The great classical music performers Europe
Szeryng or Mercedes? Kissin or Michelangeli? It is difficult for inquiring minds to tackle a field as large and diverse as classical music, covering 10 centuries of history: there are uncountable numbers of classical music performers in the world. 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 performer/musician not be instinctively privileged by an English critic?
For example: in Canada, Marc-André Hamelin, a Quebec pianist and composer, is at least as popular as the German violinist Anne-Sofie Mutter, who is more internationally renowned.
Timeline of classical musicians in Europe
Whoever wants to discover classical music 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 this field. So : Szeryng (Polish-Mexican violinist) or Mercedes (American-born Greek operatic soprano) ? Jansen (Dutch violinist and violist) or Oistrakh (Soviet violinist) ? However, the knowledge available about musicians is enormous. It was processed to select the 10, 25, 50... most popular performers around the world, for those living or having lived en Europe, . And this objectively, and for the first time (soclassiq exclusivity).
Performers rendered as a timeline to bring a little perspective:
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ComposersConductorsLyrical singersPerformersT 2021
This timeline is interactive to navigate through the ages or across continents (with ).
Why are all these composers included in this timeline?
Many composers have also been concert performers or conductors, although their fame is associated with their work today. On the other hand, some conductors such as Arturo Toscanini, Georg Solti ... or musicians such as Martha Argerich, Vladimir Horowitz, Glenn Gould ... have also composed. Itzhak Perlman, David Oïstrakh... very well known as concert performers, have also conducted orchestras. Others, such as Leonard Bernstein, Pierre Boulez, William Christie ..., are renowned as much for their careers as composers, conductors and performers.
Top 10 classical musicians in Europe
Who are these greatest performers, the most famous over the 1880-2020 era in Europe? The carreer of these musician has marked the history of classical music. There are those you probably know, or at least by name and the others.
Here are these 10 performers, renowned artists from around the world:
The musicians and artists who also composed were removed from this ranking.
The selections of musicians (performers) proposed by soclassiq are based exclusively on algorithms. The same applies to the composers, their works, 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 well, for those who can easily name 50 or more classical music performers. Belkina, Buniatishvili, Barenboim, Gilels, Kremer, Cortot, Maisky...
At this time, soclassiq has listed more than 11000 performers. So here is a selection of some performers for the years 1880-2020, in Europe, 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 performers who have been or are composers, some more renowned for the work they have left than for their careers as musicians.
Claudio AbbadoThe great classical music performers
1933-2014 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Theodor W. AdornoThe great classical music performers
1903-1969 (20th century)
Composer & Performer
Jehan AlainThe great classical music performers
1911-1940 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Isaac AlbénizThe great classical music performers
1860-1909 (Romantic)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Géza AndaThe great classical music performers
1921-1976 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Anton ArenskyThe great classical music performers
1861-1906 (Romantic)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Vladimir AshkenazyThe great classical music performers
age 83 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Leopold von AuerThe great classical music performers
1845-1930 (Romantic)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Mily BalakirevThe great classical music performers
1837-1910 (Romantic)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Daniel BarenboimThe great classical music performers
age 78 (20th century)
Conductor & Performer
John BarryThe great classical music performers
1933-2011 (20th century)
Composer & Performer
Béla BartókThe great classical music performers
1881-1945 (20th century)
Composer & Performer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Yury BashmetThe great classical music performers
age 68 (20th century)
Conductor & Performer
Lena BelkinaThe great classical music performers
age 33 (20th century)
Lyrical singer & Performer
Alban BergThe great classical music performers
1885-1935 (20th century)
Composer & Performer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Luciano BerioThe great classical music performers
1925-2003 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
İdil BiretThe great classical music performers
age 79 (20th century)
Performer
Andrea BocelliThe great classical music performers
age 62 (20th century)
Composer, Lyrical singer & Performer
Alexander BorodinThe great classical music performers
1833-1887 (Romantic)
Composer & Performer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Nadia BoulangerThe great classical music performers
1887-1979 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Pierre BoulezThe great classical music performers
1925-2016 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Johannes BrahmsThe great classical music performers
1833-1897 (Romantic)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Benjamin BrittenThe great classical music performers
1913-1976 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Anton BrucknerThe great classical music performers
1824-1896 (Romantic)
Composer & Performer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Ole BullThe great classical music performers
1810-1880 (Romantic)
Composer & Performer
Hans von BülowThe great classical music performers
1830-1894 (Romantic)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Khatia BuniatishviliThe great classical music performers
age 33 (20th century)
Performer
Ferruccio BusoniThe great classical music performers
1866-1924 (Romantic)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Pau CasalsThe great classical music performers
1876-1973 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Alfredo CasellaThe great classical music performers
1883-1947 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Emmanuel ChabrierThe great classical music performers
1841-1894 (Romantic)
Composer & Performer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Ernest ChaussonThe great classical music performers
1855-1899 (Romantic)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Francesco CileaThe great classical music performers
1866-1950 (20th century)
Composer & Performer
Alfred CortotThe great classical music performers
1877-1962 (20th century)
Conductor & Performer
György CziffraThe great classical music performers
1921-1994 (20th century)
Composer & Performer
Eugen d'd'AlbertThe great classical music performers
1864-1932 (Romantic)
Composer & Performer
Luigi DallapiccolaThe great classical music performers
1904-1975 (20th century)
Composer & Performer
Peter Maxwell DaviesThe great classical music performers
1934-2016 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Claude DebussyThe great classical music performers
1862-1918 (Romantic)
Composer & Performer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Léo DelibesThe great classical music performers
1836-1891 (Romantic)
Composer & Performer
Frederick DeliusThe great classical music performers
1862-1934 (Romantic)
Composer & Performer
Ernő von DohnányiThe great classical music performers
1877-1960 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Paul DukasThe great classical music performers
1865-1935 (20th century)
Composer & Performer
Marcel DupréThe great classical music performers
1886-1971 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Antonín DvořákThe great classical music performers
1841-1904 (Romantic)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
MasterpiecesComplete works
George EnescuThe great classical music performers
1881-1955 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Manuel de FallaThe great classical music performers
1876-1946 (20th century)
Composer & Performer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Gabriel FauréThe great classical music performers
1845-1924 (Romantic)
Composer & Performer
Julia FischerThe great classical music performers
age 37 (20th century)
Performer
César FranckThe great classical music performers
1822-1890 (Romantic)
Composer & Performer
Wilhelm FurtwänglerThe great classical music performers
1886-1954 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Niels GadeThe great classical music performers
1817-1890 (Romantic)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
John Eliot GardinerThe great classical music performers
age 77 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Aida GarifullinaThe great classical music performers
age 33 (20th century)
Lyrical singer & Performer
Emil GilelsThe great classical music performers
1916-1985 (20th century)
Performer
Alexander GlazunovThe great classical music performers
1865-1936 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Henryk GoreckiThe great classical music performers
1933-2010 (20th century)
Composer & Performer
Charles GounodThe great classical music performers
1818-1893 (Romantic)
Composer & Performer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Enrique GranadosThe great classical music performers
1867-1916 (Romantic)
Composer & Performer
Edvard GriegThe great classical music performers
1843-1907 (Romantic)
Composer & Performer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Sofia GubaidulinaThe great classical music performers
age 89 (20th century)
Composer & Performer
Ida HaendelThe great classical music performers
1928-2020 (20th century)
Performer
Bernard HaitinkThe great classical music performers
age 91 (20th century)
Conductor & Performer
Nikolaus HarnoncourtThe great classical music performers
1929-2016 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Clara HaskilThe great classical music performers
1895-1960 (20th century)
Performer
Jascha HeifetzThe great classical music performers
1901-1987 (20th century)
Performer
Paul HindemithThe great classical music performers
1895-1963 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Gustav HolstThe great classical music performers
1874-1934 (20th century)
Composer & Performer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Vladimir HorowitzThe great classical music performers
1903-1989 (20th century)
Composer & Performer
Jacques IbertThe great classical music performers
1890-1962 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Johann Strauss IIThe great classical music performers
1825-1899 (Romantic)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Leoš JanáčekThe great classical music performers
1854-1928 (Romantic)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Janine JansenThe great classical music performers
age 43 (20th century)
Performer
Philippe JarousskyThe great classical music performers
age 42 (20th century)
Lyrical singer & Performer
Joseph JoachimThe great classical music performers
1831-1907 (Romantic)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Dmitri KabalevskyThe great classical music performers
1904-1986 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Aram KhachaturianThe great classical music performers
1903-1978 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Wojciech KilarThe great classical music performers
1932-2013 (20th century)
Composer & Performer
Evgeny KissinThe great classical music performers
age 49 (20th century)
Performer
Zoltán KodályThe great classical music performers
1882-1967 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Leonid KoganThe great classical music performers
1924-1982 (20th century)
Performer
Erich Wolfgang KorngoldThe great classical music performers
1897-1957 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Fritz KreislerThe great classical music performers
1875-1962 (20th century)
Composer & Performer
Gidon KremerThe great classical music performers
age 73 (20th century)
Conductor & Performer
Wanda LandowskaThe great classical music performers
1879-1959 (20th century)
Composer & Performer
Alicia de LarrochaThe great classical music performers
1923-2009 (20th century)
Composer & Performer
Ruggero LeoncavalloThe great classical music performers
1857-1919 (Romantic)
Composer & Performer
Gustav LeonhardtThe great classical music performers
1928-2012 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
György LigetiThe great classical music performers
1923-2006 (20th century)
Composer & Performer
Dinu LipattiThe great classical music performers
1917-1950 (20th century)
Composer & Performer
Valentina LisitsaThe great classical music performers
age 47 (20th century)
Performer
Franz LisztThe great classical music performers
1811-1886 (Romantic)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Leonardo De de LorenzoThe great classical music performers
1875-1962 (20th century)
Composer & Performer
Victoria de los ÁngelesThe great classical music performers
1923-2005 (20th century)
Lyrical singer & Performer
Paco de LucíaThe great classical music performers
1947-2014 (20th century)
Composer & Performer
Witold LutosławskiThe great classical music performers
1913-1994 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Yo-Yo MaThe great classical music performers
age 65 (20th century)
Composer & Performer
Gustav MahlerThe great classical music performers
1860-1911 (Romantic)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Mischa MaiskyThe great classical music performers
age 73 (20th century)
Performer
Clint MansellThe great classical music performers
age 58 (20th century)
Composer, Lyrical singer & Performer
Neville MarrinerThe great classical music performers
1924-2016 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Bohuslav MartinůThe great classical music performers
1890-1959 (20th century)
Composer & Performer
Jules MassenetThe great classical music performers
1842-1912 (Romantic)
Composer & Performer
Yehudi MenuhinThe great classical music performers
1916-1999 (20th century)
Conductor & Performer
Maria Callas De Las MercedesThe great classical music performers
1923-1977 (20th century)
Lyrical singer & Performer
Olivier MessiaenThe great classical music performers
1908-1992 (20th century)
Composer & Performer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Arturo Benedetti MichelangeliThe great classical music performers
1920-1995 (20th century)
Performer
Darius MilhaudThe great classical music performers
1892-1974 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Nathan MilsteinThe great classical music performers
1902-1992 (20th century)
Performer
Dimitri MitropoulosThe great classical music performers
1896-1960 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Ennio MorriconeThe great classical music performers
1928-2020 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Moritz MoszkowskiThe great classical music performers
1854-1925 (Romantic)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Maksim MrvicaThe great classical music performers
age 45 (20th century)
Performer
Modest Petrovich MussorgskyThe great classical music performers
1839-1881 (Romantic)
Composer & Performer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Riccardo MutiThe great classical music performers
age 80 (20th century)
Conductor & Performer
Anne-Sophie MutterThe great classical music performers
age 57 (20th century)
Performer
Heinrich NeuhausThe great classical music performers
1888-1964 (20th century)
Performer
Carl NielsenThe great classical music performers
1865-1931 (Romantic)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Arthur NikischThe great classical music performers
1855-1922 (Romantic)
Conductor & Performer
Jacques OffenbachThe great classical music performers
1819-1880 (Romantic)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
MasterpiecesComplete works
David OistrakhThe great classical music performers
1908-1974 (20th century)
Conductor & Performer
Carl OrffThe great classical music performers
1895-1982 (20th century)
Composer & Performer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Ignacy Jan PaderewskiThe great classical music performers
1860-1941 (20th century)
Composer & Performer
Arvo PärtThe great classical music performers
age 85 (20th century)
Composer & Performer
Krzysztof PendereckiThe great classical music performers
1933-2020 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Maria João PiresThe great classical music performers
age 76 (20th century)
Performer
Maurizio PolliniThe great classical music performers
age 79 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Amilcare PonchielliThe great classical music performers
1834-1886 (Romantic)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Francis PoulencThe great classical music performers
1899-1963 (20th century)
Composer & Performer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Jacqueline du PréThe great classical music performers
1945-1987 (20th century)
Performer
Zbigniew PreisnerThe great classical music performers
age 65 (20th century)
Composer & Performer
Sergei ProkofievThe great classical music performers
1891-1953 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Giacomo PucciniThe great classical music performers
1858-1924 (Romantic)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Sergei RachmaninoffThe great classical music performers
1873-1943 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Simon RattleThe great classical music performers
age 66 (20th century)
Conductor & Performer
Maurice RavelThe great classical music performers
1875-1937 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Ivan RebroffThe great classical music performers
1931-2008 (20th century)
Lyrical singer & Performer
Max RegerThe great classical music performers
1873-1916 (Romantic)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Ottorino RespighiThe great classical music performers
1879-1936 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Karl RichterThe great classical music performers
1926-1981 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Sviatoslav RichterThe great classical music performers
1915-1997 (20th century)
Composer & Performer
André RieuThe great classical music performers
age 71 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Clara RockmoreThe great classical music performers
1911-1998 (20th century)
Performer
Joaquín RodrigoThe great classical music performers
1901-1999 (20th century)
Composer & Performer
Mstislav RostropovichThe great classical music performers
1927-2007 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Nino RotaThe great classical music performers
1911-1979 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Miklós RózsaThe great classical music performers
1907-1995 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Nikolai RubinsteinThe great classical music performers
1835-1881 (Romantic)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Anton RubinsteinThe great classical music performers
1829-1894 (Romantic)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Arthur RubinsteinThe great classical music performers
1887-1982 (20th century)
Performer
Camille Saint-SaënsThe great classical music performers
1835-1921 (Romantic)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Pablo de SarasateThe great classical music performers
1844-1908 (Romantic)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Erik SatieThe great classical music performers
1866-1925 (Romantic)
Composer & Performer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Jordi SavallThe great classical music performers
age 79 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Wolfgang SawallischThe great classical music performers
1923-2013 (20th century)
Conductor & Performer
Adolphe SaxThe great classical music performers
1814-1894 (Romantic)
Performer
András SchiffThe great classical music performers
age 67 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Artur SchnabelThe great classical music performers
1882-1951 (20th century)
Composer & Performer
Alfred SchnittkeThe great classical music performers
1934-1998 (20th century)
Composer & Performer
Arnold SchoenbergThe great classical music performers
1874-1951 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Clara SchumannThe great classical music performers
1819-1896 (Romantic)
Composer & Performer
Alexander ScriabinThe great classical music performers
1872-1915 (Romantic)
Composer & Performer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Rodion ShchedrinThe great classical music performers
age 88 (20th century)
Composer & Performer
Dmitri ShostakovichThe great classical music performers
1906-1975 (20th century)
Composer & Performer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Jean SibeliusThe great classical music performers
1865-1957 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Bedřich SmetanaThe great classical music performers
1824-1884 (Romantic)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Georg SoltiThe great classical music performers
1912-1997 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Karlheinz StockhausenThe great classical music performers
1928-2007 (20th century)
Composer & Performer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Leopold StokowskiThe great classical music performers
1882-1977 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Richard StraussThe great classical music performers
1864-1949 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Igor StravinskyThe great classical music performers
1882-1971 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Josef SukThe great classical music performers
1874-1935 (20th century)
Composer & Performer
Arthur SullivanThe great classical music performers
1842-1900 (Romantic)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Johan SvendsenThe great classical music performers
1840-1911 (Romantic)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Georgy SviridovThe great classical music performers
1915-1998 (20th century)
Composer & Performer
Henryk SzeryngThe great classical music performers
1918-1988 (20th century)
Performer
Władysław SzpilmanThe great classical music performers
1911-2000 (20th century)
Composer & Performer
Karol SzymanowskiThe great classical music performers
1882-1937 (20th century)
Composer & Performer
Francisco TárregaThe great classical music performers
1852-1909 (Romantic)
Composer & Performer
Pyotr Ilyich TchaikovskyThe great classical music performers
1840-1893 (Romantic)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Andrés Segovia TorresThe great classical music performers
1893-1987 (20th century)
Composer & Performer
Arturo ToscaniniThe great classical music performers
1867-1957 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Viktor UllmannThe great classical music performers
1898-1944 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Vanessa Vanessa-MaeThe great classical music performers
age 42 (20th century)
Composer & Performer
Giuseppe VerdiThe great classical music performers
1813-1901 (Romantic)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Pauline ViardotThe great classical music performers
1821-1910 (Romantic)
Composer, Lyrical singer & Performer
Louis VierneThe great classical music performers
1870-1937 (20th century)
Composer & Performer
Henri VieuxtempsThe great classical music performers
1820-1881 (Romantic)
Composer & Performer
Richard WagnerThe great classical music performers
1813-1883 (Romantic)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Bruno WalterThe great classical music performers
1876-1962 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
William WaltonThe great classical music performers
1902-1983 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Anton WebernThe great classical music performers
1883-1945 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Kurt WeillThe great classical music performers
1900-1950 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Charles-Marie WidorThe great classical music performers
1844-1937 (Romantic)
Composer & Performer
Henryk WieniawskiThe great classical music performers
1835-1880 (Romantic)
Composer & Performer
Ralph Vaughan WilliamsThe great classical music performers
1872-1958 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Iannis XenakisThe great classical music performers
1922-2001 (20th century)
Composer & Performer
MasterpiecesComplete works
Eugène YsaÿeThe great classical music performers
1858-1931 (Romantic)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Krystian ZimermanThe great classical music performers
age 64 (20th century)
Composer, Conductor & Performer
Hans ZimmerThe great classical music performers
age 63 (20th century)
Composer & Performer
See also...
Timelines : Performers
- The great classical music performers
- Europe * North America * South America * Asia * Oceania * Africa
- The great 20th-century performers [II.] (1950 - 2000)
- Europe * North America * South America * Asia * Oceania * Africa
- The great 20th-century performers [I.] (1900 - 1950)
- Europe * North America * South America * Asia * Oceania * Africa
- The great 19th-century performers (1850 - 1900)
Indexes
- All performers : by instrument * 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 (Performers)
Other timelines
- Composers : 10 centuries of classical music
- The great classical music conductors
- The great lyrical singers
Commemorations 2021, 2022, ...
Last update : 2021-02-01