Wikipedia

List of organ composers

The following is a list of organ composers. As well as citing the most regarded composers of music for the pipe organ, this list includes important anonymous and early music sources, as well as composers from under-researched regions and countries.

Much keyboard music of the Late-Medieval and Renaissance was often played interchangeably on organ, harpsichord, clavichord and the like, with the exception of liturgical music (Mass, Magnificat and Latin hymns versets, chorale settings, etc.) which are thought to have been played primarily on the organ. Several early sources clearly specify the use of organ in free works, such as the Ileborgh Tablature of 1448, which in the third praeambulum has the first known indication for pedal notes.

Eras of composition are roughly categorized as follows:

  • Medieval: before 1440
  • Renaissance: 1440–1600
  • Baroque: 1600–1750
  • Classical: 1750–1810
  • Romantic: 1810–1870
  • Late Romantic: 1870–1910
  • 20th Century: 1910–1990
  • Millennial: after 1990 (composers born after 1960)
This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

Tablatures, manuscripts, and printed music before 1580

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Argentina

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Name Date of birth Date of death Era Country/Region Other Countries
García Morillo, Roberto 1911 2003 20th Century Argentina
Ginastera, Alberto 1916 1983 20th Century Argentina

Australia

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Name Date of birth Date of death Era Country/Region Other Countries
Koehne, Graeme 1956 — 20th Century Australia
Helleman, Christian 1881 1954 20th Century Australia
Truman, Ernest 1869 1948 Late Romantic Australia
Bainton, Edgar 1880 1956 20th Century United Kingdom emigrated to Australia
Nixon, June 1942 — 20th Century Australia
Rea, Alexander 1830 1909 19th Century Australia

Austria

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(see also Germany)

Name Date of birth Date of death Era Country/Region Other Countries
Hofhaimer, Paul 1459 1537 Renaissance Austria
Muffat, Georg 1653 1704 Baroque Austria
Muffat, Gottlieb 1690 1770 Baroque Austria
Poglietti, Alessandro 1600 (c.) 1683 Baroque Austria
Richter, Ferdinand Tobias 1651 1711 Baroque Austria
Wagenseil, Georg Christoph 1715 1777 Baroque Austria
Albrechtsberger, Johann Georg 1736 1809 Classical Austria
Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus 1756 1791 Classical Austria
Sechter, Simon 1788 1867 Classical Austria
Labor, Josef 1842 1924 Late Romantic Austria born in Bohemia
Fuchs, Robert 1847 1927 Late Romantic Austria
Herzogenberg, Heinrich von 1843 1900 Late Romantic Austria
Schmidt, Franz 1874 1939 Late Romantic Austria
David, Johann Nepomuk 1895 1977 20th Century Austria
Gál, Hans 1890 1987 20th Century Austria
Grabner, Hermann 1886 1969 20th Century Austria
Hauer, Josef Matthias 1883 1959 20th Century Austria
Heiller, Anton 1923 1979 20th Century Austria
Krenek, Ernst 1900 1991 20th Century Austria
Mitterer, Wolfgang 1958 — 20th Century Austria
Planyavsky, Peter 1947 — 20th Century Austria
Schlee, Thomas Daniel 1957 — 20th Century Austria
Von Einem, Gottfried 1918 1996 20th Century Austria

Belgium

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(see also France)

Name Date of birth Date of death Era Country/Region Other Countries
Chaumont, Lambert 1630 1712 Baroque Belgium
Cornet, Peeter 1570/80 1633 Baroque Belgium
Van den Kerckhoven, Abraham 1618 (c.) 1701 (c.) Baroque Belgium
Benaut, Josse-François-Joseph 1743 (c.) 1794 Classical Belgium
Vanden Gheyn, Matthias 1721 1785 Classical Belgium
Callaerts, Joseph 1830 1901 Romantic Belgium
Lemmens, Jacques-Nicolas 1823 1881 Romantic Belgium
Foccroulle, Bernard 1953 — 20th Century Belgium
Jongen, Joseph 1873 1953 Late Romantic Belgium
Maleingreau, Paul de 1887 1956 20th Century Belgium
Meulemans, Arthur 1884 1966 20th Century Belgium
Peeters, Flor 1903 1986 20th Century Belgium
Swinnen, Firmin 1885 1972 20th Century Belgium emigrated to the U.S.

Brazil

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Name Date of birth Date of death Era Country/Region Other Countries
Nepomuceno, Alberto 1864 1920 Late Romantic Brazil
Costa, Fabio 1971 — Millennial Brazil

Canada

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Name Date of birth Date of death Era Country/Region Other Countries
Gagnon, Gustave 1842 1930 Late Romantic Canada
Bernier, Joseph-Arthur 1877 1944 Late Romantic Canada
Poirier, Benoit 1882 1965 Late Romantic Canada
Willan, Healey 1880 1968 20th Century Canada born in the U.K.
Bales, Gerald 1919 2002 20th Century Canada
Bancroft, H. Hugh 1904 1988 20th Century Canada born in the U.K.
Daveluy, Raymond 1926 2016 20th Century Canada
Kloppers, Jacobus 1937 — 20th Century Canada born in South Africa
Laurin, Rachel 1961 2023 Millennial Canada
MacMillan, Ernest 1893 1973 20th Century Canada
Tanguay, Georges-Émile 1893 1964 20th Century

Chile

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Name Date of birth Date of death Era Country/Region Other Countries
Allende-Blin, Juan 1928 — 20th Century Chile emigrated to Germany
Orrego-Salas, Juan 1919 2019 20th Century Chile emigrated to the U.S.
Schidlowsky, León 1931 2022 20th Century Chile emigrated to Israel
Vargas, Darwin 1925 1988 20th Century Chile

China

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Name Date of birth Date of death Era Country/Region Other Countries
Chen Gang 1935 — 20th Century China
Chen Qigang 1951 — 20th Century China emigrated to France

Croatia

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Name Date of birth Date of death Era Country/Region Other Countries
Dugan, Franjo 1874 1948 Late Romantic Croatia
Štolcer-Slavenski, Josip 1896 1955 20th Century Croatia
Papandopulo, Boris 1906 1991 20th Century Croatia
Bjelinski, Bruno 1909 1992 20th Century Croatia
Lang, Ivana 1912 1982 20th Century Croatia
Šulek, Stjepan 1914 1986 20th Century Croatia
Malec, Ivo 1925 2019 20th Century Croatia emigrated to France
Klobučar, Anđelko 1931 2016 20th Century Croatia

Cuba

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Name Date of birth Date of death Era Country/Region Other Countries
García Caturla, Alejandro 1906 1940 20th Century Cuba
Diez Nieto, Alfredo 1918 2021 20th Century Cuba
Martinez, Odaline de la 1949 — 20th Century Cuba emigrated to the U.K.

Czech Republic (Bohemia)

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Name Date of birth Date of death Era Country/Region Other Countries
Černohorský, Bohuslav Matěj 1684 1742 Baroque Czech Republic (Bohemia)
Kopřiva, Václav Jan 1708 1789 Baroque Czech Republic (Bohemia)
Zach, Jan 1713 1773 Baroque Czech Republic (Bohemia)
Seger, Josef 1716 1782 Baroque Czech Republic (Bohemia)
Brixi, František Xaver 1732 1771 Classical Czech Republic (Bohemia)
Kuchař, Jan Křtitel 1751 1829 Classical Czech Republic (Bohemia)
Kopřiva, Karel Blažej 1756 1785 Classical Czech Republic (Bohemia)
Klička, Josef 1855 1937 Late Romantic Czech Republic (Bohemia)
Wiedermann, Bedřich Antonín 1883 1951 20th Century Czech Republic (Bohemia)
Hába, Alois 1893 1973 20th Century Czech Republic (Bohemia)
Dalibor Cyril Vačkář 1906 1984 20th Century Czech Croatia
Kabeláč, Miloslav 1908 1979 20th Century Czech Republic (Bohemia)
Luboš Sluka 1928 — 20th Century Czech Republic (Bohemia)
Eben, Petr 1929 2007 20th Century Czech Republic (Bohemia)
Pololáník, Zdeněk 1935 — 20th Century Czech Republic (Bohemia)

Denmark

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Romantic

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20th–21st centuries

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Estonia

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Romantic

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20th–21st centuries

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Finland

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Romantic

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20th–21st centuries

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France

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(see also Belgium)

Renaissance

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Baroque (French classical)

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Late Classical

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Romantic

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20th–21st centuries

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Germany

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(See also Austria)

Renaissance

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Baroque

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Classical

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Romantic

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20th–21st centuries

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Hungary

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Romantic

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20th–21st centuries

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Israel

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20th–21st centuries

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Italy

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Renaissance

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Baroque

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Classical

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Romantic

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20th–21st centuries

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Japan

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Korea

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Latvia

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Lithuania

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Mexico

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Netherlands

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Renaissance

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Baroque

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Romantic

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20th–21st centuries

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Norway

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Romantic

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20th–21st centuries

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Peru

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Philippines

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Poland

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Renaissance

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Baroque

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Classical

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Romantic

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20th–21st centuries

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Portugal

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(see also Spain)

Renaissance

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Baroque

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Classical

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20th–21st centuries

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Romania

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20th–21st centuries

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Russia

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Romantic

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20th–21st centuries

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Slovakia

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Romantic

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20th–21st centuries

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South Africa

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20th–21st centuries

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Spain

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(see also Portugal)

Renaissance

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Baroque

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Classical

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Romantic

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20th–21st centuries

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Sweden

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Baroque

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Romantic

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20th–21st centuries

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Switzerland

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Renaissance

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20th–21st centuries

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Ukraine

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United Kingdom

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Renaissance

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Baroque

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Classical

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Romantic

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20th–21st centuries

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United States

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Romantic

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20th–21st centuries

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Uruguay

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See also

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Biographical Dictionary of Organists, Composers for Organ and Organ Builders: <https://www.organ-biography.info/>

Sources

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  • A Directory of Composers for Organ by Dr. John Henderson, Hon. Librarian to the Royal School of Church Music, 2005, 3rd edition. ISBN 0-9528050-2-2
  • Eleanor Selfridge-Field, Venetian Instrumental Music, from Gabrieli to Vivaldi. New York, Dover Publications, 1994. ISBN 0-486-28151-5
  • Christopher S. Anderson (Ed.), Twentieth-Century Organ Music. New York, Routledge, 2012, ISBN 0-415-87566-8
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