Arnold Bax
Sir Arnold Edward Trevor Bax KCVO (8 November 1883 – 3 October 1953) was an English composer, poet, and writer. He created many musical works, including songs, choral music, small ensemble pieces, and solo piano compositions. He is most famous for his orchestral music, which includes a series of symphonic poems and seven symphonies.
Frank Bridge
Frank Bridge was born in Brighton as the ninth child of William Henry Bridge (1845–1928), a violin teacher and conductor who previously worked as a printer in a family of shoemakers, and his second wife, Elizabeth (née Warbrick; 1849–1899). He also taught Benjamin Britten. His father was strict and required Frank to practice the violin for long hours.
Percy Grainger
Percy Aldridge Grainger (born George Percy Grainger; July 8, 1882 – February 20, 1961) was an Australian composer, arranger, and pianist who moved to the United States in 1914 and became an American citizen in 1918. Over his long and creative career, he played an important part in bringing more attention to British folk music during the early 1900s. Although much of his work was unusual, the piece he is most known for is his piano arrangement of the folk-dance tune “Country Gardens.” Grainger left Australia at age 13 to study at the Hoch Conservatory in Frankfurt.
Gustav Holst
Gustav Holst (born Gustavus Theodore von Holst; September 21, 1874 – May 25, 1934) was an English composer, arranger, and teacher. He is best known for his orchestral suite The Planets, though he created many other works across different musical styles. None of these other works became as famous as The Planets.
Ralph Vaughan Williams
Ralph Vaughan Williams OM ( / ˌ r eɪ f v ɔː n ˈ w ɪ l j ə m z / RAYF vawn WIL -yəmz ; 12 October 1872 – 26 August 1958) was an English composer. His works include operas, ballets, chamber music, secular and religious vocal music, and orchestral compositions, including nine symphonies, written over sixty years. He was strongly influenced by Tudor music and English folk songs, and his music marked a major change in British music, moving away from the German style that was common in the 19th century.
Frederick Delius
Frederick Theodore Albert Delius CH (born Fritz Theodor Albert Delius; /ˈdiːliəs/; 29 January 1862 – 10 June 1934) was an English composer. He was born in Bradford, a city in northern England, to a wealthy business family. He refused to work in business, as his family had hoped.
Sergei Prokofiev
Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev was born on April 27, 1891 (Old Style: April 15), and died on March 5, 1953. He was a Russian composer, pianist, and conductor who later worked in the Soviet Union. He is considered one of the most important composers of the 20th century because he created many famous works across different types of music.
Dmitri Shostakovich
Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich (25 September [O.S. 12 September] 1906 – 9 August 1975) was a Soviet composer and pianist who became famous worldwide after the first performance of his First Symphony in 1926. After this, he was seen as an important composer.
Béla Bartók
Béla Viktor János Bartók (pronounced /ˈbeɪlɒˈbɑːrtɒk/; Hungarian: [ˈbɒrtoːk ˈbeːlɒ]; born March 25, 1881; died September 26, 1945) was a Hungarian composer, pianist, and researcher who studied folk music. He is widely regarded as one of the most important composers of the 20th century. Along with Franz Liszt, he is considered Hungary’s greatest composer.
Igor Stravinsky
Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky was born on June 17, 1882 (Old Style June 5), and died on April 6, 1971. He was a Russian composer and conductor who later became a French citizen in 1934 and an American citizen in 1945. He is widely seen as one of the most important and influential composers of the 20th century and a very important figure in modernist music.