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Famous Composers from Italy

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Updated October 13, 2018 8.1k views 388 items

List of notable or famous composers from Italy, with bios and photos, including the top composers born in Italy and even some popular composers who immigrated to Italy. If you're trying to find out the names of famous Italian composers then this list is the perfect resource for you. These composers are among the most prominent in their field, and information about each well-known composer from Italy is included when available.

List is made up of a variety of people, including Joe Satriani and Jean-Baptiste Lully.

This historic composers from Italy list can help answer the questions "Who are some Italian composers of note?" and "Who are the most famous composers from Italy?" These prominent composers of Italy may or may not be currently alive, but what they all have in common is that they're all respected Italian composers.

Use this list of renowned Italian composers to discover some new composers that you aren't familiar with. Don't forget to share this list by clicking one of the social media icons at the top or bottom of the page. (388 items)
1
Gioacchino Rossini is listed (or ranked) 1 on the list Famous Composers from Italy
Gioacchino Rossini Dec. at 76 (1792-1868)

Birthplace: Pesaro, Italy

Gioachino Antonio Rossini (29 February 1792 – 13 November 1868) was an Italian composer who gained fame for his 39 operas, although he also wrote many songs, some chamber music and piano pieces, ...more

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#115 of 2,042 The Greatest Musical Artists of All Time #267 of 1,471 The Greatest Minds of All Time #39 of 362 The Best Classical Composers

2
Ennio Morricone is listed (or ranked) 2 on the list Famous Composers from Italy
Age: 90

Birthplace: Rome, Italy

Ennio Morricone (November 10, 1928 – July 6, 2020) was an Italian composer, orchestrator, conductor, and trumpet player who wrote music in a wide range of styles. Morricone composed over 400 ...more

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#153 of 2,042 The Greatest Musical Artists of All Time #731 of 1,471 The Greatest Minds of All Time #81 of 362 The Best Classical Composers

3
Jean-Baptiste Lully is listed (or ranked) 3 on the list Famous Composers from Italy
Dec. at 55 (1632-1687)

Birthplace: Florence, Italy

Jean-Baptiste Lully (UK: , US: ; French: [ʒɑ̃ baˈtist lyˈli]; born Giovanni Battista Lulli, Italian: [ˈlulli]; 28 November [O.S. 18 November] 1632– 22 March 1687) was an Italian-born French ...more

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#498 of 2,042 The Greatest Musical Artists of All Time #59 of 362 The Best Classical Composers #16 of 44 The Best Baroque Composers, Ranked

4
Luciano Berio is listed (or ranked) 4 on the list Famous Composers from Italy
Dec. at 78 (1925-2003)

Birthplace: Oneglia

Luciano Berio, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI (October 24, 1925 – May 27, 2003) was an Italian composer. He is noted for his experimental work (in particular his 1968 composition Sinfonia and his ...more

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#917 of 2,042 The Greatest Musical Artists of All Time #297 of 362 The Best Classical Composers #116 of 215 The Best Ballet Composers

5
Ferruccio Busoni is listed (or ranked) 5 on the list Famous Composers from Italy
Dec. at 58 (1866-1924)

Birthplace: Europe, Eurasia, Italy, Empoli, Southern Europe, + more

Ferruccio Busoni (1 April 1866 – 27 July 1924) was an Italian composer, pianist, conductor, editor, writer, and teacher. His international career and reputation led him to work closely with many ...more

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#170 of 362 The Best Classical Composers #17 of 177 The Greatest Pianists Ever #13 of 153 The Greatest Classical Pianists of All Time

6
Muzio Clementi is listed (or ranked) 6 on the list Famous Composers from Italy
Dec. at 80 (1752-1832)

Birthplace: Rome, Italy

Muzio Filippo Vincenzo Francesco Saverio Clementi (23 January 1752 – 10 March 1832) was an Italian-born English composer, pianist, pedagogue, conductor, music publisher, editor, and piano ...more

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#90 of 362 The Best Classical Composers #158 of 177 The Greatest Pianists Ever #123 of 142 Bygone Musicians You Most Want to See Perform as Holograms

7
Claudio Monteverdi is listed (or ranked) 7 on the list Famous Composers from Italy
Dec. at 76 (1567-1643)

Birthplace: Cremona, Italy

Claudio Giovanni Antonio Monteverdi (, also US: , Italian: [ˈklaudjo monteˈverdi] (listen); baptized 15 May 1567 – 29 November 1643) was an Italian composer, string player and choirmaster. A ...more

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#179 of 2,042 The Greatest Musical Artists of All Time #41 of 362 The Best Classical Composers #13 of 42 The Best Renaissance Composers, Ranked

8
Giovanni Battista Pergol... is listed (or ranked) 8 on the list Famous Composers from Italy
Dec. at 26 (1710-1736)

Birthplace: Iesi, Italy

Giovanni Battista Draghi (Italian pronunciation: [dʒoˈvanni batˈtista ˈdraːɡi]; 4 January 1710 – 16 or 17 March 1736), often referred to as Giovanni Battista Pergolesi (Italian: [perɡoˈleːzi; ...more

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#474 of 2,042 The Greatest Musical Artists of All Time #85 of 362 The Best Classical Composers #90 of 152 The Greatest Musicians Who Died Before 40

9
Luigi Boccherini is listed (or ranked) 9 on the list Famous Composers from Italy
Dec. at 62 (1743-1805)

Birthplace: Lucca, Italy

Ridolfo Luigi Boccherini (, also US: , Italian: [riˈdɔlfo luˈiːdʒi bokkeˈriːni] (listen); February 19, 1743 – May 28, 1805) was an Italian composer and cellist of the Classical era whose music ...more
10
Ottorino Respighi is listed (or ranked) 10 on the list Famous Composers from Italy
Dec. at 57 (1879-1936)

Birthplace: Bologna, Italy

Ottorino Respighi ( reh-SPEE-ghee, also US: rə-, Italian: [ottoˈriːno reˈspiːɡi]; 9 July 1879 – 18 April 1936) was an Italian violinist, composer and musicologist, best known for his trilogy of ...more

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#93 of 362 The Best Classical Composers #12 of 31 The Best Italian Composers of All Time #79 of 215 The Best Ballet Composers

11
Giacomo Puccini is listed (or ranked) 11 on the list Famous Composers from Italy
Giacomo Puccini Dec. at 66 (1858-1924)

Birthplace: Europe, Province of Lucca, Eurasia, Italy, Lucca, + more

Giacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini (UK: puu-CHEE-nee, US: poo-, Italian: [ˈdʒaːkomo putˈtʃiːni]; 22 December 1858 – 29 November 1924) was an Italian opera composer who has ...more

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#198 of 2,042 The Greatest Musical Artists of All Time #283 of 1,471 The Greatest Minds of All Time #14 of 362 The Best Classical Composers

12
Domenico Scarlatti is listed (or ranked) 12 on the list Famous Composers from Italy
Dec. at 72 (1685-1757)

Birthplace: Naples, Italy

Giuseppe Domenico Scarlatti (Naples, 26 October 1685 – Madrid, 23 July 1757) was an Italian composer. He is classified primarily as a Baroque composer chronologically, although his music was ...more

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#497 of 2,047 The Greatest Musical Artists of All Time #36 of 362 The Best Classical Composers #140 of 177 The Greatest Pianists Ever

13
Tomaso Albinoni is listed (or ranked) 13 on the list Famous Composers from Italy
Dec. at 80 (1671-1751)

Birthplace: Venice, Scorzè, Italy

Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni (8 June 1671 – 17 January 1751) was an Italian Baroque composer. While famous in his day as an opera composer, he is known today for his instrumental music, especially ...more
14
Bud Spencer is listed (or ranked) 14 on the list Famous Composers from Italy
Age: 89

Birthplace: Borgo Santa Lucia

Carlo Pedersoli (October 31, 1929 – June 27, 2016), known professionally as Bud Spencer, was an Italian actor, professional swimmer and water polo player. He was known for action-comedy and ...more

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15
Jerry Gray is listed (or ranked) 15 on the list Famous Composers from Italy
Dec. at 61 (1915-1976)

Birthplace: Boston, Massachusetts

Jerry Gray (July 3, 1915 – August 10, 1976) was an American violinist, arranger, composer, and leader of swing dance orchestras (big bands) bearing his name. He is widely known for his work with ...more
16
Bill Conti is listed (or ranked) 16 on the list Famous Composers from Italy
Age: 76

Birthplace: Providence, Rhode Island

William Conti (born April 13, 1942) is an American composer and conductor best known for his film scores, including Rocky (and four of its sequels), Karate Kid (and all of its sequels), For Your ...more

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17
Sylvano Bussotti is listed (or ranked) 17 on the list Famous Composers from Italy
Age: 87

Birthplace: Florence, Italy

Sylvano Bussotti (born 1 October 1931) is an Italian composer of contemporary music whose work is unusually notated and often creates special problems of interpretation.
18
Joe Satriani is listed (or ranked) 18 on the list Famous Composers from Italy
Age: 62

Birthplace: Contiguous United States, New York, United States of America, United States, with Territories, + more

Joseph Satriani (born July 15, 1956) is an American instrumental rock guitarist and multi-instrumentalist. Early in his career, Satriani worked as a guitar instructor, with many of his former ...more

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19
Giovanni Pierluigi da Pa... is listed (or ranked) 19 on the list Famous Composers from Italy
Dec. at 69 (1525-1594)

Birthplace: Palestrina, Italy

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (c. 1525 – 2 February 1594) was an Italian Renaissance composer of sacred music and the best-known 16th-century representative of the Roman School of musical ...more
20
Giuseppe Sinopoli is listed (or ranked) 20 on the list Famous Composers from Italy
Dec. at 55 (1946-2001)

Birthplace: Venice, Scorzè, Italy

Giuseppe Sinopoli (Italian pronunciation: [dʒuˈzɛppe siˈnɔːpoli]; 2 November 1946 – 20 April 2001) was an Italian conductor and composer.
21
Vincenzo Bellini is listed (or ranked) 21 on the list Famous Composers from Italy
Dec. at 34 (1801-1835)

Birthplace: Catania, Italy

Vincenzo Salvatore Carmelo Francesco Bellini (Italian: [vinˈtʃɛntso salvaˈtoːre karˈmɛːlo franˈtʃesko belˈliːni] (listen); 3 November 1801 – 23 September 1835) was an Italian opera composer, who ...more
22
Rinaldo di Capua is listed (or ranked) 22 on the list Famous Composers from Italy
Dec. at 75 (1705-1780)

Birthplace: Capua, Italy

Rinaldo di (da) Capua (Capua, c. 1705 – probably Rome, c. 1780) was an Italian composer. Little is known of him with any certainty, including his name, although he was known to Charles Burney. ...more
23
Giovanni Battista Draghi... is listed (or ranked) 23 on the list Famous Composers from Italy
Giovanni Battista Draghi Dec. at 68 (1640-1708)

Birthplace: Rimini, Italy

Giovanni Battista Draghi was an Anglo-Italian composer and keyboard player. He may have been the brother of the composer Antonio Draghi. Draghi was brought to London in the 1660s by King Charles ...more
24
Pietro Mascagni is listed (or ranked) 24 on the list Famous Composers from Italy
Dec. at 82 (1863-1945)

Birthplace: Livorno, Italy

Pietro Mascagni (7 December 1863 – 2 August 1945) was an Italian composer primarily known for his operas. His 1890 masterpiece Cavalleria Rusticana caused one of the greatest sensations in opera ...more
25
Giovanni Salvatore is listed (or ranked) 25 on the list Famous Composers from Italy
Giovanni Salvatore Dec. at 68 (1620-1688)

Birthplace: Castelvenere, Italy

Giovanni Salvatore (ca.1620–ca.1688) was a Neapolitan composer and organist.Salvatore was born in Castelvenere. He is thought to have studied under Giovanni Maria Sabino and Erasmo di Bartolo at ...more