List of German composers

Bach

Beethoven

Brahms

Handel

Hildegard von Bingen

Mendelssohn

Schumann

Schütz

Stockhausen

Richard Strauss

Wagner

Weill

This is an alphabetical list of composers from Germany.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by expanding it with reliably sourced entries.

A

• Ludwig Abeille (1761–1838)
• Carl Friedrich Abel (1723–1787), performer on the viola da gamba and Classical composer
• Clamor Heinrich Abel (1634–1696)
• Ludwig Abel (1835–1895)
• Otto Abel (1905–1977)
• Walter Abendroth (1896–1973)
• Franz Abt (1819–1885)
• Anton Cajetan Adlgasser (1729–1777)
• Theodor Ludwig Wiesengrund Adorno (1903–1969)
• Johan Agrell (1701–1765), Baroque/Classical composer of symphonies
• Johann Friedrich Agricola (1720–1774)
• Martin Agricola (1486–1556)
• Carl Christian Agthe (1762–1797)
• Johann Georg Ahle (1651–1706)
• Johann Gottfried Arnold (1773–1806)
• Johann Rudolph Ahle (1625–1673)
• Eugen d'Albert (1864–1932)
• Heinrich Albert (1604–1651)
• Giovanni Henrico Albicastro (c. 1660–1730), born Johann Heinrich von Weissenburg
• Christoph Albrecht (born 1930)
• Leni Alexander (1924–2005)
• Johann Peter Cornelius d'Alquen (1800–1863)
• Johann Ernst Altenburg (1734–1801)
• Michael Altenburg (1584–1640), Baroque composer
• Johann Christoph Altnikol (1720–1759)
• Anna Amalia, Princess of Prussia (1723–1787)
• Johann André (1741–1799)
• Johann Anton André (1775–1842)
• Anna Amalia, Duchess of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (1739–1807)
• Lothar Arnold (born 1959)
• de (1728–1784)
• de (1798–1874)

B

• August Wilhelm Bach (1796–1869)
• Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714–1788), early-Classical-era composer
• de (1714–1785)
• Heinrich Bach (1615–1692)
• Johann(es) ("Hans") Bach III. (1604–1673)
• Johann Aegidius Bach I. (1645–1716)
• Johann Ambrosius Bach (1644–1695)
• Johann Bernhard Bach (1676–1749)
• Johann Bernhard Bach (the younger) (1700–1743)
• Johann Christian Bach (1735–1782)
• Johann Christoph Bach (the elder) (1645–1693)
• Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach (1732–1795)
• de (1705–1755)
• Johann Ernst Bach II (1722–1777)
• Johann Ludwig Bach (1677–1731)
• Johann Lorenz Bach (1695–1773)
• Johann Nikolaus Bach (1669–1753)
• de (1752–1846)
• Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750), Baroque composer, known for the Mass in B Minor and toccata and fuge in D minor
• Wilhelm Friedemann Bach (1710–1784
• Wilhelm Friedrich Ernst Bach (1759–1845)
• Heinrich Backofen (1768–1830)
• Selmar Bagge (1823–1896)
• Woldemar Bargiel (1828–1892)
• Ernst Gottlieb Baron (1696–1760)
• Friedrich Baumfelder (1836–1916), Middle Romantic composer, conductor, and pianist, known in his day for his Tirocinium musicae, and today known for his Melody in F major
• Jürg Baur (1918–2010)
• Waldemar von Baußnern (1866–1931)
• Franz Ignaz Beck (1734–1809)
• Günther Becker (1924–2007)
• Hugo Becker (1863–1941)
• Alfred von Beckerath (1901–1978)
• Ignaz von Beecke (1733–1803)
• Anton Beer-Walbrunn (1864–1929)
• Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827), regarded by many as the first Romantic composer, famous for his symphonies, piano sonatas and many other works
• Franz Benda (1709–1786)
• Georg Anton Benda (1722–1795)
• Ortwin Benninghoff (born 1946)
• Jean Berger (1909–2002), 20th-century composer known for his choral works
• Wilhelm Berger (1861–1911)
• Christoph Bernhard (1628–1692)
• Otto Besch (1885–1966)
• Frank Michael Beyer (1928–2008)
• Johann Samuel Beyer (1669–1744)
• Günter Bialas (1907–1995)
• Franz Biebl (1906–2001)
• Michael von Biel (born 1937)
• Helmut Bieler (born 1940)
• Helmut Bieler-Wendt (born 1956)
• Benjamin Bilse (1816–1902)
• Boris Blacher (1903–1975)
• Oskar Gottlieb Blarr (born 1934)
• Leo Blech (1871–1958)
• Volker Blumenthaler (born 1951)
• Theodor Blumer (1881–1964)
• Martin Traugott Blumner (1827–1901)
• Erhard Bodenschatz (1576–1639)
• Hans Boll (born 1923)
• Georg Böhm (1661–1733)
• Johann Ludwig Böhner (1787–1860)
• Siegfried Borris (1906–1987)
• Hans-Jürgen von Bose (born 1953), 20th-century Post-Modernist composer
• Thomas Böttger (born 1957)
• Johannes Brahms (1833–1897), Romantic composer
• Caspar Joseph Brambach (1833–1902), Romantic musician, pedagog, composer and conductor
• Torsten Brandes (born 1959)
• Theo Brandmüller (1948–2012)
• Nikolaus Brass (born 1949)
• Walter Braunfels (1882–1954)
• Reiner Bredemeyer (1929–1995)
• Wolfgang Carl Briegel (1626–1712)
• Alois Bröder (born 1961)
• Max Bruch (1838–1920), Romantic-era composer; today known mostly for his Violin Concerto No. 1
• Kurt Brüggemann (1908–2002)
• Klaus Bruengel (born 1949)
• Nicolaus Bruhns (1665–1697)
• Karl Gottfried Brunotte (born 1958)
• Wolfram Buchenberg (born 1962)
• Thomas Buchholz (born 1961)
• Philipp Friedrich Buchner (1614–1669)
• Fritz Büchtger (1903–1978)
• Hans von Bülow (1830–1894)
• August Bungert (1845–1915)
• Friedrich Burgmüller (1806–1874)
• Norbert Burgmüller (1810–1836)
• Adolf Busch (1891–1952)
• Hans Bußmeyer (1853–1930)
• Hugo Bußmeyer (1842–1912)
• Max Butting (1888–1976)
• Johann Heinrich Buttstedt (1666–1727)
• Dietrich Buxtehude (1637–1707), Mostly known for his organ works and chamber music

C

• Sethus Calvisius (1556–1615)
• Christian Cannabich (1731–1798)
• August Conradi (1821–1873)
• Peter Cornelius (1824–1874)

D

• Franz Danzi (1763–1826), Classical composer and cellist
• Ferdinand David (1810–1871)
• Johann Nepomuk David (1895–1977)
• Constantin Christian Dedekind (1628–1715)
• Michael Denhoff (born 1955)
• Ratko Delorko (born 1959)
• Christoph Demantius (1567–1643)
• Paul Dessau (1894–1979)
• Felix Otto Dessoff (1835–1892)
• Otto Dienel (1839–1905)
• Albert Dietrich (1829–1908), composer and conductor
• Hugo Distler (1908–1942)
• Johann Friedrich Doles (1715–1797)
• Heinrich Dorn (1804–1892)
• Justus Johann Friedrich Dotzauer (1783–1860)
• Felix Draeseke (1835–1913)
• Annette von Droste-Hülshoff (1797–1848)
• Philipp Dulichius (1562–1631)

E

• Johann Georg Ebeling (1637–1676)
• Johann Ernst Eberlin (1702–1762), organist and composer, a bridge between the Baroque and Classical eras
• de (1775–1831)
• Johannes Eccard (1553–1611)
• Moritz Eggert (born 1965)
• Werner Egk (1901–1983)
• Ernst Eichner (1740–1777), also Ernst Dietrich Adolph Eichner, Ernesto Eichner
• Hanns Eisler (1898–1962)
• Elisabeth Sophie of Mecklenburg (1613–1676)
• Johann Samuel Endler (1694–1762)
• Philipp Heinrich Erlebach (1657–1714)
• Jean Paul Ertel (1865–1933)
• Georg Espitalier (1926–2010)
• Kaspar Ett (1788–1847)
• Jury Everhartz (born 1971)

F

• Rainer Fabich (born 1958)
• Hans Fährmann (1860–1940)
• Immanuel Faißt (1823–1894)
• Carl Friedrich Christian Fasch (1736–1800)
• Johann Friedrich Fasch (1688–1758)
• Peter Fassbänder (1869–1920)
• Reinhard Febel (born 1952)
• Johann Georg Feldmayer (1756–1834)
• Alexander von Fielitz (1860–1930)
• Wolfgang Figulus (um 1525–1589)
• Anton Fils (1733–1760)
• Gottfried Wilhelm Fink (1783–1846)
• Siegfried Fink (1928–2006)
• Gerhard Fischer-Münster (born 1952)
• Johann Fischer (1646–1716)
• Johann Caspar Ferdinand Fischer (1556–1656)
• Johann Christian Fischer (1733–1800)
• Johann Karl Christian Fischer (1752–1807)
• Michael Gotthard Fischer (1773–1829)
• Johann Friedrich Anton Fleischmann (1766–1798)
• Christian Flor (1629–1697)
• Friedrich von Flotow (1812–1883)
• Johann Nikolaus Forkel (1749–1818)
• Christoph Förster (1693–1745)
• Wolfgang Fortner (1907–1987)
• Eduard Franck (1817–1893)
• Johann Wolfgang Franck (1644–c. 1710)
• Johann Zacharias Franck (1686–1756)
• Melchior Franck (1580–1639)
• Richard Franck (1858–1938)
• Clemens von Franckenstein (1875–1942)
• Bernd Franke (born 1959)
• Robert Franz (1815–1892)
• Henning Frederichs (1936–2003)
• Frederick II of Prussia (1712–1786), king of Prussia, composer and flautist
• Carl Friedemann (1862–1952)
• Johannes Fritsch (born 1941)
• Johann Jakob Froberger (1616–1667)
• Gerhard Frommel (1906–1984)
• Adam von Fulda (1445–1505)
• Wilhelm Furtwängler (1886–1954)

G

• Florian Leopold Gassmann (1729–1774)[1], Classical composer of opera buffa
• Gustav Geierhaas (1888–1976)
• Fritz Geißler (1921–1984)
• Harald Genzmer (1909–2007)
• Günter Gerlach (1928–2003)
• Hans Gerle (um 1498–1570)
• Friedrich Gernsheim (1839–1916)
• Ottmar Gerster (1897–1969)
• Franz Gleißner (1761–1818)
• Michael Gielen (born 1927)
• Christoph Willibald Gluck (1714–1787), early Classical-era composer
• Werner Gneist (1898–1980)
• Hermann Goetz (1840–1876)
• Walter Wilhelm Goetze (1883–1961)
• Friedrich Goldmann (born 1941)
• Berthold Goldschmidt (1903–1996)
• Gunther Martin Göttsche (born 1953)
• Paul Graener (1872–1944)
• Christian Ernst Graf (1723–1804)
• Friedrich Hartmann Graf (1727–1795)
• Johann Graf (1684–1750)
• Wolfram Graf (born 1965)
• Kurt Grahl (born 1947)
• Carl Heinrich Graun (1704–1759), Baroque composer and tenor singer
• Johann Gottlieb Graun (1703–1771), Baroque composer and violinist
• Christoph Graupner (1683–1760)
• Eduard Grell (1800–1886)
• Erhard Grosskopf (born 1934)
• Franz Grothe (1908–1982)
• Martin Grütter (born 1983)
• Boris Guckelsberger (born 1968)
• Max Gulbins (1862–1932)
• Gustav Gunsenheimer (born 1934)
• Manfred Gurlitt (1890–1972)
• Volker Gwinner (1912–2004)

H

• Joseph Haas (1879–1960)
• Hellmut Haase-Altendorf (1912–1990)
• Widmar Hader (born 1941)
• Bernhard Joachim Hagen (1720–1787)
• Dietrich Hahne (born 1961)
• Bernhard Hamann (1909–1968)
• Peter Michael Hamel (born 1947)
• Stefan Hakenberg (born 1960)
• Andreas Hakenberger (1574–1627), Baroque composer
• August Halm (1869–1929)
• Peter Michael Hamel (born 1947)
• George Frideric Handel (1685–1759), Baroque composer, wrote a significant amount of music for the church including Messiah
• Bernd Hänschke (born 1948)
• Andreas Hantke (born 1956)
• Holger Hantke (born 1951)
• Heinz Friedrich Hartig (1907–1969)
• Heinrich Hartl (born 1953)
• Karl Amadeus Hartmann (1905–1963)
• Ludwig Hartmann (1836–1910)
• Klaus Hashagen (1924–1998)
• Johann Adolph Hasse (1699–1783)
• Karl Hasse (1883–1960)
• Hans Leo Hassler (1546–1612)
• Jakob Hassler (1569–1622)
• Johann Wilhelm Häßler (1747–1822)
• Martin Hauber (born 1964)
• Carl August Haupt (1810–1891)
• Walter Haupt (born 1935)
• Moritz Hauptmann (1792–1868)
• Florian Havemann (born 1952)
• Joseph Haydn (1732−1809)
• Pantaleon Hebenstreit (1668–1750)
• Herbert Hechtel (born 1937)
• Heinz Heckmann (born 1932)
• Werner Heider (born 1930)
• Peter Heilbut (1920–2005)
• Johann David Heinichen (1683–1729)
• Prince Heinrich XXIV Reuss of Köstritz (1855–1910)
• Hans Helfritz (1902–1995)
• Barbara Heller (born 1936)
• Sigmund Hemmel (um 1520–1565)
• Fanny Hensel (1805–1847)
• Adolf von Henselt (1814–1889)
• Hans Werner Henze (1926-2012)
• Ulrich Herkenhoff (born 1966)
• Sven Hermann (born 1974)
• Heinrich Freiherr von Herzogenberg (1843–1900)
• Hans-Joachim Hespos (born 1938)
• Kurt Hessenberg (1908–1994)
• Matthias Hettmer (born 1973)
• Stefan Heucke (born 1959)
• Richard Bruno Heydrich (1865–1938)
• Manfred Heyl (1908-2001)
• Werner Richard Heymann (1896–1961)
• Ernst Hildebrand (1918–1986)
• Hildegard of Bingen (1098–1179), early church music composer, wrote sacred works including her morality play with music Ordo Virtutum
• Wilhelm Hill (1838–1902)
• Ferdinand Hiller (1811–1885)
• Wilfried Hiller (born 1941)
• Paul Hindemith (1895–1963), 20th-century composer, conductor and theorist, developer of "Gebrauchsmusik"
• Rudolf Hindemith (1900–1974)
• Stefan Hippe (born 1966)
• Karl Höller (1907–1987)
• York Höller (born 1944)
• E.T.A. Hoffmann (1776–1822)
• Melchior Hoffmann (~1679/1685–1715)
• Franz Anton Hoffmeister (1754–1812)
• Heinrich Hofmann (1842–1902)
• Richard Hofmann (1844–1918)
• Franz von Holstein (1826–1878)
• Gottfried August Homilius (1714–1785), church music composer, wrote passions, oratorios, and cantatas
• Nicolaus A. Huber (born 1939)
• Falk Hübner (born 1979)
• Wolfgang Hufschmidt (born 1934)
• Carl Theodor Hütterott (born 1926)
• Bertold Hummel (1925–2002), 20th-century modernist composer
• Franz Hummel (born 1939)
• Johann Nepomuk Hummel (1778–1837), Classical composer
• Engelbert Humperdinck (1854–1921)
• Hans Ulrich Humpert (1940–2010)
• Leopold Hurt (born 1979)
• Mathias Husmann (born 1948)

I

• Artur Immisch (1902–1949)

J

• Salomon Jadassohn (1831–1902)
• Johann Gottlieb Janitsch (1708–c1763), musician at the court of Frederick II of Prussia, wrote 28 quadro sonatas
• Philipp Jarnach (1892–1982)
• Michael Jary (1906–1988)
• Johannes Jeep (c. 1581/82–1644), also Johann Jepp
• Gustav Jenner (1865–1920)
• Adolf Jensen (1837–1879)
• Jens Joneleit (born 1968)
• Jens Josef (born 1967)

K

• Friedrich Kalkbrenner (1785–1849), born Friedrich Wilhelm Michael Kalkbrenner
• Richard Rudolf Klein (1921–2011), musician, university professor, composer and conductor
• Julius Klengel (1859–1933), cellist and composer
• Paul Klengel (1854–1935), violinist, violist and pianist
• August Friedrich Martin Klughardt (1847–1902), composer and conductor
• Joseph Martin Kraus (1756–1792), Classical composer who moved to Sweden
• Johann Ludwig Krebs (1713–1780), composer and organist
• Peter Anton Kreusser (1765–1831)

L

• Helmut Lachenmann (born 1935)
• Alexander Ledkovsky (1944–2004), German-American conductor, composer, and music editor of Russian descent
• Johann Carl Gottfried Löwe (1796–1869), Romantic-era composer of lieder
• Henning Lohner (born 1961), film score composer
• de (1819 - 1905), also Loeschhorn
• Albert Lortzing (1801–1851)
• Vincent Lübeck (1654–1740)

M

• Thomas Mancinus (1550–~1612), also Menckin, Mencken
• Emilie Mayer (1812–1883), composer of symphonies, concert overtures, lieder and chamber works
• Simon Mayr (1763–1845), Classical-era opera composer, rarely performed today
• Fanny Mendelssohn (1805–1847), sister of Felix Mendelssohn; pianist and composer
• Felix Mendelssohn (1809–1847), Romantic composer, known for Wedding March from his music to A Midsummer Night's Dream
• Johann Mattheson (1681–1764), Baroque composer, composed numerous operas, cantatas and oratorios.
• Giacomo Meyerbeer (1791–1864), Romantic-era opera composer, known for Les Huguenots
• pl (born 1980), film score composer
• Johann Gottfried Müthel (1728–1788)

N

• Johann Gottlieb Naumann (1741–1801)
• Otto Nicolai (1810–1849), full name Carl Otto Ehrenfried Nicolai

O

• Jacques Offenbach (1819–1880), Romantic composer and cellist
• Carl Orff (1895–1982), 20th-century modernist composer
• Caspar Othmayr (1515–1553), Renaissance composer

P

• Johann Pachelbel (1653–1706), Baroque composer known for his Canon in D major
• Johann Christoph Pepusch (1667–1752), also known as John Christopher Pepusch and Dr Pepusch
• Hans Pfitzner (1869–1949), composer and self-described anti-modernist
• Michael Praetorius (1571–1621), Baroque composer, organist and writer on music

Q

• Johann Joachim Quantz (1697–1773)

R

• Carl Reinecke (1824–1910), musician and composer
• Max Reger (1873–1916), pianist, organist and composer
• Hermann Reutter (1900–1985)
• Wolfgang Rihm (born 1952), 20th Century Post-Modernist composer

S

• Theodor von Schacht (1748–1823)
• Christoph Schaffrath (1709–1763), chamber music composer, a bridge between the Baroque and Classical eras
• Samuel Scheidt (1587–1653), Baroque composer, organist and teacher
• Martin Scherber (1907–1974), 20th-century composer of three symphonies
• de (1687–1754), Baroque composer, Bavaria
• Johann Schop (1590–1667), composer of violin music
• Franz Schreker (1878–1934), late Romantic composer of operas and numerous orchestral pieces
• Franz Schubert (1797–1828), arguably most influential early romantic composer of lied.
• de (born 1956)
• Clara Schumann (1819–1896), Romantic composer, wife of Robert Schumann and pianist who also wrote piano music, chamber music and songs
• Robert Schumann (1810–1856), Romantic composer, a significant lieder writer, also wrote many short piano pieces
• Georg Caspar Schürmann (c. 1673–1751), Baroque composer
• Heinrich Schütz (1585–1672), Baroque composer and organist
• Philipp Scharwenka (1847–1917), composer and teacher
• Fritz Seitz (1848–1918), Romantic-era violin teacher
• Louis Spohr (1784–1859), Romantic composer of symphonies, operas, and other works
• Karlheinz Stockhausen (1928–2007), 20th-century serial and electronic music composer
• Richard Strauss (1864–1949), late Romantic composer, known for Also Sprach Zarathustra, based on Friedrich Nietzsche's philosophy

T

• Georg Michael Telemann (1748–1831), grandson of Georg Philipp
• Georg Philipp Telemann (1681–1767), Baroque composer with more than 800 credited works
• Johann Theile (1646–1724)
• Friedrich Hieronymus Truhn (1811–1886), Romantic composer, conductor and music writer

U

• Anton Urspruch (1850–1907)

V

• Andreas Nicolaus Vetter (1666–1734)
• Johann Vierdanck (c. 1605–1646), also Virdanck, Vyrdanck, Feyertagk, Feyerdank, Fierdanck
• Johann Christoph Vogel (1756–1788), also Fogel
• Friedrich Robert Volkmann (1815–1883)

W

• Max Wagenknecht (1857–1922), composer of organ and piano music
• Ignatz Waghalter (1881–1949), composer of operas, operettas, songs, and works for violin and orchestra.
• Richard Wagner (1813–1883), opera composer, made use of extreme chromaticism, known for Tristan und Isolde as well as the famous four-opera cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen
• Siegfried Wagner (1869–1930)
• Carl Maria von Weber (1786–1826), composer who was a bridge between the Classical and Romantic styles, noted for Der Freischütz
• Kurt Weill (1900–1950), composer of "Threepenny Opera" other musical theatre works, film scores, songs, symphonic and chamber.
• Hans Jürgen von der Wense (1894–1966)
• Richard Wetz (1875–1935), late Romantic composer and teacher
• Franz Wohlfahrt (1833–1884), Romantic-era violin teacher

Z

• Friedrich Wilhelm Zachow (1663–1712), also Zachau
• Adolf Zander (1843–1914), Middle Romantic composer, organist, music director, choir director and founder of the Berliner Liedertafel choir.
• Hans Zimmer (born 1957), composer for over 100 film scores, notable for blending electronic music and orchestral arrangements
• Hermann Zilcher (1881–1948), composer, conductor and pianist
• Johann Rudolf Zumsteeg (1760–1802)

See also

• Chronological list of German classical composers
• Lists of composers
• List of Germans