List of British classical composers

The following is a list of those born in Britain or of British citizenship who have worked in the classical music tradition.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

Contents

• A
• B
• C
• D
• E
• F
• G
• H
• I
• J
• K
• L
• M
• N
• O
• P
• Q
• R
• S
• T
• U
• V
• W
• X
• Y
• Z

A

• Richard Addinsell (1904–1977)
• John Addison (1765–1844)
• Thomas Adès (born 1971)
• Emanuel Abraham Aguilar (1824–1904)
• Kenneth J. Alford (1881–1945)
• William Alwyn (1905–1965)
• Geoffrey Alvarez (born 1961)
• Julian Anderson (born 1967)
• Kerry Andrew (born 1978)
• Denis ApIvor (1916–2004)
• Anna Appleby (born 1993)
• Malcolm Archer (born 1952)
• Lucy Armstrong (born 1991)
• Thomas Arne (1710–1778)
• Richard Arnell (1917–2009)
• Malcolm Arnold (1921–2006)
• Algernon Ashton (1859–1937)
• Ivor Atkins (1869–1963)
• Frederic Austin (1872–1952)
• Charles Avison (1709–1770)

B

• William Babell (c. 1690–1723)
• Francis Edward Bache (1833–1858)
• Francis Baines (1917–1999)
• William Baines (1899–1922)
• Edgar Bainton (1880–1956)
• Edward Bairstow (1874–1946)
• Christopher Ball (born 1936)
• Granville Bantock (1868–1946)
• Richard Barrett (born 1959)
• Stanley Bate (1911–1959)
• Hubert Bath (1883–1945)
• Arnold Bax (1883–1953)
• Sally Beamish (born 1956)
• David Bedford (1937–2011)
• Luke Bedford (born 1978)
• Arthur Benjamin (1893–1960)
• George Benjamin (born 1960)
• Richard Rodney Bennett (1936–2012)
• William Sterndale Bennett (1816–1875)
• Lennox Berkeley (1903–1989)
• Michael Berkeley (born 1948)
• Lord Berners (1883–1950)
• Ronald Binge (1910–1979)
• Judith Bingham (born 1952)
• Harrison Birtwistle (1934-2022)
• Henry Bishop (1787–1856)
• Arthur Bliss (1891–1975)
• John Blow (1649–1708)
• Carey Blyton (1932–2002)
• Capel Bond (1730–1790)
• Nimrod Borenstein (born 1969)
• Rutland Boughton (1878–1960)
• Derek Bourgeois (1941-2017)
• York Bowen (1884–1961)
• William Boyce (1711–1779)
• Charlotte Bray (born 1982)
• Havergal Brian (1876–1972)
• Frank Bridge (1879–1941)
• Reginald Smith Brindle (1917–2003)
• Benjamin Britten (1913–1976)
• Nigel Brooks (born 1936)
• David Bruce (born 1970)
• Gavin Bryars (born 1943)
• John Bull (1562 or 1563–1628)
• Geoffrey Burgon (1941–2010)
• Diana Burrell (born 1948)
• Alan Bush (1900–1995)
• Geoffrey Bush (1920–1998)
• Arthur Butterworth (1923–2014)
• George Butterworth (1885–1916)
• William Byrd (c. 1539 or 1543–1623)

C

• Thomas Campion (1567–1620)
• Alexander Campkin (born 1984)
• Philip Cannon (1929–2016)
• Gary Carpenter (born 1951)
• Cornelius Cardew (1936–1981)
• Doreen Carwithen (1922–2003)
• Robert Carver (c. 1485 – c. 1570)
• John Casken (born 1949)
• Ronald Center (1913–1973)
• Bob Chilcott (born 1955)
• Jeremiah Clarke (c. 1674–1707)
• Nigel Clarke (born 1960)
• Rebecca Helferich Clarke (1886–1979)
• Frederic Cliffe (1857–1931)
• Hubert Clifford (1904–1959)
• Anna Clyne (born 1980)
• Eric Coates (1886–1957)
• Julian Cochran (born 1974)
• Roger Sacheverell Coke (1912–1972)
• Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875–1912)
• Justin Connolly (1933–2020)
• Arnold Cooke (1906–2005)
• Benjamin Cooke (1734–1793)
• Deryck Cooke (1919–1976)
• Frank Corcoran (born 1937)
• Frederic Hymen Cowen (1852–1935)
• Harold Craxton (1885–1971)
• William Croft (1678–1727)
• Gordon Crosse (1937–2021)
• Peter Crossley-Holland (1916–2001)
• William Crotch (1775–1847)
• Joe Cutler (born 1968)
• Francis Cutting (c. 1550–1595/1596)

D

• Benjamin Dale (1885–1943)
• Christian Darnton (1905–1981)
• Peter Maxwell Davies (1934–2016)
• Tansy Davies (born 1973)
• Walford Davies (1869–1941)
• Frederick Delius (1862–1934)
• James Dillon (born 1950)
• Stephen Dodgson (1924–2013)
• James Douglas (born 1932)
• Jonathan Dove (born 1959)
• John Dowland (1563–1626)
• Andrew Downes (born 1950)
• Patrick Doyle (born 1953)
• Paul Drayton (born 1944)
• Thomas Dunhill (1877–1946)
• John Dunstable (c. 1390–1453)
• George Dyson (1883–1964)

E

• Henry Eccles, also Henri (1670–1742)
• Edward Elgar (1857–1934)
• Rosalind Ellicott (1857–1924)
• Brian Eno (born 1948)
• Thomas Erskine, 6th Earl of Kellie (1732–1781)

F

• David Fanshawe (1942–2010)
• Giles Farnaby (c. 1563–1640)
• Robert Fayrfax (1464–1521)
• Eric Fenby (1906–1997)
• Brian Ferneyhough (born 1943)
• Michael Finnissy (born 1946)
• Gerald Finzi (1901–1956)
• Arthur Elwell Fisher (1848–1912)
• Graham Fitkin (born 1963)
• Eliza Flower (1803–1846)
• Cecil Forsyth (1870–1941)
• Christopher Fox (born 1955)
• Cheryl Frances-Hoad (born 1980)
• Benjamin Frankel (1906–1973)
• Peter Racine Fricker (1920–1990)
• John Foulds (1880–1939)

G

• Hans Gál (1890–1987)
• Henry Balfour Gardiner (1877–1950)
• William Gardiner (1770–1853)
• John Gardner (1917–2011)
• Edward German (1862–1936)
• Jack Gibbons (born 1962)
• Orlando Gibbons (1583–1625)
• Armstrong Gibbs (1889–1960)
• Anthony Gilbert (born 1934)
• Ruth Gipps (1921–1999)
• Alexander Goehr (1932–2024)
• Berthold Goldschmidt (1903–1996)
• Jonathan Goldstein (1968–2019)
• Eugene Aynsley Goossens (1893–1962)
• Jonny Greenwood (born 1971)
• Edward Gregson (born 1945)
• Ivor Gurney (1890–1937)

H

• Patrick Hadley (1899–1973)
• Emily Hall (born 1978)
• Richard Hall (1903–1982)
• Iain Hamilton (1922–2000)
• George Frideric Handel (1685–1759)
• Richard Harris (born 1968)
• Hamilton Harty (1879–1941)
• Basil Harwood (1859–1949)
• Patrick Hawes (born 1958)
• Michael Head (1900–1976)
• Christopher Headington (1930–1996)
• Anthony Hedges (1931–2019)
• Victor Hely-Hutchinson (1901–1947)
• Muriel Emily Herbert (1897–1984)
• William Herschel (1738–1822)
• Kenneth Hesketh (born 1968)
• Alistair Hinton (born 1950)
• Christopher Hobbs (born 1950)
• Alun Hoddinott (1929–2008)
• Joseph Holbrooke (1878–1958)
• Alfred Hollins (1865–1942)
• Robin Holloway (born 1943)
• Derek Holman (1931–2019)
• Gustav Holst (1874–1934)
• Imogen Holst (1907–1984)
• Simon Holt (born 1958)
• James Hook (1746–1827)
• Bill Hopkins (1943–1981)
• David Horne (born 1970)
• Joseph Horovitz (born 1926)
• Dorothy Howell (1898–1982)
• Herbert Howells (1892–1983)
• Dani Howard (born 1993)
• Emily Howard (born 1979)
• Vic Hoyland (born 1945)
• Michael Hurd (1928–2006)
• William Hurlstone (1876–1906)

I

• John Ireland (1879–1962)

J

• Gordon Jacob (1895–1984)
• Philip Jeck (born 1952)
• Rupert Jeffcoat (born 1970)
• Karl Jenkins (born 1944)
• Daniel Jones (1912–1993)
• Wilfred Josephs (1927–1997)
• John Joubert (1927–2019)

K

• Lydia Kakabadse (born 1955)
• Minna Keal (1909–1999)
• Albert Ketèlbey (1875–1959)
• George Kiallmark (1781–1835)
• Oliver Knussen (1952–2018)

L

• Constant Lambert (1905–1951)
• Frederic Lamond (1868–1948)
• Philip Lane (born 1950)
• Walter Leigh (1905–1942)
• Kenneth Leighton (1929–1988)
• Thomas Linley the elder (1733–1795)
• Thomas Linley the younger (1756–1778)
• Malcolm Lipkin (1932–2017)
• George Lloyd (1913–1998)
• William Lloyd Webber (1914–1982)
• Jon Lord (1941–2012)
• Elisabeth Lutyens (1906–1983)

M

• Hamish MacCunn (1868–1916)
• Malcolm MacDonald (1916–1992)
• Emma Maria Macfarren (1824–1895), pseudonym Jules Brissac
• George Alexander Macfarren (1813–1887)
• Walter Cecil Macfarren (1826–1905)
• Alexander Mackenzie (1847–1905)
• James MacMillan (born 1959)
• Elizabeth Maconchy (1907–1994)
• John Marsh (1752–1828)
• Roger Marsh (born 1949)
• Carlo Martelli (born 1935)
• George William Martin (1828–1881)
• Steve Martland (1954–2013)
• Benedict Mason (born 1954)
• Grace-Evangeline Mason (born 1994)
• William Mathias (1934–1992)
• Colin Matthews (born 1946)
• David Matthews (born 1943)
• Nicholas Maw (1935–2009)
• Billy Mayerl (1902–1959)
• Rita McAllister (born 1946)
• John McCabe (1939–2015)
• Cecilia McDowall (born 1951)
• John Blackwood McEwen (1868–1948)
• William McGibbon (1690–1756)
• Edward McGuire (born 1948)
• Donna McKevitt (born 1970)
• John McLeod (born 1934)
• Luigi Merci (c. 1695 – c. 1750)
• Anna Meredith (born 1978)
• Robin Milford (1903–1959)
• Silvina Milstein (born 1956)
• Ernest John Moeran (1894–1950)
• Dominic Muldowney (born 1952)
• William Mundy (c. 1529–1591)
• Thea Musgrave (born 1928)

N

• Isaac Nathan (c. 1791–1864)
• Ivor Novello (1893–1951)
• Patrick Nunn (born 1969)
• Michael Nyman (born 1944)

O

• Norman O'Neill (1875–1934)
• Buxton Orr (1924–1997)
• Robin Orr (1909–2006)
• Albert Alan Owen (born 1948)
• Janet Owen Thomas (1961–2002)

P

• Roxanna Panufnik (born 1968)
• Hubert Parry (1848–1918)
• Paul Patterson (born 1947)
• Harry Parr-Davies (1914–1955)
• Ian Parrott (1916–2012)
• Michael Parsons (born 1938)
• Anthony Payne (1936–2021)
• Martin Peerson (1571/1573–1650/1651)
• David Pentecost (born 1940)
• Norman Peterkin (1886–1982)
• Polo Piatti (born 1954)
• George Frederick Pinto (1785–1806)
• Thomas Pitfield (1903–1999)
• Jocelyn Pook (born 1960)
• Cipriani Potter (1792–1871)
• Leonel Power (1370/1385–1445)
• Alwynne Pritchard (born 1968)
• Gwyn Pritchard (born 1948)
• Henry Purcell (1659–1695)

Q

• Roger Quilter (1877–1953)

R

• Simon Rackham (born 1964)
• Bernard Rands (born 1934)
• Alan Rawsthorne (1905–1971)
• Alan Richardson (1904–1978)
• Max Richter (born 1966)
• Alan Ridout (1934–1996)
• Betty Roe (born 1930)
• Cyril Rootham (1875–1938)
• Edmund Rubbra (1901–1986)
• John Rutter (born 1945)

S

• Malcolm Sargent (1895–1967)
• Lionel Sainsbury (born 1958)
• Leonard Salzedo (1921–2000)
• Kevin Sargent (living)
• Rebecca Saunders (born 1967)
• Sinan Savaskan (born 1954)
• David Sawer (born 1961)
• Robert Saxton (born 1953)
• Cyril Scott (1879–1970)
• Francis George Scott (1880–1958)
• Marion Scott (1877–1953)
• Peter Seabourne (born 1960)
• Humphrey Searle (1915–1982)
• Mátyás Seiber (1905–1960)
• Martin Shaw (1875–1958)
• John Sheppard (c. 1515–1558)
• Hugh Shrapnel (born 1947)
• Obadiah Shuttleworth (died 1734)
• Sasha Siem (born 1984)
• Mark Simpson (born 1988)
• Robert Simpson (1921–1997)
• Howard Skempton (born 1947)
• William Smethergell (1751–1836)
• Alice Mary Smith (1839–1884)
• Dave Smith (born 1949)
• Ethel Smyth (1858–1894)
• John Stafford Smith (1750–1836)
• Naresh Sohal (1939–2018)
• Arthur Somervell (1863–1937)
• Philip Sparke (born 1951)
• Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji (1892–1988)
• Patric Standford (1939–2014)
• Charles Villiers Stanford (1852–1924)
• John Stanley (1712–1786)
• Christopher Steel (1938 or 1939–1991 or 1992)
• Bernard Stevens (1916–1983)
• James Stevens (1892–1971)
• Haldane Stewart (1868–1942)
• Robert Prescott Stewart (1825–1894)
• Richard Stoker (1938–2021)
• Martin Suckling (born 1981)
• Arthur Sullivan (1842–1900)

T

• Joby Talbot (born 1971)
• Thomas Tallis (c. 1505–1585)
• Phyllis Tate (1911–1987)
• John Tavener (1944–2013)
• John Taverner (c. 1490–1545)
• Mansel Thomas (1909–1986)
• Shirley Thompson (born 1958)
• Michael Tippett (1905–1998)
• Will Todd (born 1970)
• Thomas Tomkins (1572–1656)
• Ernest Tomlinson (1924–2015)
• Paolo Tosti (1846–1916)
• Donald Tovey (1875–1940)
• Harold Truscott (1914–1992)
• Mark-Anthony Turnage (born 1960)

V

• Robert Valentine (c. 1671–1747)
• Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872–1958)
• John Veale (1922–2006)
• Ian Venables (born 1955)

W

• Julian Wagstaff (born 1970)
• William Wallace (1860–1940)
• Errollyn Wallen (born 1958)
• William Walton (1902–1983)
• John Ward (1590–1638)
• Peter Warlock (1894–1930)
• Thomas Weelkes (1576–1623)
• Judith Weir (born 1954)
• Samuel Wesley (1766–1837)
• Samuel Sebastian Wesley (1810–1876)
• Douglas Weiland (born 1954)
• Janet Wheeler (born 1957)
• John White (born 1936)
• Percy Whitlock (1903–1946)
• Grace Williams (1906–1977)
• James Wilson (1922–2005)
• Thomas Wilson (1927–2001)
• Beth Wiseman (1951–2007)
• Stevie Wishart (living)
• Charles Wood (1866–1926)
• Hugh Wood (1932–2021)
• John Wooldridge (1919–1958)
• John Woolrich (born 1954)
• William Wordsworth (1908–1988)
• David Wright (born 1953)
• David Wynne (1900–1983)

See also

• Chronological list of English classical composers