List of German composers

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)

Georg Daniel Auberlen (1728–1784)

Wilhelm Amandus Auberlen (1798–1874)

B

August Wilhelm Bach (1796–1869)

Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714–1788), early-Classical-era composer

Gottlieb Friedrich Bach (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)

Johann Elias Bach (1705–1755)

Johann Ernst Bach II (1722–1777)

Johann Ludwig Bach (1677–1731)

Johann Lorenz Bach (1695–1773)

Johann Nikolaus Bach (1669–1753)

Johann Philipp Bach (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

Traugott Maximilian Eberwein (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 (c. 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 (1937–2014)

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

Reinhard Keiser (1674–1739), Baroque opera composer

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)

Josephine Lang (1815-1880)

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

Carl Albert Löschhorn (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

Jan Morgenstern (born 1980), film score composer

Johann Gottfried Müthel (1728–1788)

N

Johann Gottlieb Naumann (1741–1801)

Johann Nauwach (1595–1630)

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

Johann Theodor Roemhildt (1684–1756)

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

Johann Jacob Schnell (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.

Ulrich Schultheiss (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)