Beginner's Guide to 20th Century Composers

The 20th century produced some of the most famous opera composers in history. Here are just a few of the most successful composers and their popular works which have helped secure their place in the history books. 

Philip Glass (born January 31, 1937) is an American composer. He is considered one of the most influential composers of the late 20th century. This is largely due to his unique musical style which is often minimalist and repetitive. Read our guide to Philip Glass music to learn more about some of his most famous works.

Glass had a number of influences across the years which helped to shape his style of composing. He studied at the University of Chicago and the Juilliard School, where he worked as an assistant to Ravi Shankar. This led to an interest in Indian music. He was among the first western composers to incorporate Asian influences into his compositions, which have generally been in the classical style.

Following his studies was an expansive career that included a number of operas, theatre collaborations, film scores and contemporary classical concert music. He has written numerous symphonies that include two with a full orchestra: Symphony No. 1 (1992) and Symphony No. 2 (1994). However, amongst some of Glass’s most famous works were his elaborate operas: Einstein on the Beach, Akhnaten, Satyagraha and Orphée to name but a few. Therefore, Glass is not only a famous 20th century composer, but still very much beloved in the 21st century.

Benjamin Britten was a 20th century English composer (born on November 22, 1913).

He studied composition as a child and flourished under the guidance of composer Frank Bridge. Britten won a scholarship to the Royal College of Music in 1930, where he studied under Arthur Benjamin.

After graduating, Britten had an illustrious career. His first opera, Peter Grimes, was written in 1945 followed by a string of other successful operas including, Billy Budd, The Turn of the Screw, The Rape of Lucretia and Gloriana

Perhaps most notably, Britten composed his War Requiem (1962) for the consecration of the new Coventry Cathedral; this poignant anti-war masterpiece remains as one of the greatest choral works of the twentieth century.

Leonard Bernstein was an American composer, conductor and pianist. He was one of the most well-known composers of the 20th century, as well as a Musical Director at the New York Philharmonic Orchestra from 1958 to 1969. His most famous work by far was West Side Story – an adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet set in New York City during the 1950s gang wars, which is still beloved by audiences today.

Across his 50 year career, Bernstein broke into many different genres. Although musical theatre and films were his main output, (receiving a number of Tony, Grammy and Emmy awards), he did foray into the world of opera. Some of his most notable works include Candide, A Quiet Place and the one act opera, Trouble in Tahiti. 

However, it was undeniably his shows on Broadway and Hollywood scores that made Bernstein a household name. Thanks to musicals like Wonderful Town and film scores like On the Waterfront, Bernstein was one of the first American composers to achieve international critical acclaim. With new productions of his works like the 2021 film West Side Story, keeping his legacy alive, he is sure to be one of the world’s most famous composers for a very long time.

Richard Strauss (1864-1949) was one of the most highly acclaimed composers of the 20th century. He was a leading representative of the German school of Romantic composers who set new standards for orchestration and tone colour in opera. 

His operas, which include Der Rosenkavalier and Salome,  showcased his ability to combine dramatic intensity with lyrical beauty, and they continue to be among the most popular operas in the repertoire. 

However, it was his series of groundbreaking tone poems at the latter part of the 19th century that helped Strauss gain fame. These were orchestral pieces of music often based on poems which led to Strauss being regarded as one of the finest orchestral composers of all time. Some of his most famous examples of orchestral tone poems include Don Juan, Tod und Verklärung  (Death and Transfiguration) and Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche (Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks).