
Siegfried Wagner (1869–1930): Followed in his father Richard Wagner’s footsteps with works like the opera Der Bärenhäuter.
Alexander Nikolayevich Scriabin (1872–1915): Transformed classical music with his mystical compositions, particularly through Piano Sonata no. 5.
Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872–1958): Known for his orchestral work The Lark Ascending.
Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff (1873–1943): Celebrated for his Piano Concerto no. 2, a staple of the piano repertoire.
Gustav Theodore Holst (1874–1934): Famous for his orchestral suite The Planets, particularly the movement “Mars, the Bringer of War.”

20th-Century Era (1900–Present)

The 20th-century music period began around the 1900s and is considered to be the period we’re still in.

This is the time that composers began to escape the musical conventions from previous years. They branched off into many sub-movements, like impressionism, modernism, minimalism, and neoclassicism.

Below are some of the notable composers from the 20th-century era:

Arnold Franz Walter Schoenberg (1874–1951): Revolutionized music with his development of the twelve-tone technique.
Charles Edward Ives (1874–1954): Broke new ground with his innovative use of dissonance and polytonality.
Joseph Maurice Ravel (1875–1937): Renowned for his exquisite orchestration, demonstrated in his piece Boléro.
Béla Bartók (1881–1945): Integrated folk music elements into classical compositions, as epitomized by his Concerto for Orchestra.
Artur Schnabel (1882–1951): Made significant contributions to classical music interpretation, particularly through his performances and recordings of Beethoven’s piano sonatas.
Igor Stravinsky (1882–1971): His work The Rite of Spring redefined the possibilities of rhythm and dissonance in music.
Zóltan Kodály (1882–1967): Made major contributions to music education and created influential works like Háry János Suite.
Anton Webern (1883–1945): Advanced the twelve-tone technique with his highly structured pieces, such as Five Pieces for Orchestra.
Alban Berg (1885–1935): Merged late Romanticism with modernist techniques.
Sergei Prokofiev (1891–1953): Noted for his vibrant and dynamic works, especially the ballet Romeo and Juliet.
George Gershwin (1898–1937): Fused classical music with jazz, creating iconic pieces like Rhapsody in Blue.
Francis Poulenc (1899–1963): Celebrated for the choral piece “Gloria,” among others.
Maurice Durufle (1902–1986): Highly regarded for his beautiful “Requiem.”
Sir Lennox Berkeley (1903–1989): Contributed to 20th-century music with his Symphony no. 1.
Eduard Tubin (1905–1982): Noted for his symphonies and ballet music, especially Kratt.
Dmitri Shostakovich (1906–1975): Created significant works under Soviet pressure, notably his Symphony no. 5.
Olivier Messiaen (1908–1992): Celebrated for his spiritual and innovative music, especially the Turangalîla-Symphonie.
Samuel Barber (1910–1981): Remembered for his emotionally powerful Adagio for Strings.
William Howard Schuman (1910–1992): Made substantial contributions to modern music, particularly with his Symphony no. 3.
Gian Carlo Menotti (1911–2007): Achieved fame with his opera Amahl and the Night Visitors.
Jean Françaix (1912–1997): Known for his light-hearted and witty compositions, particularly the Divertissement.
Benjamin Britten (1913–1976): Greatly influenced 20th-century music, particularly through his opera Peter Grimes.
Bernd Alois Zimmermann (1918–1970): Known for his complex and diverse works, especially the opera Die Soldaten.
Ernest Tomlinson (1924–2015): Celebrated for his light orchestral music, notably the Suite of English Folk Dances.
Peter Lamb (1925–2013): Recognized for his contributions to wind band music, particularly Sonatina for Flute and Piano.
Karlheinz Stockhausen (1928–2007): A pioneer in electronic music, with significant works like Gesang der Jünglinge.
William Mathias (1934–1992): Admired for his choral and orchestral works, particularly Ave Rex.
Arvo Pärt (1935–): Renowned for his minimalist and spiritual compositions, especially Spiegel im Spiegel.
John Rutter (1945–): Highly esteemed for his choral music, with popular pieces like “Requiem.”

Summing Up The Classical Composers Timeline

As you can see, this timeline of classical music composers shows the evolution and progressionof classical music over time.

Jumping on YouTube and exploring each of these composers’ music is a great way to see how the styles have changed throughout the years.

There are many composers we haven’t included on this list, but if you think we’ve missed someone, let us know, and we’ll add them.