List of symphony composers

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Among composers who have composed symphonies are (listed in chronological order of birth):

Contents

[edit] From the earliest symphonies to 1800 (Date of Birth)

  • Andrea Zani (1696–1757). Italian composer of the earliest securely dated symphonies (part of his op. 2, published in 1729).
  • Giovanni Battista Sammartini (around 1701–1775). Italian composer of at least 67 symphonies.
  • Antonio Brioschi (fl. c. 1725–1750). Italian composer of at least twenty-six symphonies.
  • Johann Gottlieb Janitsch (1708–ca.1763). Silesian composer of at least seven symphonies.
  • Wilhelm Friedemann Bach (1710–1784). Eldest son of Johann Sebastian Bach, and a German composer of eight symphonies.
  • William Boyce (1710–1779). English composer whose opus 2 is a set of eight "symphonies", although they started life as overtures to other works.
  • Ignaz Holzbauer (1711–1783). Austro-German composer of 69 symphonies.
  • Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714–1788). Son of Johann Sebastian Bach, and a German composer of around 20 symphonies.
  • Georg Christoph Wagenseil (1715–1777)
  • Georg Matthias Monn (1717–1750). His Symphony in D of 1740 is the first to include a minuet as a third movement.
  • Johann Stamitz (1717–1757). Czech composer of 58 symphonies, and the first composer to regularly include a minuet as the third movement.
  • Wenzel Raimund Birck (1718–1763), Austrian composer of pre-Classical "sinfonie", as well as a few symphonies of the evolved form.
  • Leopold Mozart (1719–1787). Austrian composer who wrote symphonies in which he included French horns.
  • Adolph Carl Kunzen (1720–1781). German composer of 16 symphonies.
  • Carl Friedrich Abel (1723–1787). German composer later active in London, wrote 23 symphonies.
  • Franz Xaver Pokorny (1729–1794). Bohemian composer of about 140 symphonies, 104 of which were deliberately misattributed to other composers in 1796 by Theodor von Schacht.
  • Christian Cannabich (1731–1798). German composer of the Mannheim school, who wrote about 70 symphonies.
  • František Xaver Dušek (1731–1799). Czech composer of 37 symphonies.
  • Carl Joseph Toeschi (1731–1788). German composer of more than 66 symphonies.
  • Joseph Haydn (1732–1809). Austrian composer, one of the best known Classical composers of symphonies, he wrote 106 examples, combining wit and structural clarity (see the list of symphonies by Joseph Haydn and the Category of Haydn Symphonies).
  • Anton Fils (1733–1760). German composer who wrote at least 40 symphonies for the Mannheim orchestra.
  • Franz Ignaz Beck (1734–1809). German composer of about 25 symphonies (biography describes his symphonies especially as ahead of their time).
  • François-Joseph Gossec (1734–1829). French composer of over 60 symphonies.
  • Karl von Ordoñez (1734–1786), Austrian composer of some 73 symphonies.
  • Johann Christian Bach (1735–1782). German composer, son of Johann Sebastian Bach, wrote at least 28 symphonies.
  • Ernst Wilhelm Wolf (1735–1792). German composer of at least 12 symphonies.
  • Michael Haydn (1737–1806). Austrian composer, the younger brother of Joseph Haydn, who wrote forty symphonies.
  • Leopold Hoffmann (1738–1793).
  • Johann Baptist Vanhal (1739–1813). Bohemian composer of at least 24 symphonies.
  • Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf (1739–1799). Austrian composer of at least 120 symphonies.
  • Andrea Luchesi (1741–1801). Italian composer of at least eight surviving symphonies.
  • Carl Stamitz (1745–1801). Son of Johann Stamitz, composer of over 50 symphonies.
  • Antonio Rosetti (c.1750–1792). Bohemian composer, wrote many symphonies, concertos (notably for horn), and vocal works.
  • Muzio Clementi (1752–1832). Italian composer of symphonies.
  • Joseph Martin Kraus (1756–1792). German-Swedish composer of over 20 symphonies, not all of which survive.
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791). Austrian composer, one of the best known Classical symphonists.
  • Pavel Vranický (1756–1808). Bohemian composer of about fifty symphonies.
  • Ignaz Pleyel (1757–1831). Austrian composer, publisher, and piano maker, wrote 41 symphonies.
  • António Leal Moreira (1758–1819). Portuguese composer of three orchestral symphonies plus one for six organs.
  • Luigi Cherubini (1760–1842). Italian composer of one symphony.
  • Friedrich Ludwig Aemilius Kunzen (1761–1817). German-born Danish composer of one symphony.
  • Franz Danzi (1763–1826). German composer of at least six symphonies, plus several sinfonie concertante.
  • Étienne Méhul (1763–1817). French composer of at least four symphonies.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827). German-Austrian composer, often considered the greatest of all symphonists, who wrote 9 numbered symphonies plus sketches for a tenth—see Category of Beethoven symphonies.
  • Johann Wilhelm Wilms (1772–1847). German-born Dutch composer of seven symphonies.
  • Christoph Ernst Friedrich Weyse (1774–1842). German-born Danish composer of seven symphonies.
  • João Domingos Bomtempo (1775–1842). Portuguese composer of two symphonies.
  • George Onslow (1784–1853). French composer of four symphonies in a style combining echoes of Beethoven and Schubert.
  • Louis Spohr (1784–1859). German composer of 10 symphonies.
  • Carl Maria von Weber (1786–1826). German composer of two symphonies.
  • Franz Xaver Wolfgang Mozart (1791–1844). Austrian composer of one symphony.
  • Cipriani Potter (1792–1871). English composer of nine symphonies.
  • Franz Berwald (1796–1868). Swedish composer of five symphonies (the first lost save for a fragment of the first movement).
  • Antonio Raffelín (1796–1882). Cuban composer of several symphonies.
  • Gaetano Donizetti 1797–1848. Italian composer of at least 15 symphonies.
  • Franz Schubert (1797–1828). Austrian composer of nine surviving symphonies, with the Symphony No. 8 (the Unfinished) and Symphony No. 9 (the Great) the largest in scale and best known.

[edit] 1800-1900

  • Adolf Fredrik Lindblad (1801–1878). Swedish composer of two symphonies.
  • Hector Berlioz (1803–1869). French composer of four symphonies, best remembered for his first, the Symphonie Fantastique, perhaps the first true programmatic symphony.
  • Franz Lachner (1803–1890) wrote eight symphonies between 1828 and 1851. His 5th symphony won him the prize offered by the Vienna Gesellschaft der Musicfreunde in 1835.
  • Louise Farrenc (1804–1875). French composer of three symphonies.
  • Johan Peter Emilius Hartmann (1805–1900). Danish composer of two symphonies.
  • Juan Crisóstomo Arriaga (1806–1826). Basque composer of one symphony.
  • Felix Mendelssohn (1809–1847), composer of 12 complete string symphonies (the 13th was left unfinished) and five numbered symphonies, with sketches for a 6th (1847).
  • Robert Schumann (1810–1856). German composer of four symphonies, the last of which experimented with cyclic form.
  • Franz Liszt (1811–1886). Hungarian composer of two programmatic symphonies, the Faust Symphony and the Dante Symphony.
  • Richard Wagner (1813–1883), German composer of one symphony.
  • Robert Volkmann (1815–1883), German composer of two symphonies.
  • Sir William Sterndale Bennett (1816–1875), English composer of six symphonies.
  • Niels Wilhelm Gade (1817–1890). Danish composer of eight symphonies.
  • Charles Gounod (1818–1893). French composer of two symphonies and a third for nine wind instruments (Petite symphonie).
  • César Franck (1822–1890), wrote one symphony best known for its use of cyclic form.
  • Joachim Raff (1822–1882). Swiss-born German composer of 11 symphonies.
  • Anton Bruckner (1824–1896). Austrian composer of 11 large-scale symphonies, including Nos. 00 and 0.
  • Woldemar Bargiel (1828–1897). German composer of one symphony.
  • Anton Rubinstein (1829–1894). composer of six symphonies, with the second, the Ocean, and the sixth being the best known (though neither as well known now as they were in Rubinstein's day).
  • Johannes Brahms (1833–1897), composer of four symphonies, considered by Eduard Hanslick to be the artistic heir of Beethoven.
  • Alexander Borodin (1833–1887), composer of three symphonies, the last unfinished.
  • Felix Draeseke (1835–1913), composer of the New German School wrote four symphonies.
  • Camille Saint-Saëns (1835–1921), composer of five symphonies (three of which are numbered while the other two are not), of which the best known is the third, his Symphony n°3 with organ.
  • Mily Balakirev (1837–1910). Russian composer of two symphonies.
  • Alexandre Guilmant (1837–1911). French composer of two symphonies for organ and orchestra.
  • Georges Bizet (1838–1875). French composer remembered by his Opera Carmen, wrote one symphony at the age of 17; a second symphony, Roma, is sometimes classified as a suite, though referred to as a symphony by the composer.
  • Alexis, Vicomte de Castillon (1838–1873). French composer of two symphonies.
  • Friedrich Gernsheim (1839–1916). German composer of four symphonies.
  • John Knowles Paine (1839–1906). American composer of two symphonies.
  • Alice Mary Smith (1839–1884). English composer of three symphonies.
  • John Severin Svendsen (1840–1911). Norwegian violinist, conductor, and composer of two symphonies.
  • Pyotr Ilich Tchaikovsky (1840–1893), who wrote six numbered symphonies plus the Manfred Symphony.
  • Elfrida Andrée (1841–1929). Swedish composer of two orchestral and two organ symphonies.
  • Antonín Dvořák (1841–1904), who wrote nine symphonies, of which the most famous is the ninth (From the New World). He successfully combined Bohemian folk elements with large-scale structure.
  • Edvard Grieg (1843–1907). Norwegian composer of one symphony.
  • Asger Hamerik (1843–1923). Danish conductor and composer of eight symphonies.
  • Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844–1908). Russian composer of three symphonies and sketches for two others.
  • Hubert Parry (1848–1918). British composer of four symphonies (1882–89)
  • Zdenek Fibich (1850–1900). Czech composer of three complete symphonies, plus four fragmentary or lost symphonies.
  • Aleksandr Taneyev (1850–1918). Russian composer of three symphonies.
  • Vincent d'Indy (1851–1931), French composer of three symphonies.
  • Charles Villiers Stanford (1852–1924). British composer of seven symphonies (1876–1911).
  • George Whitefield Chadwick (1854–1931). American composer of three symphonies.
  • Ernest Chausson (1855–1899), French composer of one symphony and sketches for a second.
  • Sergei Taneyev (1856–1915). Russian composer of four symphonies.
  • George Templeton Strong (1856–1948). American composer of three symphonies.
  • Sir Edward Elgar (1857–1934), completed two symphonies, with sketches for a third made into a performing version by Anthony Payne.
  • Hans Rott (1858–1884), Austrian composer of a symphony (1879/1880), which features many stylistic similarities to the later symphonies of his friend and fellow student Gustav Mahler. A Symphony No.2 was planned.
  • Gustav Mahler (1860–1911), completed nine large-scale symphonies, plus an incomplete 10th—see Category of Mahler symphonies. His third symphony is his longest symphony at 95 minutes, and his eighth, the Symphony of a Thousand, premiered with over one thousand performers.
  • Maurice Emmanuel (1862–1938). French composer of two symphonies.
  • Edward German (1862–1936). English composer of two symphonies.
  • Alberto Williams (1862–1952), Argentine composer of nine symphonies.
  • Horatio Parker (1863–1919). American composer of one symphony.
  • Felix Weingartner (1863–1942), composer of seven symphonies and a sinfonietta.
  • Alexander Gretchaninov (1864–1956). Russian composer of five symphonies.
  • Joseph Guy Ropartz (1864–1955), composer of five symphonies, no. 3 (1905) with chorus.
  • Richard Strauss (1864–1949). German composer of two symphonies.
  • Paul Dukas (1865–1931), Symphony in C.
  • Alexander Glazunov (1865–1936), composer of nine symphonies.
  • Albéric Magnard (1865–1914), composer of four symphonies.
  • Carl Nielsen (1865–1931), composer of six symphonies.
  • Jean Sibelius (1865–1957), composer of the Kullervo Symphony, and of seven numbered symphonies (a No.8 was destroyed by the composer in 1929).
  • Vasily Kalinnikov (1866–1901), Russian composer of two symphonies.
  • Charles Koechlin (1867–1950), French composer of five symphonies.
  • Wilhelm Peterson-Berger (1867-1942), Swedish composer of five symphonies.
  • Albert Roussel (1869–1937), French composer of four symphonies.
  • Alfred Hill (1870–1960). Australian composer of 12 symphonies.
  • Florent Schmitt (1870–1958), French composer of two symphonies (the first a "symphonie concertante") and one for strings (Janiana).
  • Charles Tournemire (1870–1939). French composer of eight orchestral symphonies, as well as a Simphonie-choral and Symphonie sacrée for organ.
  • Louis Vierne (1870–1937). French composer of one orchestral symphony and six symphonies for organ.
  • Wilhelm Stenhammar (1871–1927), Swedish composer of two symphonies, one disowned by him.
  • Alexander von Zemlinsky (1871–1942), Austrian composer of three symphonies, a Lyrische Symphonie for soprano, baritone and orchestra, a symphony in all but name called Die Seejungfrau (1902), and a Sinfonietta (1934).
  • Hugo Alfvén (1872–1960). Swedish violinist, conductor, and composer of five symphonies.
  • Alexander Scriabin (1872–1915), Russian composer of three symphonies; his two tone poems, composed after the three symphonies, are also sometimes classified as symphonies nos. 4 and 5.
  • Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872–1958), composer of nine symphonies.
  • Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873–1943), composer of three symphonies in a late-Romantic style.
  • Gustav Holst (1874–1934). British composer of an unpublished Symphony "The Cotswolds" (1899–1900), a First Choral Symphony (1923–24), and a Scherzo (1933–34) for a projected but unfinished symphony .
  • Josef Suk (1874–1935), Czech composer of two symphonies—in E major opus 14, and in C minor (the Asrael Symphony, opus 27).
  • Franz Schmidt (1874–1939), Austrian composer of four symphonies.
  • Charles Ives (1874–1954), American composer of four symphonies, his "Holiday Symphony" referred to as his 5th, and his "Universe Symphony" later reconstructed.
  • Arnold Schoenberg (1874–1951), Austrian composer of two chamber symphonies and several sketches for unpublished symphonies. Alban Berg thought of Schoenberg's tone poem Pelleas und Melisande (1902) as a symphony.
  • Erkki Melartin (1875–1937). Finnish composer of six symphonies.
  • Julián Carrillo (1875–1965), Mexican Composer, wrote two symphonies plus three atonal symphonies written in the "Thirteen Sound" technique.
  • Reinhold Glière (1875–1956). Russian composer of three symphonies.
  • Richard Wetz (1875–1935), German late romantic composer of three symphonies
  • John Alden Carpenter (1876–1951). American composer of two symphonies.
  • Mieczysław Karłowicz (1876–1909), Polish composer of only one symphony, in e minor Op.7 "Rebirth" (1897).
  • Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari (1876–1948), Italian-German composer of the Sinfonia da Camera (1901); an early composer in the genre of the 20th century chamber symphony.
  • Havergal Brian (1876–1972), English composer of 32 symphonies, most of which he wrote in his seventies and eighties. His first symphony The Gothic is the largest one ever written.
  • Sergei Bortkiewicz (1877–1952). Austrian pianist and composer of two symphonies.
  • Artur Kapp (1878–1952), Estonian composer. Generally considered to be one of the founders of Estonian symphonic music.
  • Frank Bridge (1879–1941). English composer of an unfinished Symphony for Strings (1941).
  • Sir Hamilton Harty (1879–1941). Irish composer of one symphony.
  • Franz Schreker (1879–1934), Austrian composer of the Chamber Symphony.
  • Ernest Bloch (1880–1959). American composer of Swiss origin, whose works include (in addition to an unpublished Symphonie orientale amongst his juvenilia ) a Symphony in C-sharp Minor, a Sinfonia Breve, a Symphony for Trombone and Orchestra, and a Symphony in E-flat.
  • Ildebrando Pizzetti (1880–1968). Italian composer of one symphony.
  • Nikolai Myaskovsky (1881–1950), Soviet composer (moved from Poland at a very young age) and composer of 27 symphonies.
  • George Enescu (1881–1955), Romanian composer. Wrote three acknowledged and complete symphonies, four earlier ones and two later ones—the last two completed by Pascal Bentoiu—as well as a Chamber Symphony.
  • Gian Francesco Malipiero (1882–1973). Italian composer of 11 symphonies.
  • Igor Stravinsky (1882–1971), wrote three purely orchestral symphonies plus the Symphony of Psalms for chorus and orchestra; his Symphonies of Wind Instruments uses the word symphony in its old sense of "sounding together".
  • Karol Szymanowski (1882–1937), Polish composer of four symphonies, no. 3 (The Song of the Night) with vocal soloists and choir, and no. 4 (Symphonie concertante) with piano soloist.
  • Sir Arnold Bax (1883–1953). English composer of seven numbered symphonies, preceded by a Symphony in F, op. 8 (unorchestrated, 1907) and a symphony titled Spring Fire (1913).
  • Paul von Klenau (1883–1946). Danish composer of seven symphonies.
  • Anton Webern (1883–1945), Austrian Composer of one symphony (1928).
  • Arthur Meulemans (1884–1966). Belgian composer of 15 symphonies.
  • Ture Rangström (1884–1947). Swedish composer of four symphonies.
  • Enrique Soro (1884–1954). Chilean composer of one symphony.
  • Pedro Umberto Allende (1885–1959). Chilean composer of one symphony (unfinished).
  • Wallingford Riegger (1885–1961). American composer of four symphonies.
  • Egon Wellesz (1885–1974). Austrian musicologist and composer of nine symphonies.
  • Marcel Dupré (1886–1971). French composer of a Symphony in G minor, op. 25, for organ and orchestra.
  • Wilhelm Furtwängler (1886–1954), German composer of three symphonies, plus a Symphonic Concerto for Piano and Orchestra.
  • Carlo Giorgio Garofalo (1886–1962). Italian composer of two symphonies.
  • Jef van Hoof (1886–1959). Belgian composer of six symphonies.
  • Kosaku Yamada (1886-1965). First Japanese symphonic composer.
  • Kurt Atterberg (1887–1974). Swedish composer of nine symphonies.
  • Leevi Madetoja (1887–1947). Finnish composer of three symphonies.
  • Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887–1959). Brazilian composer of 12 symphonies.
  • Matthijs Vermeulen (1888–1967). Dutch composer of seven symphonies.
  • Cecil Armstrong Gibbs (1889–1960). English composer of three symphonies.
  • Bohuslav Martinů (1890–1959). Czech composer of six symphonies.
  • Gösta Nystroem (1890–1966). Swedish composer of six symphonies.
  • Arthur Bliss (1891–1975). English composer of A Colour Symphony (1922).
  • Sergei Prokofiev (1891–1953), Soviet composer of seven symphonies, plus a Symphony-Concerto for Cello and Orchestra—see Category of Prokofiev symphonies.
  • Hendrik Andriessen (1892–1981). Dutch composer of 4 numbered symphonies and a Symphonia Concertante.
  • Oscar van Hemel (1892–1981). Dutch composer of five symphonies.
  • Arthur Honegger (1892–1955), Swiss-French composer of five symphonies.
  • László Lajtha (1892–1963). Hungarian composer of nine symphonies and two sinfoniettas.
  • Darius Milhaud (1892–1974). French composer of 12 numbered symphonies, 6 numbered chamber symphonies, an unnumbered Symphonie pour l’univers claudélien, and a Symphonie Concertante for four instruments and orchestra.
  • Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji (1892–1988), British composer of 12 symphonies: six for piano solo, three for organ, and three for piano, organ, chorus and large orchestra (the second unfinished save for the piano part).
  • Hilding Rosenberg (1892–1985). Swedish composer of eight symphonies.
  • Arthur Benjamin (1893–1960). Australian composer of one symphony (1944–45)
  • Eugene Goossens (1893–1962). British conductor and composer of two symphonies and a sinfonietta.
  • Godfried Devreese (1893–1972). Belgian composer of four symphonies.
  • Rued Langgaard (1893–1952). Danish composer of 15 symphonies.
  • Robert Russell Bennett (1894–1981). American composer of seven symphonies.
  • Ernest John Moeran (1894–1950). British composer of one symphony.
  • Willem Pijper (1894–1947). Dutch composer of three symphonies (1917, 1921, 1926).
  • Walter Piston (1894–1976), American composer of eight symphonies
  • Erwin Schulhoff (1894–1942), Czech composer of eight symphonies (the last two in short score).
  • Paul Hindemith (1895–1963), German composer of several works with descriptive titles designated symphonies, of which the best known is Mathis der Maler, as well as the Symphony in E-flat of 1939 and the Symphony in B-flat for Concert Band.
  • Leo Sowerby (1895–1968). American composer of five numbered orchestral symphonies, as well as a Symphony in G and Sinfonia brevis for organ.
  • William Grant Still (1895–1978). American composer of five symphonies.
  • Roberto Gerhard (1896–1970). Catalan composer, active in England, wrote five numbered symphonies (1952–69, the last unfinished), and a Symphony "Homenaje a Pedrell" (1940–41).
  • Howard Hanson (1896–1981), American composer of seven symphonies (no. 1 Nordic, no. 2 Romantic—his most famous, no. 4 Requiem, no. 5 Sinfonia Sacra, and no. 7 Sea Symphony).
  • Roger Sessions (1896–1985), American composer of nine symphonies, all but the first two of which are written using some form of the twelve-tone technique.
  • Virgil Thomson (1896–1989). American composer of three symphonies.
  • Paul Ben-Haim (1897–1984). Israeli composer of two symphonies.
  • Henry Cowell (1897–1965). American composer of 20 symphonies (a 21st exists only as sketches), as well as a Sinfonietta for chamber orchestra (1928) and an incomplete Symphonic Sketch (1943).
  • Oscar Lorenzo Fernândez (1897–1948). Brazilian composer of two symphonies.
  • Erich Wolfgang Korngold (1897-1957). Czech composer of one symphony.
  • Francisco Mignone (1897–1986). Brazilian composer of 3 orchestral symphonies and a chamber work titled Four Symphonies, for oboe, clarinet, and bassoon.
  • Harald Sæverud (1897–1992). Norwegian composer of nine symphonies.
  • Viktor Ullmann (1898–1944), Czech Composer of two symphonies (1944, both are reconstructions from the short score of the Piano Sonatas No.5 and Piano Sonatas No.7 by Bernard Wulff).
  • Hanns Eisler (1898–1962), German Composer of a Little Symphony (1932), a Chamber Symphony (1940) and a German Symphony for choir and orchestra (1930–1958).
  • Roy Harris (1898–1979), American composer of 15 symphonies, of which Symphony No. 3 is by far the most famous.
  • Carlos Chávez (1899–1978), Mexican composer of six symphonies, as well as a "Dance Symphony" Caballos de vapor (AKA Horse Power), and a Sinfonía proletaria (proletarian symphony).
  • Sophie-Carmen Eckhardt-Gramatée (1899–1974). Canadian composer of two symphonies and a Symphony-Concerto for piano and orchestra.
  • Pavel Haas (1899–1944), Czech Composer of an unfinished Symphony (1940/41, orchestration completed by Zdenek Zouhar).
  • Eduardo Hernández Moncada (1899–1995), Mexican composer of two symphonies.
  • Harl McDonald (1899–1955). American pianist, conductor, and composer of four symphonies.
  • Domingo Santa Cruz (1899–1987). Chilean composer of four symphonies and a Sinfonia Concertante for flute and orchestra.
  • Alexander Tcherepnin (1899–1977). Russian composer of four symphonies.
  • Randall Thompson (1899–1984), American composer of three symphonies.

[edit] 1900-1950

  • Aaron Copland (1900–1990), American composer of three symphonies. The fourth movement of No. 3 is based on his famous Fanfare for the Common Man.
  • Pierre-Octave Ferroud (1900–1936). French composer of one symphony.
  • Ernst Krenek (1900–1991). Austrian composer of five symphonies.
  • Kurt Weill (1900–1950), German Composer of two symphonies.
  • Masao Ohki (1901–1971). Japanse composer of six symphonies.
  • Edmund Rubbra (1901–1986), English composer of 11 symphonies.
  • Sir William Walton (1902–1983). English composer of two symphonies.
  • Meredith Willson (1902–1984). American composer of two symphonies.
  • Stefan Wolpe (1902–1972). German-born composer of a Symphony (1955–56).
  • Sir Lennox Berkeley (1903–1989). English composer of four symphonies.
  • Vittorio Giannini (1903–1966). American composer of five symphonies.
  • Aram Khachaturian (1903–1978). Armenian composer of three symphonies.
  • Saburõ Moroi (1903–1977). Japanese composer of five symphonies.
  • John Antill (1904–1986). Australian composer of Symphony on a City (1959).
  • Dmitri Kabalevsky (1904–1987). Russian composer of four symphonies.
  • Cemal Reşit Rey (1904–1985). Turkish composer of two symphonies.
  • William Alwyn (1905–1985). English composer of five symphonies.
  • Léon Orthel (1905–1985). Dutch composer of six symphonies.
  • Sir Michael Tippett (1905–1998). English composer of four symphonies.
  • Eduard Tubin (1905–1982), Estonian composer of 10 symphonies.
  • Karl Amadeus Hartmann (1905–1963). German composer of eight symphonies.
  • Kees van Baaren (1906–1970). Dutch composer of one symphony (1957).
  • Paul Creston (1906–1985), American composer of six symphonies.
  • Benjamin Frankel (1906–1973), English composer of eight symphonies.
  • Janis Ivanovs (1906–1983), Latvian composer of 21 symphonies.
  • Alexander Moyzes (1906–1984). Slovak composer of 12 symphonies.
  • Dmitri Shostakovich (1906–1975), Soviet composer of 15 symphonies—see Category of Shostakovich symphonies.
  • Antal Dorati (1906–1988), American conductor and composer of Hungarian birth, who wrote two symphonies.
  • Henk Badings (1907–1987). Dutch composer of 15 symphonies.
  • Camargo Guarnieri (1907–1993). Brazilian composer of seven symphonies.
  • Hisato Õsawa (1907–1953). Japanese composer of at least three symphonies.
  • Willem van Otterloo (1907–1978). Dutch conductor and composer of one symphony and a Symphonietta for winds.
  • Ahmet Adnan Saygun (1907–1991). Turkish composer of five symphonies.
  • Martin Scherber (1907-1974). German composer of three symphonies.
  • José Siquiera (1907–1985). Brazilian composer of four symphonies.
  • Elliott Carter (born 1908). American composer of three symphonies, including A Symphony of Three Orchestras (1976) and Symphonia: sum fluxae pretiam spei (1993–96).
  • Herman David Koppel (1908–1998). Danish composer of five symphonies.
  • Olivier Messiaen (1908–1992), composer of Turangalîla-Symphonie (1946-48) in ten movements, with solo parts for piano and Ondes Martenot.
  • Herbert Haufrecht (1909–1998). American composer of one symphony
  • Vagn Holmboe (1909–1996), Danish composer of 13 symphonies, four symphonies for strings and three chamber symphonies (these seven works not discarded, but not included by him among the other 13).
  • Robin Orr (1909–2006). Scottish composer of three symphonies and a Sinfonietta Helvetica.
  • Samuel Barber, (1910–1981), American composer of two symphonies.
  • William Schuman (1910–1992), American composer of 10 symphonies.
  • José Ardévol (1911–1981). Cuban composer of three symphonies.
  • Bernard Herrmann (1911–1975). American composer of one symphony (1940).
  • Alan Hovhaness (1911–2000). American composer of 67 symphonies.
  • Allan Pettersson (1911–1980). Swedish composer of 17 expressive symphonies.
  • Rudolf Escher (1912–1980). Dutch composer of two numbered symphonies, an unfinished Symphony in memoriam Maurice Ravel, and a Symphony for 10 instruments.
  • Peggy Glanville-Hicks (1912–1990). Australian composer of a Sinfonietta (1935)
  • Ma Sicong. (1912–1987). Chinese composer of two symphonies.
  • José Pablo Moncayo (1912–1958). Mexican composer of two symphonies (1944 and 1958, the latter unfinished), and a Sinfonietta (1945).
  • George Barati (1913–1996). Hungarian-born American composer of one symphony.
  • Henry Brant (born 1913). American composer of five unnumbered symphonies.
  • Benjamin Britten (1913–1976). British composer of several symphonies, including A Simple Symphony for strings (1933–34), Sinfonia da Requiem (1939–40), a Spring Symphony (1948–49), and the Cello Symphony (1963), as well as a Sinfonietta (1932).
  • Norman Dello Joio (born 1913). American composer of one symphony.
  • Morton Gould (1913–1996). American composer of four numbered symphonies (the last for band), plus four Symphonettes.
  • Hans Henkemans (1913–1995). Dutch composer of one symphony (1934, subsequently withdrawn).
  • Witold Lutosławski (1913–1994). Polish composer, wrote four symphonies.
  • Gardner Read (1913–2005). American composer of four symphonies.
  • Irving Fine (1914–1962). American composer of one symphony.
  • Roger Goeb (1914–1997). American composer of six symphonies.
  • César Guerra-Peixe (1914–1993). Brazilian composer of two symphonies.
  • Gail Kubik (1914–1984). American composer of two symphonies and a Sinfonia Concertante for piano, viola, trumpet, and orchestra.
  • Sir Andrzej Panufnik (1914–1991), Polish composer of 10 symphonies.
  • Harold Truscott (1914–1992). British composer of a Symphony in E major (1949–50), as well as a now-lost Grasmere Symphony (1938).
  • David Diamond (1915–2005), American composer of 11 symphonies.
  • Dorian Le Gallienne (1915–1963). Australian composer of a Symphony (1953) and a Sinfonietta (1956).
  • Vincent Persichetti (1915–1987). American composer of nine symphonies.
  • Henri Dutilleux (1916), French composer of two symphonies.
  • Sven Einar Englund (1916–1999), Finnish composer of seven symphonies.
  • Carlos Surinach (1915–1997) American composer of Catalan origin, composer of three symphonies.
  • Rowan Taylor (1916–2005). American composer of at least seven symphonies (as of 1957)
  • Lou Harrison (1917–2003). American composer of four symphonies.
  • Anthony Burgess (1917–1993). British novelist and composer of three symphonies, as well as a Petite symphonie pour Strasbourg (1988), and a Sinfonietta for Liana (1990).
  • Richard Yardumian (1917–1985). American composer of two symphonies.
  • Leonard Bernstein (1918–1990). American composer and conductor, composed three symphonies.
  • Harold Gramatges (born 1918). Cuban composer of one symphony and a Sinfonietta.
  • Bernd Alois Zimmermann (1918–1970). German composer of a Sinfonia prosodica (1945), as well as a Symphony in one movement (1947–51/53).
  • Argeliers León (1918–1991). Cuban composer of two numbered symphonies, as well as an unnumbered Symphony for Strings.
  • Lex van Delden (1919–1988). Dutch composer of eight symphonies.
  • Talivaldis Kenins (born 1919). Latvian-born Canadian composer of eight symphonies.
  • Juan Orrego-Salas (born 1919). Chilean composer of five numbered symphonies, plus a Symphony in One Movement "Semper reditus" (1997)
  • Cláudio Santoro (1919–1989). Brazilian composer of 14 symphonies.
  • Mieczyslaw Weinberg (1919–1996). Polish composer who emigrated to the Soviet Union, composer of 20 symphonies for full orchestra and 4 chamber symphonies.
  • Galina Ustvolskaya (1919–2006). Russian composer of five symphonies.
  • Ralph Edward Kechley (born ca. 1920). American composer of one symphony for band.
  • Jean B. Middleton (born ca. 1920). American composer of one symphony.
  • Malcolm Arnold (1921–2006). British composer of nine symphonies.
  • Jack Beeson (born 1921). American composer of one symphony.
  • Andrzej Dobrowolski (1921–1990). Polish composer of one symphony.
  • Fritz Geißler (1921–1984). German composer, wrote 11 symphonies.
  • Karel Husa (born 1921). American composer of Czech birth, composer of two symphonies.
  • Edvard Mik’aeli Mirzoian (born 1921). Armenian composer of one symphony.
  • Alfred Reed (1921–2005). American composer and conductor of Austrian descent, composed five symphonies, all for wind band.
  • Robert Simpson (1921–1997). British composer, wrote 11 symphonies.
  • Felix Werder (born 1922). Australian composer of German origin, wrote seven numbered symphonies (1943–92), a Sinfonia for viola, piano, and orchestra (1986), and a Wind Symphony (1990).
  • Jianer Zhu (born 1922). Chinese composer of 10 symphonies.
  • Frank Erickson (1923–1996). American composer of three symphonies.
  • Peter Mennin (1923–1983). American composer, wrote nine symphonies.
  • Ned Rorem (born 1923). American composer of three numbered orchestral symphonies, a symphony for winds, and a symphony for strings.
  • Vasilije Mokranjac (1923–1984). Serbian composer of four symphonies and a Sinfonietta for strings.
  • Warren Benson (1924–2005). American composer of two symphonies.
  • Joly Braga Santos (1924–1988). Portuguese composer of six symphonies.
  • Yasushi Akutagawa (1925–1989). Japanese composer of one numbered symphony (1954), plus a Symphony “Twin Stars”, for children (1957) and the Ellora Symphony (1958)
  • Jurriaan Andriessen (1925–1996). Dutch composer of eight numbered symphonies, plus a Symphonietta concertante, for four trumpets and orchestra (1947), and a Sinfonia "Il fiume" for winds (1984).
  • Robert Beadell (1925–1994). American composer of two symphonies.
  • Gustavo Becerra-Schmidt (born 1925). Chilean composer of three symphonies.
  • Luciano Berio (1925–2003). Italian composer of the famous Sinfonia (1968-69).
  • Bertold Hummel (1925–2002). German composer of three symphonies.
  • Włodzimierz Kotoński (born 1925). Polish composer of two symphonies.
  • Anthony Milner (born 1925). British composer of three orchestral symphonies and a symphony for organ.
  • Gunther Schuller (born 1925). American composer of three symphonies, a Symphony for Organ, and a Chamber Symphony (1989).
  • Paul W. Whear (born 1925). American composer of four symphonies.
  • Julián Orbón (1925–1991). Cuban composer of one symphony.
  • Hans Werner Henze (born 1926). German Composer of 10 symphonies.
  • Ben Johnston (born 1926). American composer of a Symphony in A (1987) and a Chamber Symphony (1990).
  • Jivan Gurgeni Ter-T'at'evosian (1926–1988). Armenian composer of five symphonies and a Sinfonietta.
  • Anatol Vieru (1926–1998). Romanian composer of seven symphonies.
  • David Barlow (1927–1975). English composer of two symphonies.
  • Keith Humble (1927–1995). Australian composer of a Symphony of Sorrows (1993).
  • Wilfred Josephs (1927–1997). British composer of 12 symphonies.
  • Ernst Widmer (1927–1990). Brazilian composer of Swiss birth, composed three symphonies.
  • Samuel Adler (born 1928). German-born American composer of six symphonies.
  • Tadeusz Baird (1928–1981). Polish composer of three symphonies.
  • Richard DeLone (born 1928). American composer of one symphony.
  • George Dreyfus (born 1928) Australian composer of two symphonies (1967 and 1976), and a Symphonie Concertante for bassoon, violin, viola, cello, and string orchestra (1978).
  • Ole Schmidt (born 1928). Danish composer of a First Symphony, an Øresund Symphony (in collaboration with Gunnar Jansson), a Sinfonietta for 15 instruments, and a Chamber Symphony.
  • Robert Washburn (born 1928). American composer of one symphony.
  • Edison Denisov (1929–1996). Russian composer of two symphonies.
  • Einojuhani Rautavaara (born 1929), Finnish composer of eight symphonies.
  • Toshiro Mayuzumi (1929-1997). Japanese composer of a "Nirvana Symphony" (1958) and a "Mandala Symphony" (1960).
  • Bogusław Schaeffer (born 1929). Polish composer of four symphonies.
  • Yongkang Shi (born 1929). Chinese composer of at least one symphony.
  • David Amram (born 1930). American composer of one symphony.
  • James Maurice Gore (born ca. 1930). American composer of one symphony.
  • Werner Heider (born 1930). German conductor and composer of two symphonies.
  • Hans Kox (born 1930). Dutch composer of three symphonies.
  • Frank Ezra Levy (born 1930). French-born American cellist and composer of at least four symphonies.
  • Malcolm Williamson (1931–2003). Australian composer of seven numbered symphonies, as well as a Symphony for Organ (1960), a Sinfonia Concertante for three trumpets, piano and strings (1960–62), a Symphony for Voices (1962), and a Choral Symphony "The Dawn is at Hand" (1989).
  • John Barnes Chance (1932–1972). American composer of two symphonies.
  • James Douglas (born 1932). Scottish Composer of 15 Symphonies.
  • Alexander Goehr (born 1932). British composer of German birth, wrote a Little Symphony (1963), Symphony in One Movement (1969/81), a Sinfonia for chamber orchestra (1979), and Symphony with Chaconne (1985–86).
  • John Kinsella (born 1932). Irish composer of nine symphonies.
  • Richard Meale (born 1932). Australian composer of one symphony (1994).
  • Claude Thomas Smith (1932–1987). American composer of one symphony.
  • John Williams (born 1932). American Composer of a symphony (1966).
  • Per Nørgård (born 1932). Danish composer of seven symphonies.
  • Leonardo Balada (born 1933). American composer of Spanish birth, has written five symphonies.
  • Easley Blackwood (born 1933). American composer of five symphonies.
  • Seóirse Bodley (born 1933). Irish composer of five symphonies and a Chamber Symphony.
  • Ramiro Cortés (1933–1984). American composer of a Sinfonia Sacra (1954/59)
  • Pozzi Escot (born 1933). American composer of six symphonies.
  • Henryk Górecki (born 1933). Polish composer of three symphonies.
  • Krzysztof Penderecki (born 1933). Polish composer of eight symphonies (as of 2005).
  • Bozidar Kos (born 1934). Slovenian composer active in Australia, wrote a Sinfonietta for string orchestra (1983).
  • Alfred Schnittke (1934–1998). Russian composer of nine symphonies, the last unfinished.
  • Sir Peter Maxwell Davies (born 1934), British Composer of a Sinfonia (1962), a Sinfonia Concertante (1982), a Sinfonietta (1983) and eight numbered symphonies (1976–2001).
  • Nigel Butterley (born 1935). Australian composer of one symphony (1980).
  • Giya Kancheli (born 1935). Georgian composer of seven symphonies.
  • Arvo Pärt (born 1935). Estonian composer of three symphonies.
  • Aulis Sallinen (born 1935). Finnish composer of eight symphonies.
  • Richard Rodney Bennett (born 1936). English composer of three symphonies and a sinfonietta.
  • Philip Glass (born 1937). American composer of eight symphonies.
  • Valentin Silvestrov (born 1937). Ukrainian composer of seven symphonies.
  • Elizabeth R. Austin (born 1938). American composer of two symphonies.
  • William Bolcom (born 1938). American pianist and composer of six symphonies.
  • John Corigliano (born 1938). American composer of three symphonies.
  • José Serebrier (born 1938). Uruguayan composer of three symphonies.
  • Charles Wuorinen (born 1938). American composer of seven numbered symphonies and a Microsymphony (1992).
  • Louis Andriessen (born 1939). Dutch composer of De negen symfonieën van Beethoven, for orchestra and ice-cream vendor's bell (1970), Symfonieën der Nederlanden, for two or more wind bands (1974), and Symphony for Open Strings for 12 solo strings (1978).
  • Lindembergue Cardoso (1939–1989). Brazilian composer of one symphony.
  • Robert Jager (1939). American composer of two symphonies and a sinfonietta.
  • John McCabe (born 1939). English composer of five numbered symphonies, plus a Six-minute Symphony for strings.
  • Jean Schwarz (born 1939). French composer of a symphony for electronic sounds (1975).
  • Ellen Taafe Zwillich (born 1939). American composer of four symphonies.
  • Richard Nanes (born 1941). American composer of four symphonies.
  • Gillian Whitehead (born 1941). New Zealand-born Australian composer of one symphony.
  • Richard Edward Wilson (born 1941). American composer of two symphonies.
  • Tomás Marco (born 1942). Spanish composer of six symphonies.
  • Ross Edwards (born 1943). Australian composer of four symphonies.
  • David Maslanka (born 1943). American composer of five symphonies.
  • Roger Smalley (born 1943). English composer of one symphony (1979–81).
  • William Albright (1944–1998). American composer of a Symphony for Organ and Percussion.
  • Leif Segerstam (born 1944). Finnish composer of over 180 symphonies.
  • Judith Lang Zaimont (born 1945). American composer of two numbered symphonies, plus a "dance symphony" titled Hidden Heritage and a Symphony for wind orchestra in three scenes (2003)
  • Tsippi Fleischer (born 1946). Israeli composer of five symphonies.
  • Ulrich Leyendecker (born 1946). German composer of four symphonies.
  • William T. Blows (born 1947). English composer of seven symphonies.
  • Hristo Tsanoff (born 1947). Bulgarian composer of two symphonies.
  • John Coolidge Adams (born 1947). American composer of a Chamber Symphony (1992).
  • Jack Gallagher (born 1947). American composer of one symphony and one sinfonietta.
  • Heinz Chur (born 1948). German composer of four symphonies (1978–1991).
  • Glenn Branca (born 1948). American composer and guitarist, who has composed 12 symphonies, nine of them for ensembles of electric guitars and percussion.
  • Dan Welcher (born 1948). American conductor and composer of three symphonies.
  • James Barnes (born 1949). American composer of five symphonies.
  • Richard Mills (born 1949). Australian composer of a symphony (1998) and Symphony No. 1 (2000).
  • Christopher Rouse (born 1949). American composer of two symphonies.

[edit] 1950-2000

  • John Buckley (born 1951). Irish composer of one symphony.
  • Craig H. Russell (born 1951). American composer of two symphonies.
  • Brenton Broadstock (born 1952). Australian composer of five symphonies.
  • Alla Pavlova (born 1952). Russian composer of five symphonies (as of 2006)
  • Daniel Asia (born 1953). American composer of four symphonies.
  • Oliver Knussen (born 1953). English Composer of three symphonies.
  • Elisabetta Brusa (born 1954). Italian composer of Nittemero Symphony.
  • Daniel Bukvich (born 1954). American composer of two symphonies.
  • Robert Carl (born 1954). American composer of three symphonies.
  • Carl Vine (born 1954). Australian composer of six symphonies.
  • John Kenneth Graham (born 1955). American composer of four symphonies.
  • Nigel Keay (born 1955), New Zealand composer of the Symphony in Five Movements (1996).
  • Richard Danielpour (born 1956). American composer of three symphonies.
  • Thomas Sleeper (born 1956). American composer of one symphony.
  • Mark Alburger (born 1957). American composer of nine symphonies.
  • Bechara El-Khoury (born 1957). Lebanese-born French composer of a Symphony Les ruines de Beyrouth, op. 37.
  • Harri Vuori (born 1957). Finnish composer of one symphony.
  • Julian Jing-Jun Yu (born 1957). Chinese/Australian composer of one symphony, the Sinfonia passacaglissima (1995).
  • Tan Dun (born 1957). Chinese composer of the Symphony 1997.
  • Frank Ticheli (born 1958). American composer of two symphonies.
  • Aaron Jay Kernis (born 1960). American composer of two symphonies.
  • Gordon Kerry (born 1961). Australian composer of a Sinfonia, for viola, cello, and string orchestra (1993).
  • Michael Torke (born 1961). American composer of one symphony (1997).
  • Evgeni Kostitsyn (born 1963). Russian composer of five symphonies.
  • David del Puerto (born 1964). Spanish composer of two symphonies.
  • Robert Steadman (born 1965). UK composer of two symphonies and a chamber symphony.
  • Jeffrey Ching (born 1965). Chinese-Philippine composer of five symphonies.
  • Marcus Tristan Heathcock (born 1967). UK composer of 10 symphonies including a Football symphony.
  • Jean Philippe Bec (born 1968). French composer of one symphony ("Gautama symphony") (2005–2006).
  • Esteban Benzecry (born 1970). Argentine composer of three symphonies.
  • Thomas Adès (born 1971). British Composer of a chamber symphony (1991).
  • Carson P. Cooman (born 1982). American composer of three symphonies.
  • Jay Greenberg (born 1991). American composer of at least five symphonies.


Symphonies by number, name, and key
No. 0 | No. 1 | No. 2 | No. 3 | No. 4 | No. 5 | No. 6 | No. 7 | No. 8 | No. 9 | No. 10 | No. 11
No. 12 and higher: Haydn, Mozart, Shostakovich, Hovhaness,...
List of symphonies by name - List of symphonies by key - List of symphony composers
See also: Sinfonia | Sinfonia concertante | Unfinished symphony | Curse of the Ninth