List of German composers

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 adding missing items with reliable sources.

Contents

• 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

Bach

Beethoven

Brahms

Handel

Hildegard von Bingen

Mendelssohn

Schumann

Schütz

Stockhausen

Richard Strauss

Wagner

Weill

A

• Ludwig Abeille (1761–1838)
• Carl Friedrich Abel (1723–1787)
• 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)
• 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)
• Joseph Ahrens (1904–1997)
• Sieglinde Ahrens (born 1936)
• Johann Caspar Aiblinger (1779–1867)
• Bartholomäus Aich (17th Century)
• Gregor Aichinger (1565–1628)
• Eugen d'Albert (1864–1932)
• Heinrich Albert (1604–1651)
• Giovanni Henrico Albicastro (c. 1660 – 1730), born Johann Heinrich von Weissenburg
• Christoph Albrecht (1930–2016)
• Leni Alexander (1924–2005)
• Johann Ernst Altenburg (1734–1801)
• Michael Altenburg (1584–1640)
• Johann Christoph Altnikol (1720–1759)
• Anna Amalia, Princess of Prussia (1723–1787)
• Johann André (1741–1799)
• Johann Anton André (1775–1842)
• Franz Joseph Antony 1790–1837
• Anna Amalia, Duchess of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (1739–1807)
• Amalie Auguste, Princess Amalie of Saxony (1794–1870)
• Johannes Aulen (late 15th century)

B

• August Wilhelm Bach (1796–1869)
• Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714–1788)
• 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 Ernst Bach II (1722–1777)
• Johann Ludwig Bach (1677–1731)
• Johann Lorenz Bach (1695–1773)
• Johann Nikolaus Bach (1669–1753)
• Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)
• Wilhelm Friedemann Bach (1710–1784
• Wilhelm Friedrich Ernst Bach (1759–1845)
• Heinrich Backofen (1768–1830)
• Selmar Bagge (1823–1896)
• Blixa Bargeld (1959)
• Woldemar Bargiel (1828–1892)
• Ernst Gottlieb Baron (1696–1760)
• Friedrich Baumfelder (1836–1916)
• Jürg Baur (1918–2010)
• Waldemar von Baußnern (1866–1931)
• Franz Ignaz Beck (1734–1809)
• Hugo Becker (1863–1941)
• Ignaz von Beecke (1733–1803)
• Anton Beer-Walbrunn (1864–1929)
• Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)
• Franz Benda (1709–1786)
• Georg Anton Benda (1722–1795)
• Jean Berger (1909–2002)
• Wilhelm Berger (1861–1911)
• Christoph Bernhard (1628–1692)
• Friedrich Berr (1794–1838)
• 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 (1940–2019)
• Benjamin Bilse (1816–1902)
• Boris Blacher (1903–1975)
• Oskar Gottlieb Blarr (born 1934)
• Leo Blech (1871–1958)
• Theodor Blumer (1881–1964)
• Martin Blumner (1827–1901)
• Erhard Bodenschatz (1576–1639)
• Georg Böhm (1661–1733)
• Siegfried Borris (1906–1987)
• Hans-Jürgen von Bose (born 1953)
• Thomas Böttger (born 1957)
• Johannes Brahms (1833–1897)
• Caspar Joseph Brambach (1833–1902)
• Theo Brandmüller (1948–2012)
• Nikolaus Brass (born 1949)
• Walter Braunfels (1882–1954)
• Reiner Bredemeyer (1929–1995)
• Wolfgang Carl Briegel (1626–1712)
• Max Bruch (1838–1920)
• Klaus Bruengel (born 1949)
• Nicolaus Bruhns (1665–1697)
• Karl Gottfried Brunotte (born 1958)
• 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)
• Max Butting (1888–1976)
• Johann Heinrich Buttstedt (1666–1727)
• Dietrich Buxtehude (1637–1707)

C

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

D

• Franz Danzi (1763–1826)
• 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)
• Albert Dietrich (1829–1908)
• Hugo Distler (1908–1942)
• Ramin Djawadi (born 1974)
• 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)
• Traugott Maximilian Eberwein (1775–1831)
• Johannes Eccard (1553–1611)
• Moritz Eggert (born 1965)
• Werner Egk (1901–1983)
• Ernst Eichner (1740–1777), also known as Ernst Dietrich Adolph Eichner, Ernesto Eichner
• Hanns Eisler (1898–1962)
• Elisabeth Sophie of Mecklenburg (1613–1676)
• Philipp Heinrich Erlebach (1657–1714)
• Caspar Ett (1788–1847)

F

• Hans Fährmann (1860–1940)
• Immanuel Faißt (1823–1894)
• Carl Friedrich Christian Fasch (1736–1800)
• Johann Friedrich Fasch (1688–1758)
• Reinhard Febel (born 1952)
• Alexander von Fielitz (1860–1930)
• Anton Fils (1733–1760)
• Gottfried Wilhelm Fink (1783–1846)
• Siegfried Fink (1928–2006)
• Johann Fischer (1646–1716)
• Johann Caspar Ferdinand Fischer (1556–1656)
• Johann Christian Fischer (1733–1800)
• Johann Karl Christian Fischer (1752–1807)
• 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)
• Melchior Franck (1580–1639)
• Richard Franck (1858–1938)
• Clemens von Franckenstein (1875–1942)
• Bernd Franke (born 1959)
• Robert Franz (1815–1892)
• Frederick II of Prussia (1712–1786)
• Carl Friedemann (1862–1952)
• Johannes Fritsch (1941–2010)
• Johann Jakob Froberger (1616–1667)
• Adam von Fulda (1445–1505)
• Wilhelm Furtwängler (1886–1954)

G

• Florian Leopold Gassmann (1729–1774)
• Fritz Geißler (1921–1984)
• Harald Genzmer (1909–2007)
• Hans Gerle (c. 1498 – 1570)
• Friedrich Gernsheim (1839–1916)
• Ottmar Gerster (1897–1969)
• Franz Gleißner (1761–1818)
• Michael Gielen (1927–2019)
• Christoph Willibald Gluck (1714–1787)
• Hermann Goetz (1840–1876)
• Walter Wilhelm Goetze (1883–1961)
• Friedrich Goldmann (1941–2009)
• Berthold Goldschmidt (1903–1996)
• Gustav Graben-Hoffmann (1820–1900)
• Paul Graener (1872–1944)
• Christian Ernst Graf (1723–1804)
• Friedrich Hartmann Graf (1727–1795)
• Johann Graf (1684–1750)
• Carl Heinrich Graun (1704–1759)
• Kurt Graunke (1915–2005)
• Johann Gottlieb Graun (1703–1771)
• Christoph Graupner (1683–1760)
• Eduard Grell (1800–1886)
• Franz Grothe (1908–1982)
• Gallus Guggumos (c. 1590 – c. 1666)
• Gustav Gunsenheimer (born 1934)
• Manfred Gurlitt (1890–1972)

H

• Joseph Haas (1879–1960)
• Bernhard Joachim Hagen (1720–1787)
• Peter Michael Hamel (born 1947)
• Stefan Hakenberg (born 1960)
• Andreas Hakenberger (1574–1627)
• August Halm (1869–1929)
• Peter Michael Hamel (born 1947)
• George Frideric Handel (1685–1759)
• Heinz Friedrich Hartig (1907–1969)
• Karl Amadeus Hartmann (1905–1963)
• Ludwig Hartmann (1836–1910)
• Johann Adolph Hasse (1699–1783)
• Karl Hasse (1883–1960)
• Hans Leo Hassler (1546–1612)
• Jakob Hassler (1569–1622)
• Johann Wilhelm Häßler (1747–1822)
• Carl August Haupt (1810–1891)
• Moritz Hauptmann (1792–1868)
• Florian Havemann (born 1952)
• Joseph Haydn (1732–1809)
• Pantaleon Hebenstreit (1668–1750)
• Werner Heider (born 1930)
• Johann David Heinichen (1683–1729)
• Prince Heinrich XXIV Reuss of Köstritz (1855–1910)
• Hans Helfritz (1902–1995)
• Barbara Heller (born 1936)
• Sigmund Hemmel (c. 1520–1565)
• Fanny Hensel (1805–1847)
• Adolf von Henselt (1814–1889)
• Hans Werner Henze (1926–2012)
• Gerda Herrmann (1931–2021)
• Heinrich Freiherr von Herzogenberg (1843–1900)
• Hans-Joachim Hespos (1938–2022)
• Kurt Hessenberg (1908–1994)
• Moritz Heuzenroeder (1849–1897)
• Richard Bruno Heydrich (1865–1938)
• Werner Richard Heymann (1896–1961)
• Hildegard of Bingen (1098–1179)
• Wilhelm Hill (1838–1902)
• Ferdinand Hiller (1811–1885)
• Wilfried Hiller (born 1941)
• Paul Hindemith (1895–1963)
• Rudolf Hindemith (1900–1974)
• Stefan Hippe (born 1966)
• Karl Höller (1907–1987)
• York Höller (born 1944)
• E.T.A. Hoffmann (1776–1822)
• Melchior Hoffmann (c.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)
• Nicolaus A. Huber (born 1939)
• Bertold Hummel (1925–2002)
• Franz Hummel (1939–2022)
• Johann Nepomuk Hummel (1778–1837)
• Engelbert Humperdinck (1854–1921)

I

• Artur Immisch (1902–1949)^[1]

J

• Georges Jacobi (1840–1906)
• Johann Christian Jacobi (1719–1784)
• Michael Jacobi (1618–1663)
• Salomon Jadassohn (1831–1902)
• Friedrich Wilhelm Jähns (1809–1888)
• Johann Gottlieb Janitsch (1708 – c.1763)
• Philipp Jarnach (1892–1982)
• Michael Jary (1906–1988)
• Johannes Jeep (c.1581/82–1644), also known as Johann Jepp
• Gustav Jenner (1865–1920)
• Adolf Jensen (1837–1879)
• Jens Joneleit (born 1968)
• Jens Josef (born 1967)
• Hugo Richard Jüngst (1853–1923)

K

• Bert Kaempfert (1923–1980)
• Robert Kahn (1865–1951)
• Friedrich Kalkbrenner (1785–1849)
• Reinhard Keiser (1674–1739)
• Richard Rudolf Klein (1921–2011)
• Julius Klengel (1859–1933)
• Paul Klengel (1854–1935)
• Karl Klindworth (1830–1916)
• August Friedrich Martin Klughardt (1847–1902)
• Joseph Martin Kraus (1756–1792)
• Johann Ludwig Krebs (1713–1780)
• Peter Anton Kreusser (1765–1831)

L

• Helmut Lachenmann (born 1935)
• Josephine Lang (1815–1880)
• Alexander Ledkovsky (1944–2004)
• Friedrich Lindner (c. 1542–1597)
• Johann Carl Gottfried Löwe (1796–1869)
• Henning Lohner (born 1961)
• Carl Albert Löschhorn (1819–1905), also known as Loeschhorn
• Albert Lortzing (1801–1851)
• Vincent Lübeck (1654–1740)

M

• Theo Mackeben (1897–1953)
• Claus-Steffen Mahnkopf (born 1962)
• Heinrich Marschner (1795–1861)
• Johann Mattheson (1681–1764)
• Emilie Mayer (1812–1883)
• Simon Mayr (1763–1845)
• Rupert Ignaz Mayr (1646–1712)
• Tilo Medek (1940–2006)
• Bernd Meinunger (born 1944)^[2]
• Johann Nicolaus Mempel (1713–1747)
• Arnold Mendelssohn (1855–1933)
• Fanny Mendelssohn (1805–1847)
• Felix Mendelssohn (1809–1847)
• Gustav Merkel (1827–1885)
• Giacomo Meyerbeer (1791–1864)
• David Moritz Michael (1751–1827)
• Winfried Michel (born 1948)
• Wilhelm Middelschulte (1863–1943)
• Moritz Moszkowski (1854–1925)
• Leopold Mozart (1719–1787)
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791)^[3]
• Gerhard Müller-Hornbach
• Johann Gottfried Müthel (1728–1788)
• Johann Daniel Mylius (1583–1642)

N

• Johann Friedrich Naue (1787–1858)
• Johann Gottlieb Naumann (1741–1801)
• Johann Nauwach (1595–1630)
• Hermann Necke (1850–1912)
• Christian Gottlob Neefe (1748–1798)
• Otto Neitzel (1852–1920)
• Sarah Nemtsov (born 1980)
• Wilhelm Neuland (1806–1889)
• Otto Nicolai (1810–1849)

O

• Jacques Offenbach (1819–1880)
• Carl Orff (1895–1982)
• Caspar Othmayr (1515–1553)

P

• Johann Pachelbel (1653–1706)
• Raimund Pechotsch (1864–1941)
• Johann Christoph Pepusch (1667–1752), also known as John Christopher Pepusch and Dr Pepusch
• Hans Pfitzner (1869–1949)
• Michael Praetorius (1571–1621)

Q

• Johann Joachim Quantz (1697–1773)

R

• Erika Radermacher (born 1936)
• Aribert Reimann (1936–2024)
• Carl Reinecke (1824–1910)
• Max Reger (1873–1916)
• Hermann Reutter (1900–1985)
• Rolf Riehm (born 1937)
• Ferdinand Ries (1784–1838)
• Wolfgang Rihm (born 1952)
• Johann Theodor Roemhildt (1684–1756)
• Eduard Rohde (1828–1883)

S

• Theodor von Schacht (1748–1823)
• Christoph Schaffrath (1709–1763)
• Samuel Scheidt (1587–1653)
• Martin Scherber (1907–1974)
• Philippine Schick (1893–1970)
• Louis Schlösser (1800–1886)
• Johann Jakob Schnell (1687–1754)
• Hans Michael Schletterer (1842–1893)
• Dieter Schnebel (1930–2018)
• Arnold Schoenberg (1874–1951)
• Johann Schop (1590–1667)
• Franz Schreker (1878–1934)
• Franz Schubert (1797–1828)
• Clara Schumann (1819–1896)
• Robert Schumann (1810–1856)
• Georg Caspar Schürmann (c. 1673–1751)
• Heinrich Schütz (1585–1672)
• Philipp Scharwenka (1847–1917)
• Fritz Seitz (1848–1918)
• Louis Spohr (1784–1859)
• Carl Stamitz (1746–1801)
• Lena Stein-Schneider (1874–1958)
• Karlheinz Stockhausen (1928–2007)
• Gottfried Heinrich Stölzel (1690–1749)
• Richard Strauss (1864–1949)

T

• Georg Michael Telemann (1748–1831)
• Georg Philipp Telemann (1681–1767)
• Johann Theile (1646–1724)
• Friedrich Hieronymus Truhn (1811–1886)

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)
• Friedrich Voss (born 1930)

W

• Max Wagenknecht (1857–1922)
• Ignatz Waghalter (1881–1949)
• Richard Wagner (1813–1883)
• Siegfried Wagner (1869–1930)
• Carl Maria von Weber (1786–1826)
• Kurt Weill (1900–1950)
• Hans Jürgen von der Wense (1894–1966)
• Fred Werner (1850–1920)
• Richard Wetz (1875–1935)
• Jörg Widmann (born 1973)
• Franz Wohlfahrt (1833–1884)
• Hanns Wolf (1894–1968)

Z

• Friedrich Wilhelm Zachow (1663–1712), also Zachau
• Adolf Zander (1843–1914)
• Hans Zimmer (born 1957)
• Hermann Zilcher (1881–1948)
• Johann Rudolf Zumsteeg (1760–1802)