Composer Gallery

Here are quick and easy reference guides to the all-time great composers, a roster that we're always expanding. For each composer, you'll find vital statistics (birth, death, nationality), a short biographical sketch and a few fun facts, plus a basic guide to the music and a list of weblinks and resources, plus a few of the most famous tunes and one or two videos. Whether you're heading off to a concert, writing a research paper, looking for reliable, current information, or just want to explore some cool music and video, this is the first stop on your web search.
Rachmaninov, Sergei
Romantic

Rachmaninov, Sergei

Late, great, Russian Romantic composer. Equally famous as a pianist; many of his best compositions are for that instrument.
More »
Rameau, Jean-Philippe
Baroque

Rameau, Jean-Philippe

The most important 18th-century French composer, known especially for his operas and other theater works. He also was an influential music theorist.
More »
Ravel, Maurice
Modern

Ravel, Maurice

  • In early 20th-century France, Ravel was one of the great orchestrators in music. He used his original harmonic sensibility to create lush, tuneful, and engaging works.

More »
Rimsky-Korsakov, Nikolai
Romantic

Rimsky-Korsakov, Nikolai

Composer of Scheherazade and several great operas, Rimsky-Korsakov was also a great teacher, one of the most important influences in 19th-century Russian music.
More »
Rossini, Gioachino
Classical

Rossini, Gioachino

  • Known as “The Swan of Pesaro,” Rossini was the most popular composer of the first half of the 19th century. Rossini’s highly ornate musical style revolutionized the art form, inaugurating the “Golden Century” of Italian opera.

More »