17 Famous German Composers You Can’t Ignore

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Music in German culture has been honored and cultivated since time immemorial. From the early days of sacred monophony by faithful worshippers to powerful, chest-thumping soundscapes of modern Hollywood blockbusters, very little of Western art and culture exists outside the influence of German composers you know—and many you might not know! Enrich your German education with the gems of music culture Germany has produced, and consider learning German with Rosetta Stone’s app if you enjoy the culturally immersive approach to language learning.

Understanding the importance of music in German culture

Historically, music in Germany was seen as a form of divine inspiration and worship. Thanks to the nation’s historical ties to the Holy Roman empire, Christianity’s influence emphasized the importance of this method of reverence. This created the mindset that music was morally good, and those who could perform or compose it were deemed as a higher class of society and revered as such.

Today, German society encourages musical creation and enjoyment through public funding, subsidizing the price of concert tickets, and the creation of Konservatorien (music schools). Naturally, the ability to cheaply compose music in an environment where musical genius is held in such high esteem has led to a huge number of famous German composers who have shaped artistic, auditory art forms into what we know them as now.

With each German composer we explore, we’ve included some of their most well-known compositions along with the historical era in which they wrote music, their music’s genre, and their favorite medium(s) for performing their musical pieces.

1. Hildegard von Bingen (1098–1179)

Era: Medieval
Genre: Sacred monophony
Forte: Voice, liturgical drama

A name you might not know, Hildegard von Bingen was a mystic, philosopher, abbess, polymath, and one of the first famous German composers. Pope Benedict XVI canonized her in 2012 as a saint of writers and musicians for her historical veneration and titled her Doctor of the Church, making her one of only four women to ever hold the title.

Hildegard claimed to experience divine visions since she was a child, and the church authenticated her visions when she finally told her confessor about them at age 43. These visions not only inspired her musical compositions in sacred monophony, they also informed her on topics related to the apocalypse and God’s relationship with humanity.

• Ordo Virtutum
• O vis aeternitatis
• Columba aspexit

2. Heinrich Schütz (1585–1672)

Era: Baroque
Genre: Sacred choral
Forte: Psalm settings, motets

Regarded as the greatest composer of music in Germany before Johann Sebastian Bach, Heinrich Schütz showed a natural talent for music at a young age. He influenced the sacred music of the church in Germany by introducing the Italian Baroque styles of intense, dramatic musical themes. This led to the rise in popularity of Baroque-style compositions in Germany and set the building blocks in place for the golden age of Lutheran church music in Germany.

The funeral music he composed for a noble friend of his, titled Musikalische Exequien, is known today as the first German Requiem. His legacy carries on despite many of his works being lost to history thanks to the Thirty Years War and limited publication. 

• Psalmen Davids
• Musikalische Exequien
• Symphoniae Sacrae

3. Johann Pachelbel (1653–1706)

Era: Baroque
Genre: Instrumental
Forte: Organ, chamber music

You’ve probably guessed the famous song by this composer: Canon in D, a staple of modern weddings and formal events. Johann Pachelbel was one of the great organ masters of his generation. Due to his extensive formal education in music theory and composition, many of his musical pieces were comprised of intricate musical techniques that showcased his skill and knowledge.

As a master in the art of music, Johann Pachelbel taught a young student named Johann Christoph Bach how to play the organ. This student later passed on this knowledge and skill to his younger (and more famous) brother Johann Sebastian Bach. 

• Canon in D
• Chaconne in F minor
• Hexachordum Apollinis

4. Georg Philipp Telemann (1681–1767)

Era: Baroque
Genre: Instrumental, sacred, and secular
Forte: Orchestral suites, solo works

A composer of the late Baroque period, George Phillip Telemann created both sacred music for the church and secular music for concerts and operas. Despite having never actually received music lessons, Teleman composed over 3,000 musical pieces, far exceeding most classic composers. Perhaps even more incredibly, he was self-taught in a wide range of musical instruments such as the violin, oboe, clavier, recorder, and many more.

Second only to his musical genius was Telemann’s organizational skills. His innate ability to reorganize and lead teams of other musicians helped him to form musical societies that made high-end compositions, like his, accessible to the average German through public concerts.

• Tafelmusik
• Paris Quartets
• Viola Concerto in G

5. Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)

Era: Baroque
Genre: Sacred, secular
Forte: Keyboard, fugues, cantatas

You’d be hard-pressed to argue against these facts: Johann Sebastian Bach was one of the greatest composers of all time and is called the father of western music. He produced over 1,000 works in his career as a German composer for the church as well as the royal court. Many musicologists claim Bach’s primary achievement was his mastery of counterpoint. It involves the practice of weaving two or more melodic voices or instruments together to create a greater, more harmonious whole.

It might surprise you to learn that, despite his grand title and the recognition he enjoys today, Johann Sebastian Bach’s compositions didn’t gain much popularity until his influence exploded in the 19th century.

• Brandenburg Concertos
• The Well-Tempered Clavier
• Mass in B Minor
• St. Matthew Passion

6. Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714–1788)

Era: Classical
Genre: Keyboard, orchestral
Forte: Piano sonatas, symphonies

The most famous son of Johann Sebastian Bach, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (C.P.E. Bach) attracted admiration from other German classical composers for the emotional stylings of his works. Perhaps his most important accomplishment is that he pioneered the Empfindsamer Stil (sensitive style), which helped to transition Germany from the Baroque period to the classical period. His musical works dripped with emotion, spontaneity, and sudden harmonic shifts that still captivates audiences today.

• Solfeggietto
• Hamburg Symphonies
• Magnificat

7. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791)

Era: Classical
Genre: Opera, symphony, chamber
Forte: Piano, ensemble, voice

Though technically from Austria (another German-speaking country), Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart composed over 600 musical works throughout his life. As a child prodigy, Mozart mastered several forms of music such as opera, symphony, and piano concerto by his teenage years and could read and write music as young as five years old! Avid listeners of Mozart adore his emotional depth and his flair for humor and drama.

Perhaps there was only so much the German composer had to give despite his early start, yet it’s tragically ironic that he passed at the young age of 35. Though many considered his works to be overly complicated during his time, Mozart is now likened to Shakespeare in terms of cultural achievement in today’s society.

• The Magic Flute
• Requiem
• Symphony No. 40
• Eine kleine Nachtmusik

8. Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)

Era: Classical through Romantic
Genre: Symphony and piano
Forte: Orchestral, sonatas

Beethoven’s unparalleled musical compositions stood at the crossroads of the Classical and Romantic eras in Germany. As an individualistic spirit, he broke away from the Classical structure of music at the time by adding more instruments to his orchestra. His Ninth Symphony, Ode to Joy, remains a universal symbol of unity and human resilience in Europe to this day.

In a cruel twist of fate, Beethoven’s hearing started declining in his early adult life, eventually leading to complete deafness before he turned 50. Despite his significant hearing loss—the one thing you’d expect a famous classical composer to need—Ludwig von Beethoven continued composing some of his greatest music while deaf by biting a metal rod attached to his piano, allowing him to still “hear” his compositions.

• Symphony No. 9
• Moonlight Sonata
• Fidelio
• Piano Concerto No. 5

9. Carl Maria von Weber (1786–1826)

Era: Romantic
Genre: Opera
Forte: Overtures, dramatic voice

One of the first significant German composers of the romantic school of music, Carl Maria Friedrich Ernst von Weber pushed the boundaries of the Romantische Oper (Romantic opera) in Germany. In fact, he was one of the first composers to create German operas that had great appeal during his lifetime by audiences and influenced other German composers.

Since Carl Maria von Weber was born with a weak hip and a limp, his father saw great importance in developing Weber’s non-physical skills. This, combined with the family’s already established inclination towards music, encouraged Weber to immerse himself deeply into music theory from an early age.

• Der Freischütz
• Euryanthe
• Oberon

10. Felix Mendelssohn (1809–1847)

Era: Romantic
Genre: Symphony, chamber
Forte: Piano, violin, oratorio

Felix Mendelssohn brought Germany deeper into the early stages of the Romantic period of the 19th century with his focus on feelings and the imagination, rather than the strict forms and traditions of the classical era. By adding new elements to older musical pieces like that of Johann Bach, Mendelssohn made such works more accessible and interesting to new audiences.

Though he was described as unnaturally beautiful and full of boundless energy, his mind was just as spectacular. Thanks to Mendelssohn’s impeccable memory, he wowed listeners as the first composer to play a concerto entirely from memory. He made his first public appearance in Berlin at the ripe age of nine, where he participated in a chamber music concert.

• Violin Concerto in E minor
• Songs Without Words
• Elijah
• Wedding March

11. Robert Schumann (1810–1856)

Era: Romantic
Genre: Piano, lieder
Forte: Solo piano, art song

A musical genius of the Romantic era, Robert Schumann enjoyed creating some of the best-received music of his time as much as he endured composing some of the weakest pieces of this era. The reason? Historians believe Schumann suffered from severe bipolar disorder. This could have granted almost superhuman levels of creativity and productivity during his manic periods, leading to short bursts of many pieces of music being composed by him in terribly short spans of time.

A numbness in his middle finger kept him from becoming the master of piano he dreamed of being as a child. In response, he settled into a life of discourse on musical theory and worked as a musical critic.

• Carnaval
• Dichterliebe
• Kinderszenen
• Piano Concerto in A minor

12. Clara Schumann (1819–1896)

Era: Romantic
Genre: Chamber, piano
Forte: Piano, small ensembles

An esteemed pianist and music teacher, Clara Schumann composed her most famous piece of music when she was just 13 years old and performed her first concert debut at barely nine years old! Her passion for music extended over a whopping 61-year concert career in Germany. She specialized in playing the violin and the piano,  yet singing while playing the piano became her most beloved musical medium.

Her advanced skill with the piano inspired her future husband, who was so enthralled by Clara’s playing that he dropped his legal studies to take piano lessons with Clara’s father. If her last name seems familiar to you, it’s because she married Robert Schumann at 18.

• Piano Trio in G minor
• Three Romances for Violin & Piano
• Piano Concerto in A minor

13. Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

Era: Romantic
Genre: Symphony, chamber
Forte: Piano, chorus, orchestra

Johannes Brahms is regarded as one of the “Three Bs” of the classical music world alongside Bach and Beethoven. Though he composed music during the Romantic era, he clung closely to the traditional style of classical music. He once said, “If we cannot compose as beautifully as Mozart and Haydn, let us at least try to compose as purely.”

In contrast to many famous German composers, Brahms was not a child prodigy and did not see much, if any, success during his youth. He used this fact often in an exaggerated manner to build his standing with his Victorian audiences, claiming he rose above his station in life by grit.

• Hungarian Dances
• A German Requiem
• Symphony No. 1
• Intermezzi for Piano

14. Richard Wagner (1813–1883)

Era: Romantic
Genre: Music drama
Forte: Leitmotif, orchestration

Richard Wagner transformed the German opera with his concept of Gesamtkunstwerk (total work of art); it’s a long German word meaning the practice of combining many forms of art into a greater, cohesive whole. Wagner sought to include other forms of art such as visual mediums and others into his opera compositions.

As a revolutionary of German musical culture, Wagner’s proposals sought to remove opera performances from the control of the royal court. Instead, he thought a national theater made up of a union of composers and other musicians would lead to greater musical advancement and reform. Oh, how right he was!

• The Ring Cycle
• Tristan und Isolde
• Lohengrin
• The Flying Dutchman

15. Richard Strauss (1864–1949)

Era: Late Romantic
Genre: Tone poems, opera
Forte: Orchestra, soprano

The most significant of the early 19th-century composers and a leading composer of the late Romantic era, meet Richard Strauss. The rich orchestration and a programmatic approach to music Strauss created pushed Romanticism into the 20th-century musical landscape. 

Sadly, political scandal overshadowed his accomplishments. Though he stood up to the Third Reich when necessary, he did not publicly denounce the regime while his compositions were heavily used by the Nazi regime. This led to accusations that affected his reputation for several decades, yet Strauss’ music remains central to modern orchestral compositions. You may recognize part of his Zarathustra piece from Stanley Kubrick’s most famous film!

• Also sprach Zarathustra
• Salome
• Don Juan
• Der Rosenkavalier

16. Carl Orff (1895–1982)

Era: 20th century
Genre: Choral, scenic
Forte: Vocal-percussive stage works

Carl Orff might be a name you don’t recognize, but you’ve probably heard O Fortuna from his intense masterpiece Carmina Burana. A German composer and music teacher in the spotlight of the 20th century, Orff’s works often featured the theme of movement to create more liveliness in performances. The scene of Uf dem anger, for example, consists of an “orchestral dance” that was meant to evoke the energy of dancing from its listeners.

Known for his innovations in music education, Orff sought to inspire the next generation of musical composers. His pedagogical writing Schulwerk (school work) was an open-ended approach to improvisation, letting the children use their natural creativity to form new music through singing, movement, and percussion instruments.

• Carmina Burana
• Catulli Carmina
• Schulwerk

17. Hans Zimmer (1957–Present)

Era: Contemporary
Genre: Film score
Forte: Synth-orchestral blends

Through Hans Zimmer you can see the connection between classical German composers to modern music, beginning with his humble start as the synth player for The Buggles. Among Hollywood’s most innovative musical talents, Zimmer is the musical genius behind dozens of famous American movies and TV shows you’ve likely watched.

He blends classical orchestration from Germany’s rich history with modern, cutting-edge electronic sound design (including new instruments created by members of his band!). The result is epic, emotionally impactful scores that draw just as much emotion into cinematic audiences as Victorian audiences felt centuries ago.

• Inception
• The Lion King
• Interstellar
• Dune
• Pirates of the Caribbean

Frequently asked questions about famous German composers

German music writers shaped the world of auditory artistic expression since the early 11th century. Here are answers to the four am häufigsten gestellten Fragen (most frequently asked questions) about famous German composers.

Who is the most famous composer in German history?

Despite the litany of composers throughout Germany’s history, Johann Sebastian Bach is regarded as the most famous and influential German composer. Though his musical genius wasn’t recognized until long after he passed, his mastery of counterpoint and form laid the groundwork for almost all Western classical music that followed.

Why are there so many famous composers from Germany?

So many famous composers have come from Germany throughout history thanks to the cultural support that music in Germany has had. Patrons, religious institutions, universities, and even the German government have supported, financed, and subsidized music education and performances for centuries. This reverence for high-quality compositions by Germans created a deep respect for music as an intellectual and cultural pursuit among the German people, leading to a higher rate of Germans dedicated to the craft of music composition and performance.

Was Ludwig van Beethoven totally deaf?

Beethoven started losing his hearing in his late 20s and reached complete hearing loss by his 40s. At that point, his live performances became all but impossible to do. However, his creative streak remained unhindered as he continued to write music using bone conduction to hear the perception of sounds he created by biting a wooden stick that was attached to his piano. The rod conducted the sound vibrations from the piano to his jaw and into his inner ear.