The world of musical theater is one that has produced some of the most iconic and enduring tunes in history. From Oklahoma! and West Side Story to Les Miserables and The Sound of Music, these musicals have made their mark on Broadway, the West End, and around the world.
But with so many composers out there, where do you start? In this article, we’re going to introduce you to 10 of the greatest musical theatre composers who were behind all these catchy songs. Let’s get started!
1. George Gershwin
American composer George Gershwin was one of the most famous musical theater composers whose work included classical and contemporary styles.
Gershwin’s parents, originally from Ukraine, moved to New York before he was born. His Ukrainian-Jewish heritage influenced his music.
He is best known for working with his brother Ira Gershwin and Buddy DeSylva on Broadway songs, with a strong jazz influence.
Famous songs like “I Got Rhythm,” “They All Laughed,” and “Summertime” are part of his extensive collection that defined a generation.
Gershwin’s music remains popular in Broadway shows and films. He passed away in 1937 from a brain tumor, leaving a lasting musical legacy.
2. Stephen Sondheim
Stephen Sondheim, born into a Jewish family in New York, is an American composer and lyricist. Mentored by Oscar Hammerstein II, he developed a passion for musical theater.
Sondheim studied composition at Williams College in Massachusetts and later under Milton Babbitt. He composed an adaptation of Beggar on Horseback by George S. Kaufman, which had a limited run.
Despite some failures, Sondheim persevered and made a name for himself. His famous works include A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, and Into the Woods; and he wrote the lyrics for West Side Story, among many others.
3. Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein, born in Massachusetts, was a Jewish-American composer who transformed musical theater. At age 10, his sister brought home a piano, and he taught himself to play despite his father’s lack of support.
His father eventually supported his passion for music, taking him to Boston Pops Orchestra concerts. George Gershwin’s work also deeply influenced him.
Bernstein studied at Harvard University and the Curtis Institute of Music, choosing to become a conductor. In 1943, he debuted with the New York Philharmonic when the original conductor fell ill.
He worked with several major orchestras, including the Pittsburgh Symphony and Israel Philharmonic. His famous compositions include West Side Story, On the Town, and Peter Pan. Bernstein retired in 1990 and died of a heart attack.
4. Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber, a famous British composer from Kensington, London, is a key figure in Broadway musical theater. He started composing music at age nine and would perform with friends and family.
At 17, Webber met Tim Rice, and they collaborated on many plays, including Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Likes of Us, and Evita.
In 1986, his most famous play, The Phantom of the Opera, debuted. Based on Gaston Leroux’s novel, it has been performed worldwide and adapted into films.
In 2001, The New York Times called him “the most commercially successful composer of all time.” His plays have held long-running titles and many have been turned into films. Today, he continues to compose actively.
5. Richard Rodgers
Richard Rodgers, an American composer from Queens, New York, created 23 Broadway musicals and over 900 songs. Born into a Jewish family, he started playing the piano at six and composed many songs at summer camp.
In 1919, he teamed up with Lorenz Hart, writing hits like “My Funny Valentine,” “The Lady is a Tramp,” and “Wait Til You See Her.” After Hart’s death in 1943, Rodgers partnered with Oscar Hammerstein II.
Together, Rodgers and Hammerstein produced classics like The Sound of Music, The King and I, and Cinderella, which were adapted into films and TV shows.
Rodgers continued composing until his death and received the Lawrence Langner Memorial Award for Distinguished Lifetime Achievement in the American Theater.
6. Irving Berlin
Born in the Russian Empire to a Jewish family, Irving Berlin moved to New York at five. He discovered his love for music when he was a teen.
At 14, he dropped out of school, realizing his only skill was singing. He taught himself piano and sang in saloons until 1909 when he became a lyricist for the Ted Snyder Company. Despite not being able to read sheet music, he founded the Music Box Theater on Broadway.
Some of his famous songs include “White Christmas,” “Anything You Can Do (I Can Do Better),” “Blue Skies,” “Puttin’ on the Ritz,” and “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm.”
Berlin lived a long life, having written nearly 1,500 songs for 20 Broadway plays and 15 Hollywood films, and passed away at 101 in 1989.
7. Cole Porter
Next is Cole Porter. Born in Indiana, he was the only surviving child in his family. Though his grandfather wanted him to become a lawyer, Porter was drawn to musical theater.
His mother supported his musical dreams. He learned violin at six, piano at eight, and wrote his first operetta at 10, with some help from his mother. She even falsified his birth certificate to make him seem more of a prodigy.
Porter attended Worcester Academy/ In 1917, he moved to Paris when the US entered WWI, staying there to study orchestration.
He returned to America and debuted his first full musical, Paris, on Broadway in 1928. By the 1930s, he became a popular Broadway composer with hits like Anything Goes, High Society, and Kiss Me, Kate.
In 1937, Porter had a riding accident that eventually led to his leg being amputated. Despite this, he released one more hit, Can-Can, in 1953. He passed away in 1964 at the age of 73.
8. Elton John
Born Reginald Kenneth Dwight in Pinner, England, Sir Elton John is a modern composer known for his stage presence and early talent.
At 15, he began playing piano and performing his own music in a local pub. In 1967, he answered an ad to compose music for Liberty Records and received lyrics from Bernie Taupin, who had also responded to the ad. This started a decades-long musical partnership between the two.
Besides his successful pop career, John composed music for musical theater productions such as The Lion King (1997), Aida (2000), Lestat (2006), and Billy Elliot the Musical (2008).
With numerous awards, including Grammys, Tonys, and Academy Awards, John’s career has spanned over 50 years.
9. Oscar Hammerstein II
Oscar Hammerstein II, a famous musical theater lyricist with eight Tony Awards and two Academy Awards, is widely celebrated. Singers often choose his beautiful, lyrical jazz songs for auditions and performances.
Born in New York to theater-involved parents, Hammerstein was introduced to the stage early. He dropped out of law school to pursue theater, opening his first Broadway play in 1920.
He partnered with composer Richard Rodgers, creating the famous Rodgers and Hammerstein duo known for many years. Some of his famous musicals include Oklahoma!, Carousel, and The Sound of Music.
Hammerstein was a strong advocate for writers’ rights on Broadway and served as president of the Dramatists Guild of America until his death in 1960.
The York Theater Company of New York City awards the Oscar Hammerstein Award each year for Lifetime Achievement in Musical Theater.
10. Jeanine Tesori
Jeanine Tesori is an American composer known for writing five Broadway musicals and earning five Tony Award nominations.
She started her career in 1995 as a dance music arranger for How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Her subsequent work, Violet, earned her an Obie award and several other accolades.
In 2000, she collaborated with Dick Scanlan on new songs for Thoroughly Modern Millie, which got her first Tony nomination. Shrek: The Musical debuted in 2008 and brought another Tony nomination.
Tesori has also composed music for films like Nights in Rodanthe, The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Beginning, Shrek the Third, and many others.
Her opera Blue, which addresses police brutality against young black men, debuted in 2019 at the Glimmerglass Festival in New York.
Summing Up Our List Of The Greatest Musical Theatre Composers
That wraps up our article on the most famous musical theatre composers of all time, and we hope it’s helped to put a face to the amazing music that you know and love.
With this, we recognize and honor the legacy left behind by some of the world’s most talented composers. One of the best ways to enjoy these composers’ work is by watching their plays or musicals, so go book some tickets and enjoy.
There are lots more composers we’ve not included on this list, but we’ll be updating it, so let us know who you think we should add!
