The development of Western art music, from its origins in medieval times, has been centred around Europe. The richness of Europe's cultural life - artistic, literary, philosophical, and religious - provided European composers with the ideal background for musical composition. Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, the tradition also spread to other parts of the world. These are the countries that have had the most impact on the history and development of Classical music and the orchestral symphony. The heart of the symphony undoubtedly lies in Austria and Germany. Most of the great symphonies have emerged from this part of the world. Joseph Haydn (1732 - 1809) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 - 1791) Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827) Franz Schubert (1797 - 1828) Robert Schumann (1810 - 1856) Felix Mendelssohn (1809 - 1847) Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897) Anton Bruckner (1824 - 1896) Gustav Mahler (1860 - 1911) Other Austrian / German symphonists: Karl Ditters von Dittersdorf (1739-1799) Louis Spohr (1784-1859) Karl Goldmark (1830-1915) Max Bruch (1838-1920) Paul Hindemith (1895-1963) Kurt Weill (1900-1950) The most influential symphonist of the early Romantic period, Hector Berlioz, was a Frenchman. The French tradition was continued into the late 19th century by Saint-Saens and Franck. Hector Berlioz (1803 - 1869) Camille Saint-Saens (1835 - 1921) Cesar Franck (1822 - 1890) Other French symphonists: Georges Bizet (1838-1875) Ernest Chausson (1855-1899) Vincent d'Indy (1851-1931) Paul Dukas (1865-1935) Albert Roussel (1869-1937) Arthur Honegger (1892-1955) Darius Milhaud (1892-1974) Henri Dutilleux (1916-) The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw the re-emergence of England as a major player in Western art music. Edward Elgar (1857 - 1934) Ralph Vaughan-Williams (1872 - 1958) Other English symphonists: Charles Villiers Stanford (1852-1924) Edmund Rubbra (1901-1986) William Walton (1902-1983) Michael Tippett (1905-1997) Malcolm Arnold (1921-) Peter Maxwell Davies (1934-) Russia has a strong symphonic tradition, being home to composers such as Borodin and Tchaikovsky in the 19th century, and Shostakovich and Prokofiev in the 20th century. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840 - 1893) Sergei Prokofiev (1891 - 1953) Dmitri Shostakovich (1906 - 1975) Other Russian symphonists: Alexander Borodin (1833-1887) Mily Balakirev (1837-1910) Anton Arensky (1861-1906) Alexander Glazunov (1865-1936) Sergei Rachmaninov (1873-1943) Nikolai Miaskovsky (1881-1950) Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971) Aram Khachaturian (1903-1978) During the Romantic period, nationalism in music became popular, and this is particularly evident in the works of Antonin Dvorak, the most famous Czech composer. Antonin Dvorak (1841 - 1904) Other Czech symphonists: Bolushav Martinu (1890-1959) Early 20th-century nationalism saw the emergence of many fine Finnish composers, most notable Jean Sibelius. Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) Back to top of page