Classical Composers to KnowMany composers have written amazing music. But if you’re wondering where to start, these incredible composers serve as a great jumping-off point. Each one has famous music you're sure to have heard before and enough repertoire for you to discover more.Johann Sebastian BachBach is an 18th-century German composer who started out playing and composing for organ and eventually expanded into orchestral and vocal works. He was a deeply religious man. And many of his most famous pieces were written to be played during church. He still wrote a lot of great secular pieces; his cello suites being a prime example. Sadly, Bach was not very well known during his lifetime and never left Germany. It wasn’t until the Bach Revival in the 19th century that his music was rediscovered, and he became one of the most well-known composers.Wolfgang Amadeus MozartMozart was a child prodigy who started traveling and performing with his sister for the kings and queens of Europe at a very young age. He became close with the father of the symphony, Joseph Haydn. Mozart was one of the most prolific composers, writing over six hundred pieces. He died at the young age of 36 while writing the “Requiem in D Minor.”Ludwig van BeethovenA student of Haydn, Beethoven took his foundations in symphonic form and expanded upon them until they became the large-scale symphonies we know today. He was a great admirer of Mozart, but the two never actually met. Beethoven was deaf in the later portion of his career. So much so that when he conducted his "Ninth Symphony," he didn’t know it ended until one of the soloists pointed it out.Pyotr Ilyich TchaikovskyTchaikovsky was the first Russian composer to gain international fame. His most famous piece is the “The Nutcracker,” a ballet he wrote for his children but didn’t particularly enjoy. Tchaikovsky is well known for the amount of sheer emotion in his pieces, possibly stemming from his life dealing with depression and phobias. For example, he would sometimes hold onto his beard with one hand while conducting because he was worried his head would fall off.Antonin DvorakDvorak is a Czech composer who eventually made his way to the United States, becoming the director of the National Conservatory of Music. He even moved to Spillville, Iowa, for a time where he composed some of his most famous works. While in the United States, he often worked Native American songs, African American hymns and folk songs into his music., Deepen your knowledge and understanding of classical. This guide introduces you to the basics of classical music — common formats, famous composers and more., Find a piece you heard recently on IPR Classical. Or track down an upcoming performance. Browse the weekly schedule and playlists for each classical music show..