In the Renaissance, composers such as Josquin and Palestrina were hailed as "princes" of music. Closer to our time, composers in the nineteenth century were often treated as heroes and even as cult figures. The lives of these composers tell us a great deal about the history of music and the music they created. In this section you can read about the composers, and in many cases hear examples of their works. To see a complete listing of all of the composers in this site, click here or choose one of the letters below.
Composers create the music we listen to. Western music, even going back to the Middle Ages, has placed a great emphasis on the individual creators of music. An anonymous thirteenth-century treatise, for example, compared two composers of an earlier generation, pointing out that one, Pérotin, was better in a certain style than his predecessor, Léonin.
Look for this icon to hear listening excerpts from many of your favorite composers.