# 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.
* 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)
* Alexis Ffrench (born 1970)
* 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)