Which are the best composer of the 20th century? Here’s the top 10 from The Best.

1. Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971) – Russian composer who revolutionized 20th-century music with his innovative use of rhythm, meter, and harmony. He is best known for his ballets “The Rite of Spring” and “Firebird.”
2. Claude Debussy (1862-1918) – French composer who was a pioneer of musical impressionism, a style that sought to capture the sensations and emotions evoked by various natural and emotional landscapes. His most famous works include “Clair de Lune” and “La Mer.”
3. Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951) – Austrian composer and painter who developed the twelve-tone technique, a method of composition that uses all 12 notes of the chromatic scale in a specific order. He is regarded as one of the most important figures in the development of modern classical music.
4. Béla Bartók (1881-1945) – Hungarian composer and ethnomusicologist who combined elements of folk music with modern classical forms. He is considered one of the most important composers of the 20th century, and his works are noted for their rhythm, harmony, and dynamic contrasts.
5. Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943) – Russian composer and pianist who is best known for his piano concertos and vocal works. He was one of the last great composers in the tradition of Romantic classical music.
6. Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) – French composer and pianist who was one of the leading composers of his generation. He is known for his intricate and colorful orchestration, and his works often reflect his fascination with the music of different cultures.
7. Duke Ellington (1899-1974) – American jazz composer and pianist who was one of the most influential figures in the development of big band jazz. He wrote over 1,000 compositions, and his music continues to be popular today.
8. Alban Berg (1885-1935) – Austrian composer and member of the Second Viennese School, along with Arnold Schoenberg and Anton Webern. He is known for his use of atonality and the twelve-tone technique, and his works often express his interests in the human condition and the complexities of modern life.
9. George Gershwin (1898-1937) – American composer and pianist who blended classical music with jazz and popular song forms. He is best known for his works “Rhapsody in Blue” and the opera “Porgy and Bess.”
10. Philip Glass (born 1937) – American composer and pianist who is one of the leading figures of minimalism in classical music. He is known for his repetitive structures and trance-like quality, and his works often explore spiritual and philosophical themes.