List of German composers
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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 Rudolph Ahle (1625–1673)
- Eugen d'Albert (1864–1932)
- Heinrich Albert (1604–1651)
- 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)
- Hildegard von Bingen (1098–1179), early church music composer, wrote sacred works including her morality play with music Ordo Virtutum
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- Immanuel Faißt (1823–1894)
- Carl Friedrich Christian Fasch (1736–1800)
- Johann Friedrich Fasch (1688–1758)
- Peter Fassbänder (1869–1920)
- Reinhard Febel (born 1952)
- Johann Georg Feldmayer (1756–1834)
- Alexander von Fielitz (1860–1930)
- Wolfgang Figulus (um 1525–1589)
- Anton Fils (1733–1760)
- Gottfried Wilhelm Fink (1783–1846)
- Siegfried Fink (1928–2006)
- Gerhard Fischer-Münster (born 1952)
- Johann Fischer (1646–1716)
- Johann Caspar Ferdinand Fischer (1556–1656)
- Johann Christian Fischer (1733–1800)
- Johann Karl Christian Fischer (1752–1807)
- Michael Gotthard Fischer (1773–1829)
- Johann Friedrich Anton Fleischmann (1766–1798)
- Christian Flor (1629–1697)
- Friedrich von Flotow (1812–1883)
- Johann Nikolaus Forkel (1749–1818)
- Christoph Förster (1693–1745)
- Wolfgang Fortner (1907–1987)
- Johann Zacharias Franck (1686–1756)
- Eduard Franck (1817–1893)
- 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), 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)
- Johann Wilhelm Häßler (1747–1822)
- 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)
- Martin Hauber (born 1964)
- Carl August Haupt (1810–1891)
- Moritz Hauptmann (1792–1868)
- Florian Havemann (born 1952)
- Joseph Haydn (1732−1809)
- Pantaleon Hebenstreit (1668–1750)
- Herbert Hechtel (born 1937)
- Heinz Heckmann (born 1932)
- Werner Heider (born 1930)
- Peter Heilbut (1920–2005)
- Johann David Heinichen (1683–1729)
- 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)
- 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)
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)
- Gustav Jenner (1865–1920)
- Adolf Jensen (1837–1879)
- Jens Joneleit (born 1968)
- Jens Josef (born 1967)
K
- 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
- 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 Loeschhorn (1819 - 1905), German composer, pianist and piano teacher
M
- 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
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791), son of Leopold, influential composer of operas, piano concertos, chamber music, symphonies, sacred works, and much else
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
- Hans Pfitzner (1869–1949), composer and self-described anti-modernist
- Michael Praetorius (1571–1621), Baroque composer, organist and writer on music
R
- Carl Reinecke (1824–1910), musician and composer
- Max Reger (1873 - 1916), pianist, organist and composer
- Hermann Reutter (1900–1985)
- Wolfgang Rihm (born 1952), 20th Century Post-Modernist composer
S
- 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.
- 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 Philipp Telemann (1681–1767), Baroque composer with more than 800 credited works
- Friedrich Hieronymus Truhn (1811–1886), Romantic composer, conductor and music writer
V
- 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
- 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
- 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
See also
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