Famous Russian Composers

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 1 
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
(Russian Romantic Composer Best Known for His Ballet Compositions ‘Swan Lake’ and ‘The Nutcracker’)
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
5
Birthdate: May 7, 1840
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Votkinsk, Russia
Died: November 6, 1893

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky was the first Russian composer to place Russian music on the international stage. Often described as a musician who transcended the stereotypes of classical Russian music, Tchaikovsky is credited with making the Western world take note of Russian music. Although he was criticized by the critics, his popularity among the public never faded.

 2 
Sergei Rachmaninoff
(Russian Composer Who Was Considered One of the Finest Pianists of His Era)
Sergei Rachmaninoff
7
Birthdate: April 1, 1873
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Starorussky Uyezd
Died: March 28, 1943

Sergei Rachmaninoff was a Russian composer, conductor, and virtuoso pianist of the late Romantic period. Credited with exploring the expressive possibilities of the piano, Rachmaninoff's music continues to be featured in films. His four-year struggle with depression, which was followed by the critical failure of his Symphony No. 1, was depicted in the 2015 musical Preludes.

 3 
Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky
(One of the Most Influential Composers of the 20th Century and a Pivotal Figure in 'Modernist Music')
Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky
5
Birthdate: June 17, 1882
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Lomonosov, Saint Petersburg, Russia
Died: April 6, 1971

Four-time Grammy-winning Russian composer and pianist Igor Stravinsky is regarded as one of the greatest composers of the 20th century. He is remembered for his ballets The Firebird, Petrushka, and The Rite of Spring. He broke the traditional flow of music and incorporated his own style.

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 4 
Dmitry Shostakovich
(One of the Major Russian Composers of the 20th Century)
Dmitry Shostakovich
4
Birthdate: September 25, 1906
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Saint Petersburg, Russia
Died: August 9, 1975

Dmitry Shostakovich was a Soviet and Russian pianist and composer. Widely regarded as one of the 20th century's major composers, Shostakovich's music is characterized by ambivalent tonality, elements of the grotesque, and sharp contrasts. He composed 15 symphonies during his lifetime and most of his work came under Joseph Stalin.

 5 
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
(Russian Composer Known for His Operas: ‘Sadko’ and ‘The Tale of Tsar Saltan’)
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
3
Birthdate: March 18, 1844
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Tikhvin, Russia
Died: June 21, 1908

While he grew up listening to Russian folk songs and church music, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov later joined the navy with his brother. One of the legendary Russian composers known as The Mighty Handful, he is remembered for his pieces such as Flight of the Bumblebee from the opera Tsar Saltan.

 6 
Modest Mussorgsky
(Russian Composer Who was an Innovator of Russian Music in the Romantic Period)
Modest Mussorgsky
3
Birthdate: March 21, 1839
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Karevo, Russia
Died: March 28, 1881

Modest Mussorgsky was a Russian composer best remembered for being part of a renowned 19th-century Russian composers group known as The Five. An innovator of Russian music, Mussorgsky worked towards achieving a Russian musical identity that challenged the already established Western music, which was generally considered conventional at that time.

 7 
Aleksandr Scriabin
(One of the Most Controversial Composer-Pianists of the Early 20th Century)
Aleksandr Scriabin
3
Birthdate: December 25, 1871
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Moscow, Russia
Died: April 14, 1915

Russian composer and pianist Aleksandr Scriabin is considered one of the most innovative and controversial of early modern composers. Interested in music from an early age, he built pianos as a young man and didn’t take long to establish himself as a brilliant composer. Unfortunately, he died at the height of his career, at the age of just 43. 

 8 
Timati
(Rapper, Singer, Record producer, Composer)
Timati
6
Birthdate: August 15, 1983
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Moscow
Born into an affluent Russian family, Timati initially studied economics but later drifted toward music. The hip-hop artist gained fame with the reality show Star Factory 4 and later released hits such as Welcome to St. Tropez. However, his song Moscow, deriding anti-government protestors, became the most-disliked Russian YouTube video.
 9 
Mikhail Glinka
(Russian Composer Who is Regarded as the Fountainhead of Russian Classical Music)
Mikhail Glinka
3
Birthdate: June 1, 1804
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Yelninsky District, Smolensk Oblast, Russia
Died: February 15, 1857

Mikhail Glinka was a Russian composer who is considered the fountainhead of classical music in Russia. Glinka was the first Russian musician to achieve widespread acclaim within his own country. His compositions went on to influence subsequent generations of Russian composers, such as the members of The Five.

 10 
Sviatoslav Richter
(Who is frequently regarded as one of the greatest pianists of all time)
Sviatoslav Richter
3
Birthdate: March 20, 1915
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Zhytomyr, Ukraine
Died: August 1, 1997
 11 
Daniil Trifonov
(Pianist)
Daniil Trifonov
3
Birthdate: March 5, 1991
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
 12 
Vladimir Ashkenazy
(Classical pianist, Conductor and Composer)
Vladimir Ashkenazy
4
Birthdate: July 6, 1937
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
 13 
Anton Rubinstein
(Pianist)
Anton Rubinstein
3
Birthdate: November 28, 1829
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Ofatinti, Moldova
Died: November 20, 1894
 14 
Alfred Schnittke
(Russian Composer)
Alfred Schnittke
3
Birthdate: November 24, 1934
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Engels, Russia
Died: August 3, 1998

Born to German parents in Russia, composer Alfred Schnittke is remembered for his signature style of music, known as polystylism, which was characterized by its dark themes. A versatile musician, who also composed film scores, he was once banned from leaving the country by the Soviet authorities.

 15 
Alexander Glazunov
(Composer)
Alexander Glazunov
2
Birthdate: August 10, 1865
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Saint Petersburg, Russia
Died: March 21, 1936
 16 
Mily Balakirev
(Composer, pianist, and conductor known today primarily for his work promoting musical nationalism)
Mily Balakirev
3
Birthdate: December 31, 1836
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
Died: May 29, 1910
 17 
Alexey Vorobyov
(Russian Actor and Singer Best Known For His Appearance on the Music Competition Show 'The X Factor')
Alexey Vorobyov
3
Birthdate: January 19, 1988
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Tula, Russia

Alexey Vorobyov is a Russian actor and singer best known for his performances in the English and Russian languages. Alexey Vorobyov is also known for his appearance on the Russian version of the popular music competition show, The X Factor.

 18 
Sergey Stepanov
(Saxophonist, Composer)
Sergey Stepanov
2
Birthdate: September 3, 1984
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Tiraspol, Moldova
 19 
Sofia Gubaidulina
(Composer)
Sofia Gubaidulina
2
Birthdate: October 24, 1931
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Chistopol, Russia
 20 
Alexander Vasilyevich Alexandrov
(Composer)
Alexander Vasilyevich Alexandrov
2
Birthdate: April 18, 1883
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Plakhino, Russia
Died: July 8, 1946
 21 
César Cui
(Russian Composer and Music Critic)
César Cui
2
Birthdate: January 18, 1835
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Vilnius, Lithuania
Died: March 13, 1918

Cesar Cui was a Russian composer best remembered for his association with a group called The Five, which worked to create a national style of classical music. Also a well-known music critic of his time, Cui worked hard to promote the music of other Russian composers, especially the works of his co-members from The Five.

 22 
Alexander Gradsky
(Singer)
Alexander Gradsky
2
Birthdate: November 3, 1949
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Kopeysk, Russia
 23 
Arkady Kobyakov
(Singer, Composer)
Arkady Kobyakov
2
Birthdate: June 2, 1976
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Novgorod, Russia
Died: September 19, 2015
 24 
Reinhold Glière
(Composer)
Reinhold Glière
2
Birthdate: January 11, 1875
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Kiev, Ukraine
Died: June 23, 1956
 25 
Dmitry Kabalevsky
(Composer)
Dmitry Kabalevsky
2
Birthdate: December 30, 1904
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Saint Petersburg, Russia
Died: February 14, 1987
 26 
Igor Krutoy
(Ukrainian Composer and Multi-Instrumentalist)
Igor Krutoy
2
Birthdate: July 29, 1954
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Haivoron, Ukraine
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
 27 
Boris Grebenshchikov
(Musician)
Boris Grebenshchikov
2
Birthdate: November 27, 1953
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Saint Petersburg, Russia
 28 
Oleg Gazmanov
(Singer)
Oleg Gazmanov
2
Birthdate: July 22, 1951
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Gusev, Russia
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
 29 
Sonya Belousova
(Composer)
Sonya Belousova
2
Birthdate: February 4, 1990
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Saint Petersburg, Russia
 30 
Yegor Letov
(Poet, Composer)
Yegor Letov
2
Birthdate: September 10, 1964
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Omsk, Russia
Died: February 19, 2008
 31 
Mikhail Pletnev
(Pianist)
Mikhail Pletnev
2
Birthdate: April 14, 1957
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Arkhangelsk, Russia
 32 
Nikolai Rubinstein
(Former pianist, conductor, and composer)
Nikolai Rubinstein
2
Birthdate: July 2, 1835
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Moscow, Russia
Died: March 23, 1881
 33 
Leonid Agutin
(Singer, Composer)
Leonid Agutin
2
Birthdate: July 16, 1968
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Moscow, Russia
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
 34 
Nikolai Medtner
(Composer)
Nikolai Medtner
2
Birthdate: January 5, 1880
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Moscow, Russia
Died: November 13, 1951
 35 
Serge Koussevitzky
(Conductor)
Serge Koussevitzky
2
Birthdate: July 26, 1874
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Vyshny Volochyok, Russia
Died: June 4, 1951
 36 
Eduard Artemyev
(Composer, Film score composers)
Eduard Artemyev
2
Birthdate: November 30, 1937
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Novosibirsk, Russia
 37 
Georgy Sviridov
(Composer)
Georgy Sviridov
2
Birthdate: December 16, 1915
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Fatezh, Russia
Died: January 6, 1998
 38 
Nikolai Kapustin
(Soviet Composer and Pianist Known for His Fusion of Jazz and Classical Music)
Nikolai Kapustin
2
Birthdate: November 22, 1937
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Horlivka, Ukraine
Died: July 2, 2020
 39 
Maxim Fadeev
(Singer)
Maxim Fadeev
2
Birthdate: May 6, 1968
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Kurgan, Russia
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
 40 
Rodion Shchedrin
(Soviet and Russian Composer & Pianist)
Rodion Shchedrin
2
Birthdate: December 16, 1932
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Moscow, Russia

Rodion Shchedrin is a Soviet and Russian pianist and composer. One of the most recognized and decorated Soviet-born pianists and composers of his generation, Rodion Shchedrin has won many prestigious awards such as the USSR State Prize, Lenin Prize, and State Prize of the Russian Federation.

 41 
Vasily Kalinnikov
(Composer)
Vasily Kalinnikov
2
Birthdate: January 13, 1866
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Russia
Died: January 11, 1901
 42 
Yuri Kasparyan
(Guitarist)
Yuri Kasparyan
1
Birthdate: June 24, 1963
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Simferopol, Ukrainian
 43 
Andrey Makarevich
(Musician, Singer)
Andrey Makarevich
1
Birthdate: December 11, 1953
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Moscow, Russia
 44 
Anton Arensky
(Composer)
Anton Arensky
2
Birthdate: July 12, 1861
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Veliky Novgorod, Russia
Died: February 25, 1906
 45 
Sergey Taneyev
(Composer)
Sergey Taneyev
2
Birthdate: November 25, 1856
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Vladimir, Russia
Died: June 19, 1915
 46 
Hans Pfitzner
(Composer)
Hans Pfitzner
2
Birthdate: May 5, 1869
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Moscow, Russia
Died: May 21, 1949
 47 
Konstantin Meladze
(Ukrainian-Russian Composer and Music Producer)
Konstantin Meladze
2
Birthdate: May 11, 1963
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Batumi, Georgia
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
 48 
Nikolai Myaskovsky
(Composer)
Nikolai Myaskovsky
2
Birthdate: April 20, 1881
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Russia
Died: August 8, 1950
 49 
Anatoly Lyadov
(Composer)
Anatoly Lyadov
1
Birthdate: May 12, 1855
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Saint Petersburg, Russia
Died: August 28, 1914
 50 
Vernon Duke
(Composer)
Vernon Duke
2
Birthdate: October 10, 1903
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Vilna Governorate, Russia
Died: January 16, 1969