10 centuries of classical music Composers (North America)
Glass or Cage? Kreisler or Ma? It is difficult for inquiring minds to tackle such abundant fields as classical music and opera, covering 10 centuries of history: there are thousands of composers. Making a selection of musicians, such as a “top 10” for example, is a difficult and subjective exercise. A musical selection is often the expression of personal preferences or artistic opinions, very interesting but also very different according to critics or musicologists, or simply influenced by the context: will an English composer not be instinctively privileged by an English critic?
For example: in France, Charles Gounod, a 19th century French composer, is more easily mentioned than the Norwegian Edvard Grieg, who is more recognized in the world.
Timeline of classical music composers in North America
Whoever wants to discover classical music or opera does not always have an experienced music lover, an expert or an educator at his or her side to support and guide him or her in these fields. So : Glass (American composer and pianist) or Cage (American avant-garde composer (1912-1992)) ? Hindemith (German-born American composer (1895–1963)) or Maazel (French-American conductor) ? However, the knowledge available about musicians is enormous. It was processed to select the 10, 25, 50... most popular composers around the world, for those living or having lived en North America, . And this objectively, and for the first time (soclassiq exclusivity).
Composers rendered as a timeline to bring a little perspective:
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ComposersConductorsLyrical singersPerformers 2021
This timeline is interactive to navigate through the ages (from 1400), or eras : medieval music, renaissance, baroque music (Bach...), classical period (Mozart...), romantic music (Beethoven...), XXth (Stravinsky), or across continents (with ).
Top 10 classical musiccomposers in North America
Who are these greatest composers, the most famous in North America? The works of these musician have shaped the history of classical music and lyric art. There are those you probably know, or at least by name and the others.
Here are these 10 classical music composers, renowned artists from around the world:
Curious to know their most emblematic works? Just a click away to discover them.
The selections of musicians (classical music composers) proposed by soclassiq are based exclusively on algorithms. The same applies to their works, the performers, the lyrical singers, les orchestras, the conductors and the venues : opera houses, concert halls or festivals.
What about the others? 25, 50 or more?
Summarizing to 10 musician names such a wide and diverse field may seem extreme or too simplistic for those who know classical music and lyrical art well, for those who can easily name 50 or more classical music composers. Stravinsky, Gershwin, Barber, Weill, Williams, Martinů, Shore...
At this time, soclassiq has listed more than 18000 composers. So here is a selection of some composers, in North America, widely recognized around the world:
Note:
- This selection may include highly reputed artists and musicians who have occasionally devoted themselves to classical music and not exclusively.
- It may also include composers who have been or are concert performers, some more renowned for their careers than for the work they have left behind.
Paul Abraham10 centuries of classical music
1892-1960 (20th century)
Conductor & Composer
Maurice Abravanel10 centuries of classical music
1903-1993 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
John Luther Adams10 centuries of classical music
age 67 (20th century)
Composer
John Coolidge Adams10 centuries of classical music
age 73 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
Samuel Adler10 centuries of classical music
age 92 (20th century)
Conductor & Composer
Theodor W. Adorno10 centuries of classical music
1903-1969 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Leroy Anderson10 centuries of classical music
1908-1975 (20th century)
Conductor & Composer
George Antheil10 centuries of classical music
1900-1959 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Desi Arnaz10 centuries of classical music
1917-1986 (20th century)
Conductor, Lyrical singer, Performer & Composer
Milton Babbitt10 centuries of classical music
1916-2011 (20th century)
Composer
Angelo Badalamenti10 centuries of classical music
age 83 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Samuel Barber10 centuries of classical music
1910-1981 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
MasterpiecesComplete works
John Barry10 centuries of classical music
1933-2011 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Béla Bartók10 centuries of classical music
1881-1945 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Amy Beach10 centuries of classical music
1867-1944 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Joshua Bell10 centuries of classical music
age 53 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Robert Russell Bennett10 centuries of classical music
1894-1981 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
Cathy Berberian10 centuries of classical music
1926-1983 (20th century)
Lyrical singer, Performer & Composer
Elmer Bernstein10 centuries of classical music
1922-2004 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
Leonard Bernstein10 centuries of classical music
1918-1990 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
Ernest Bloch10 centuries of classical music
1880-1959 (20th century)
Composer
William Bolcom10 centuries of classical music
age 82 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Victor Borge10 centuries of classical music
1909-2000 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
Paul Bowles10 centuries of classical music
1910-1999 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Glenn Branca10 centuries of classical music
1948-2018 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Bruce Broughton10 centuries of classical music
age 75 (20th century)
Conductor & Composer
Leo Brouwer10 centuries of classical music
1939-2003 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
Ole Bull10 centuries of classical music
1810-1880 (Romantic)
Performer & Composer
Adolf Busch10 centuries of classical music
1891-1952 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Juventino Rosas Cadenas10 centuries of classical music
1868-1894 (Romantic)
Conductor & Composer
John Cage10 centuries of classical music
1912-1992 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Hoagy Carmichael10 centuries of classical music
1899-1981 (20th century)
Lyrical singer, Performer & Composer
John Alden Carpenter10 centuries of classical music
1876-1951 (20th century)
Composer
Elliott Carter10 centuries of classical music
1908-2012 (20th century)
Composer
Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco10 centuries of classical music
1895-1968 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
George Whitefield Chadwick10 centuries of classical music
1854-1931 (Romantic)
Composer
Carlos Chávez10 centuries of classical music
1899-1978 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
Gloria Coates10 centuries of classical music
age 82 (20th century)
Composer
Aaron Copland10 centuries of classical music
1900-1990 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Carmine Coppola10 centuries of classical music
1910-1991 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
John Corigliano10 centuries of classical music
age 82 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Henry Cowell10 centuries of classical music
1897-1965 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
George Crumb10 centuries of classical music
age 91 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Walter Damrosch10 centuries of classical music
1862-1950 (20th century)
Conductor & Composer
Bella Davidovich10 centuries of classical music
age 92 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Carl Davis10 centuries of classical music
age 84 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
Don Davis10 centuries of classical music
age 63 (20th century)
Composer
David Diamond10 centuries of classical music
1915-2005 (20th century)
Composer
Antal Doráti10 centuries of classical music
1906-1988 (20th century)
Conductor & Composer
Vernon Duke10 centuries of classical music
1903-1969 (20th century)
Composer
Alfred Einstein10 centuries of classical music
1880-1952 (20th century)
Composer
Hanns Eisler10 centuries of classical music
1898-1962 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Danny Elfman10 centuries of classical music
age 67 (20th century)
Lyrical singer, Performer & Composer
Morton Feldman10 centuries of classical music
1926-1987 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Arthur Fiedler10 centuries of classical music
1894-1979 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
Carlisle Floyd10 centuries of classical music
age 94 (20th century)
Composer
Lukas Foss10 centuries of classical music
1922-2009 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
Stephen Foster10 centuries of classical music
1826-1864 (Romantic)
Composer
David Foster10 centuries of classical music
age 71 (20th century)
Lyrical singer, Performer & Composer
Ivan Galamian10 centuries of classical music
1903-1981 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Diamanda Galás10 centuries of classical music
age 65 (20th century)
Lyrical singer, Performer & Composer
George Gershwin10 centuries of classical music
1898-1937 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Michael Giacchino10 centuries of classical music
age 53 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Philip Glass10 centuries of classical music
age 83 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Leopold Godowsky10 centuries of classical music
1870-1938 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Elliot Goldenthal10 centuries of classical music
age 66 (20th century)
Composer
Jerry Goldsmith10 centuries of classical music
1929-2004 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
Louis Moreau Gottschalk10 centuries of classical music
1829-1869 (Romantic)
Performer & Composer
Morton Gould10 centuries of classical music
1913-1996 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
Glenn Gould10 centuries of classical music
1932-1982 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Percy Grainger10 centuries of classical music
1882-1961 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
Alexander Gretchaninov10 centuries of classical music
1864-1956 (20th century)
Conductor & Composer
Charles Griffes10 centuries of classical music
1884-1920 (20th century)
Composer
Henry Kimball Hadley10 centuries of classical music
1871-1937 (20th century)
Conductor & Composer
Marc-André Hamelin10 centuries of classical music
age 59 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Marvin Hamlisch10 centuries of classical music
1944-2012 (20th century)
Conductor & Composer
W. C. Handy10 centuries of classical music
1873-1958 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Howard Hanson10 centuries of classical music
1896-1981 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
Roy Harris10 centuries of classical music
1898-1979 (20th century)
Composer
Victor Herbert10 centuries of classical music
1859-1924 (Romantic)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
Bernard Herrmann10 centuries of classical music
1911-1975 (20th century)
Conductor & Composer
Paul Hindemith10 centuries of classical music
1895-1963 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
Josef Hofmann10 centuries of classical music
1876-1957 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
James Horner10 centuries of classical music
1953-2015 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
Vladimir Horowitz10 centuries of classical music
1903-1989 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Alan Hovhaness10 centuries of classical music
1911-2000 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
James Newton Howard10 centuries of classical music
age 69 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
Karel Husa10 centuries of classical music
1921-2016 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
Sebastián de Iradier10 centuries of classical music
1809-1865 (Romantic)
Composer
Eugene Istomin10 centuries of classical music
1925-2003 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Charles Ives10 centuries of classical music
1874-1954 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Byron Janis10 centuries of classical music
age 92 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Norman Dello Joio10 centuries of classical music
1913-2008 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Scott Joplin10 centuries of classical music
1868-1917 (Romantic)
Performer & Composer
Emmerich Kálmán10 centuries of classical music
1882-1953 (20th century)
Conductor & Composer
Jānis Kalniņš10 centuries of classical music
1904-2000 (20th century)
Conductor & Composer
Ramin Karimloo10 centuries of classical music
age 42 (20th century)
Lyrical singer & Composer
Jerome Kern10 centuries of classical music
1885-1945 (20th century)
Composer
Leon Kirchner10 centuries of classical music
1919-2009 (20th century)
Composer
Erich Wolfgang Korngold10 centuries of classical music
1897-1957 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Serge Koussevitzky10 centuries of classical music
1874-1951 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
Fritz Kreisler10 centuries of classical music
1875-1962 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Ernst Krenek10 centuries of classical music
1900-1991 (20th century)
Conductor & Composer
Giorgi Latsabidze10 centuries of classical music
age 42 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Morten Lauridsen10 centuries of classical music
age 77 (20th century)
Composer
Calixa Lavallée10 centuries of classical music
1842-1891 (Romantic)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
Ernesto Lecuona10 centuries of classical music
1896-1963 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Michel Legrand10 centuries of classical music
1932-2019 (20th century)
Conductor, Lyrical singer, Performer & Composer
Kate Liu10 centuries of classical music
age 26 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Charles Martin Loeffler10 centuries of classical music
1861-1935 (Romantic)
Performer & Composer
Frederick Loewe10 centuries of classical music
1901-1988 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Otto Luening10 centuries of classical music
1900-1996 (20th century)
Conductor & Composer
Arkady Luxemburg10 centuries of classical music
age 81 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Yo-Yo Ma10 centuries of classical music
age 65 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Lorin Maazel10 centuries of classical music
1930-2014 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
Edward MacDowell10 centuries of classical music
1860-1908 (Romantic)
Performer & Composer
Alma Mahler10 centuries of classical music
1879-1964 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Henry Mancini10 centuries of classical music
1924-1994 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
Arturo Márquez10 centuries of classical music
age 70 (20th century)
Conductor & Composer
Wynton Marsalis10 centuries of classical music
age 59 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
Bohuslav Martinů10 centuries of classical music
1890-1959 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Eduardo Mata10 centuries of classical music
1942-1995 (20th century)
Conductor & Composer
Dimitri Mitropoulos10 centuries of classical music
1896-1960 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
Gabriela Montero10 centuries of classical music
age 50 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Nico Muhly10 centuries of classical music
age 39 (20th century)
Composer
Conlon Nancarrow10 centuries of classical music
1912-1997 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Randy Newman10 centuries of classical music
age 77 (20th century)
Conductor, Lyrical singer, Performer & Composer
Ervin Nyiregyházi10 centuries of classical music
1903-1987 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Ignacy Jan Paderewski10 centuries of classical music
1860-1941 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
John Knowles Paine10 centuries of classical music
1839-1906 (Romantic)
Composer
Jacob Clemens non Papa10 centuries of classical music
1510-1555 (Renaissance)
Composer
Horatio Parker10 centuries of classical music
1863-1919 (Romantic)
Composer
Harry Partch10 centuries of classical music
1901-1974 (20th century)
Composer
Gregor Piatigorsky10 centuries of classical music
1903-1976 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Walter Piston10 centuries of classical music
1894-1976 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
Manuel Ponce10 centuries of classical music
1886-1948 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Lorenzo Da da Ponte10 centuries of classical music
1749-1838 (Classical)
Composer
André Previn10 centuries of classical music
1929-2019 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
Carlos Puebla10 centuries of classical music
1917-1989 (20th century)
Lyrical singer, Performer & Composer
Sergei Rachmaninoff10 centuries of classical music
1873-1943 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Steve Reich10 centuries of classical music
age 84 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Fritz Reiner10 centuries of classical music
1888-1963 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
Silvestre Revueltas10 centuries of classical music
1899-1940 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
Wallingford Riegger10 centuries of classical music
1885-1961 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
Terry Riley10 centuries of classical music
age 85 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
George Rochberg10 centuries of classical music
1918-2005 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Richard Rodgers10 centuries of classical music
1902-1979 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Bernard Rogers10 centuries of classical music
1893-1968 (20th century)
Composer
Sigmund Romberg10 centuries of classical music
1887-1951 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Miklós Rózsa10 centuries of classical music
1907-1995 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
Carl Ruggles10 centuries of classical music
1876-1971 (20th century)
Composer
Curt Sachs10 centuries of classical music
1881-1959 (20th century)
Composer
Lalo Schifrin10 centuries of classical music
age 88 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
Thomas Schippers10 centuries of classical music
1930-1977 (20th century)
Conductor & Composer
Arnold Schoenberg10 centuries of classical music
1874-1951 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Gunther Schuller10 centuries of classical music
1925-2015 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
William Schuman10 centuries of classical music
1910-1992 (20th century)
Conductor & Composer
Ruth Crawford Seeger10 centuries of classical music
1901-1953 (20th century)
Composer
Roger Sessions10 centuries of classical music
1896-1985 (20th century)
Composer
Anoushka Shankar10 centuries of classical music
age 39 (20th century)
Lyrical singer, Performer & Composer
Edward Shearmur10 centuries of classical music
age 54 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Howard Shore10 centuries of classical music
age 74 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
Alexander Siloti10 centuries of classical music
1863-1945 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
Leonard Slatkin10 centuries of classical music
age 76 (20th century)
Conductor & Composer
Nicolas Slonimsky10 centuries of classical music
1894-1995 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
Dang Thai Son10 centuries of classical music
age 62 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Stephen Sondheim10 centuries of classical music
age 90 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
John Philip Sousa10 centuries of classical music
1854-1932 (Romantic)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
Max Steiner10 centuries of classical music
1888-1971 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
Jim Steinman10 centuries of classical music
age 73 (20th century)
Lyrical singer, Performer & Composer
Eduard Steuermann10 centuries of classical music
1892-1964 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Fritz Stiedry10 centuries of classical music
1883-1968 (20th century)
Conductor & Composer
William Grant Still10 centuries of classical music
1895-1978 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
Igor Stravinsky10 centuries of classical music
1882-1971 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Frank Van der Stucken10 centuries of classical music
1858-1929 (Romantic)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
Zoltán Székely10 centuries of classical music
1903-2001 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
George Szell10 centuries of classical music
1897-1970 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
Albert Szirmai10 centuries of classical music
1880-1967 (20th century)
Composer
Alexander Tcherepnin10 centuries of classical music
1899-1977 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Michael Tilson Thomas10 centuries of classical music
age 76 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
Randall Thompson10 centuries of classical music
1899-1984 (20th century)
Conductor & Composer
Virgil Thomson10 centuries of classical music
1896-1989 (20th century)
Conductor & Composer
Dimitri Tiomkin10 centuries of classical music
1894-1979 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
David Tudor10 centuries of classical music
1926-1996 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Brian Tyler10 centuries of classical music
age 48 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
Rufus Wainwright10 centuries of classical music
age 47 (20th century)
Lyrical singer, Performer & Composer
Kurt Weill10 centuries of classical music
1900-1950 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
Jaromír Weinberger10 centuries of classical music
1896-1967 (20th century)
Composer
Chou Wen-chung10 centuries of classical music
1923-2019 (20th century)
Composer
John Williams10 centuries of classical music
age 88 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
Paul Wittgenstein10 centuries of classical music
1887-1961 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Stefan Wolpe10 centuries of classical music
1902-1972 (20th century)
Composer
Charles Wuorinen10 centuries of classical music
1938-2020 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
Christopher Young10 centuries of classical music
age 62 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
La Monte Young10 centuries of classical music
age 85 (20th century)
Composer
Efrem Zimbalist10 centuries of classical music
1889-1985 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
John Zorn10 centuries of classical music
age 67 (20th century)
Performer & Composer
Some composers to be celebrated very soon
Next month, more than 40 important artists and musicians will be honoured. In February 2021 some of them may celebrate a special anniversary. For others, amateurs and enthusiasts will celebrate the bicentenary of their birth or the fiftieth anniversary of their death for example. Among them, some famous composers:
on 4, Iannis Xenakis (1922-2001), 20th anniversary (Death),
on 8, André Grétry (1741-1813), 280th anniversary (Birth),
on 15, Michael Praetorius (1571-1621), 450th anniversary (Birth),
on 20, Percy Grainger (1882-1961), 60th anniversary (Death),
on 21, Carl Czerny (1791-1857), 230th anniversary (Birth),
...
There are others to discover. And it is not too late to focus on the January 2021 celebrations (40+).
Always good opportunities to discover or deepen, (re)listen, explore the vastness and diversity of classical music...
See also...
Timelines : Composers
- 10 centuries of classical music
- Europe * North America * South America * Asia * Oceania * Africa
- The beginnings of classical music, 1000 ... 1500
- The rise of classical music, 1500 ... 2000
- Europe * North America * South America * Asia * Oceania * Africa
- Medieval * Renaissance * Baroque * Classical * Romantic * XXe
- Romantic : Europe * North America * South America * Asia * Oceania * Africa
- XXe : Europe * North America * South America * Asia * Oceania * Africa
- 1400 - 1500 : The 15th-century classical music composers
- 1500 - 1600 : The 16th-century classical music composers
- 1600 - 1700 : The 17th-century classical music composers + ( 1600 - 1650 ) + ( 1650 - 1700 )
- 1700 - 1800 : The 18th-century classical music composers + ( 1700 - 1750 ) + ( 1750 - 1800 )
- 1800 - 1900 : The 19th-century classical music composers
- Europe * North America * South America * Asia * Oceania * Africa
- 1800 - 1850 : Europe * North America * South America * Asia * Oceania * Africa
- 1850 - 1900 : Europe * North America * South America * Asia * Oceania * Africa
- 1900 - 2000 : The 20th-century classical music composers
- Europe * North America * South America * Asia * Oceania * Africa
- 1900 - 1950 : Europe * North America * South America * Asia * Oceania * Africa
- 1950 - 2000 : Europe * North America * South America * Asia * Oceania * Africa
Indexes
- All composers : by era * by country
- by alphabetical order : A * B * C * D * E * F * G * H * I * J * K * L * M * N * O * P * Q * R * S * T * U * V * W * X * Y * Z
- Young artists (Composers)
Other timelines
Commemorations 2021, 2022, ...
Last update : 2021-01-01