List of British classical composers

The following is a list of those born in Britain or of British citizenship who have worked in the classical music tradition.

A

 * Richard Addinsell (1904–1977)
 * John Addison (1765–1844)
 * Thomas Adès (born 1971)
 * Emanuel Abraham Aguilar (1824–1904)
 * Kenneth J. Alford (1881–1945)
 * William Alwyn (1905–1965)
 * Geoffrey Alvarez (born 1961)
 * Julian Anderson (born 1967)
 * Kerry Andrew (born 1978)
 * Denis ApIvor (1916–2004)
 * Anna Appleby (born 1993)
 * Malcolm Archer (born 1952)
 * Lucy Armstrong (born 1991)
 * Thomas Arne (1710–1778)
 * Richard Arnell (1917–2009)
 * Malcolm Arnold (1921–2006)
 * Algernon Ashton (1859–1937)
 * Ivor Atkins (1869–1963)
 * Frederic Austin (1872–1952)
 * Charles Avison (1709–1770)

B
• William Babell (c. 1690–1723)

• Francis Edward Bache (1833–1858)

• Francis Baines (1917–1999)

• William Baines (1899–1922)

• Edgar Bainton (1880–1956)

• Edward Bairstow (1874–1946)

• Christopher Ball (born 1936)

• Granville Bantock (1868–1946)

• Richard Barrett (born 1959)

• Stanley Bate (1911–1959)

• Hubert Bath (1883–1945)

• Arnold Bax (1883–1953)

• Sally Beamish (born 1956)

• David Bedford (1937–2011)

• Luke Bedford (born 1978)

• Arthur Benjamin (1893–1960)

• George Benjamin (born 1960)

• Richard Rodney Bennett (1936–2012)

• William Sterndale Bennett (1816–1875)

• Lennox Berkeley (1903–1989)

• Michael Berkeley (born 1948)

• Lord Berners (1883–1950)

• Ronald Binge (1910–1979)

• Judith Bingham (born 1952)

• Harrison Birtwistle (1934-2022)

• Henry Bishop (1787–1856)

• Arthur Bliss (1891–1975)

• John Blow (1649–1708)

• Carey Blyton (1932–2002)

• Capel Bond (1730–1790)

• Nimrod Borenstein (born 1969)

• Rutland Boughton (1878–1960)

• York Bowen (1884–1961)

• William Boyce (1711–1779)

• Charlotte Bray (born 1982)

• Havergal Brian (1876–1972)

• Frank Bridge (1879–1941)

• Reginald Smith Brindle (1917–2003)

• Benjamin Britten (1913–1976)

• Nigel Brooks (born 1936)

• David Bruce (born 1970)

• Gavin Bryars (born 1943)

• John Bull (1562 or 1563–1628)

• Geoffrey Burgon (1941–2010)

• Diana Burrell (born 1948)

• Alan Bush (1900–1995)

• Geoffrey Bush (1920–1998)

• Arthur Butterworth (1923–2014)

• George Butterworth (1885–1916)

• William Byrd (c. 1539 or 1543–1623)

C
• Thomas Campion (1567–1620)

• Alexander Campkin (born 1984)

• Philip Cannon (1929–2016)

• Gary Carpenter (born 1951)

• Cornelius Cardew (1936–1981)

• Doreen Carwithen (1922–2003)

• Robert Carver (c. 1485 – c. 1570)

• John Casken (born 1949)

• Ronald Center (1913–1973)

• Bob Chilcott (born 1955)

• Jeremiah Clarke (c. 1674–1707)

• Nigel Clarke (born 1960)

• Rebecca Helferich Clarke (1886–1979)

• Frederic Cliffe (1857–1931)

• Hubert Clifford (1904–1959)

• Anna Clyne (born 1980)

• Eric Coates (1886–1957)

• Julian Cochran (born 1974)

• Roger Sacheverell Coke (1912–1972)

• Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875–1912)

• Justin Connolly (1933–2020)

• Arnold Cooke (1906–2005)

• Benjamin Cooke (1734–1793)

• Deryck Cooke (1919–1976)

• Frank Corcoran (born 1937)

• Frederic Hymen Cowen (1852–1935)

• Harold Craxton (1885–1971)

• William Croft (1678–1727)

• Gordon Crosse (1937–2021)

• Peter Crossley-Holland (1916–2001)

• William Crotch (1775–1847)

• Joe Cutler (born 1968)

• Francis Cutting (c. 1550–1595/1596)

D
• Benjamin Dale (1885–1943)

• Christian Darnton (1905–1981)

• Peter Maxwell Davies (1934–2016)

• Tansy Davies (born 1973)

• Walford Davies (1869–1941)

• Frederick Delius (1862–1934)

• James Dillon (born 1950)

• Stephen Dodgson (1924–2013)

• James Douglas (born 1932)

• Jonathan Dove (born 1959)

• John Dowland (1563–1626)

• Andrew Downes (born 1950)

• Patrick Doyle (born 1953)

• Paul Drayton (born 1944)

• Thomas Dunhill (1877–1946)

• John Dunstable (c. 1390–1453)

• George Dyson (1883–1964)

E
• Henry Eccles, also Henri (1670–1742)

• Edward Elgar (1857–1934)

• Rosalind Ellicott (1857–1924)

• Brian Eno (born 1948)

• Thomas Erskine, 6th Earl of Kellie (1732–1781)

F
• David Fanshawe (1942–2010)

• Giles Farnaby (c. 1563–1640)

• Robert Fayrfax (1464–1521)

• Eric Fenby (1906–1997)

• Brian Ferneyhough (born 1943)

• Michael Finnissy (born 1946)

• Gerald Finzi (1901–1956)

• Arthur Elwell Fisher (1848–1912)

• Graham Fitkin (born 1963)

• Eliza Flower (1803–1846)

• Cecil Forsyth (1870–1941)

• Christopher Fox (born 1955)

• Cheryl Frances-Hoad (born 1980)

• Benjamin Frankel (1906–1973)

• Peter Racine Fricker (1920–1990)

• John Foulds (1880–1939)

G
• Hans Gál (1890–1987)

• Henry Balfour Gardiner (1877–1950)

• William Gardiner (1770–1853)

• John Gardner (1917–2011)

• Edward German (1862–1936)

• Jack Gibbons (born 1962)

• Orlando Gibbons (1583–1625)

• Armstrong Gibbs (1889–1960)

• Anthony Gilbert (born 1934)

• Ruth Gipps (1921–1999)

• Alexander Goehr (born 1932)

• Berthold Goldschmidt (1903–1996)

• Jonathan Goldstein (1968–2019)

• Eugene Aynsley Goossens (1893–1962)

• Jonny Greenwood (born 1971)

• Edward Gregson (born 1945)

• Ivor Gurney (1890–1937)

H
• Patrick Hadley (1899–1973)

• Emily Hall (born 1978)

• Richard Hall (1903–1982)

• Iain Hamilton (1922–2000)

• George Frideric Handel (1685–1759)

• Richard Harris (born 1968)

• Hamilton Harty (1879–1941)

• Basil Harwood (1859–1949)

• Patrick Hawes (born 1958)

• Michael Head (1900–1976)

• Christopher Headington (1930–1996)

• Anthony Hedges (1931–2019)

• Victor Hely-Hutchinson (1901–1947)

• Muriel Emily Herbert (1897–1984)

• William Herschel (1738–1822)

• Kenneth Hesketh (born 1968)

• Alistair Hinton (born 1950)

• Christopher Hobbs (born 1950)

• Alun Hoddinott (1929–2008)

• Joseph Holbrooke (1878–1958)

• Alfred Hollins (1865–1942)

• Robin Holloway (born 1943)

• Derek Holman (1931–2019)

• Gustav Holst (1874–1934)

• Imogen Holst (1907–1984)

• Simon Holt (born 1958)

• James Hook (1746–1827)

• Bill Hopkins (1943–1981)

• David Horne (born 1970)

• Joseph Horovitz (born 1926)

• Dorothy Howell (1898–1982)

• Herbert Howells (1892–1983)

• Dani Howard (born 1993)

• Emily Howard (born 1979)

• Vic Hoyland (born 1945)

• Michael Hurd (1928–2006)

• William Hurlstone (1876–1906)

I

 * John Ireland (1879–1962)

J
• Gordon Jacob (1895–1984)

• Philip Jeck (born 1952)

• Rupert Jeffcoat (born 1970)

• Karl Jenkins (born 1944)

• Daniel Jones (1912–1993)

• Wilfred Josephs (1927–1997)

• John Joubert (1927–2019)

K
• Lydia Kakabadse (born 1955)

• Minna Keal (1909–1999)

• Albert Ketèlbey (1875–1959)

• George Kiallmark (1781–1835)

• Oliver Knussen (1952–2018)

L
• Constant Lambert (1905–1951)

• Frederic Lamond (1868–1948)

• Philip Lane (born 1950)

• Walter Leigh (1905–1942)

• Kenneth Leighton (1929–1988)

• Thomas Linley the elder (1733–1795)

• Thomas Linley the younger (1756–1778)

• Malcolm Lipkin (1932–2017)

• George Lloyd (1913–1998)

• William Lloyd Webber (1914–1982)

• Jon Lord (1941–2012)

• Elisabeth Lutyens (1906–1983)

M
• Hamish MacCunn (1868–1916)

• Malcolm MacDonald (1916–1992)

• Emma Maria Macfarren (1824–1895), pseudonym Jules Brissac

• George Alexander Macfarren (1813–1887)

• Walter Cecil Macfarren (1826–1905)

• Alexander Mackenzie (1847–1905)

• James MacMillan (born 1959)

• Elizabeth Maconchy (1907–1994)

• John Marsh (1752–1828)

• Roger Marsh (born 1949)

• Carlo Martelli (born 1935)

• George William Martin (1828–1881)

• Steve Martland (1954–2013)

• Benedict Mason (born 1954)

• Grace-Evangeline Mason (born 1994)

• William Mathias (1934–1992)

• Colin Matthews (born 1946)

• David Matthews (born 1943)

• Nicholas Maw (1935–2009)

• Billy Mayerl (1902–1959)

• Rita McAllister (born 1946)

• John McCabe (1939–2015)

• Cecilia McDowall (born 1951)

• John Blackwood McEwen (1868–1948)

• William McGibbon (1690–1756)

• Edward McGuire (born 1948)

• Donna McKevitt (born 1970)

• John McLeod (born 1934)

• Luigi Merci (c. 1695 – c. 1750)

• Anna Meredith (born 1978)

• Robin Milford (1903–1959)

• Silvina Milstein (born 1956)

• Ernest John Moeran (1894–1950)

• Dominic Muldowney (born 1952)

• William Mundy (c. 1529–1591)

• Thea Musgrave (born 1928)

N
• Isaac Nathan (c. 1791–1864)

• Ivor Novello (1893–1951)

• Patrick Nunn (born 1969)

• Michael Nyman (born 1944)

O
• Norman O'Neill (1875–1934)

• Buxton Orr (1924–1997)

• Robin Orr (1909–2006)

• Albert Alan Owen (born 1948)

• Janet Owen Thomas (1961–2002)

P
• Roxanna Panufnik (born 1968)

• Hubert Parry (1848–1918)

• Paul Patterson (born 1947)

• Harry Parr-Davies (1914–1955)

• Ian Parrott (1916–2012)

• Michael Parsons (born 1938)

• Anthony Payne (1936–2021)

• Martin Peerson (1571/1573–1650/1651)

• David Pentecost (born 1940)

• Norman Peterkin (1886–1982)

• Polo Piatti (born 1954)

• George Frederick Pinto (1785–1806)

• Thomas Pitfield (1903–1999)

• Jocelyn Pook (born 1960)

• Cipriani Potter (1792–1871)

• Leonel Power (1370/1385–1445)

• Alwynne Pritchard (born 1968)

• Gwyn Pritchard (born 1948)

• Henry Purcell (1659–1695)

Q

 * Roger Quilter (1877–1953)

R
• Simon Rackham (born 1964)

• Bernard Rands (born 1934)

• Alan Rawsthorne (1905–1971)

• Alan Richardson (1904–1978)

• Max Richter (born 1966)

• Alan Ridout (1934–1996)

• Betty Roe (born 1930)

• Cyril Rootham (1875–1938)

• Edmund Rubbra (1901–1986)

• John Rutter (born 1945)

S
• Malcolm Sargent (1895–1967)

• Lionel Sainsbury (born 1958)

• Leonard Salzedo (1921–2000)

• Kevin Sargent (living)

• Rebecca Saunders (born 1967)

• Sinan Savaskan (born 1954)

• David Sawer (born 1961)

• Robert Saxton (born 1953)

• Cyril Scott (1879–1970)

• Francis George Scott (1880–1958)

• Marion Scott (1877–1953)

• Peter Seabourne (born 1960)

• Humphrey Searle (1915–1982)

• Mátyás Seiber (1905–1960)

• Martin Shaw (1875–1958)

• John Sheppard (c. 1515–1558)

• Hugh Shrapnel (born 1947)

• Obadiah Shuttleworth (died 1734)

• Sasha Siem (born 1984)

• Mark Simpson (born 1988)

• Robert Simpson (1921–1997)

• Howard Skempton (born 1947)

• William Smethergell (1751–1836)

• Alice Mary Smith (1839–1884)

• Dave Smith (born 1949)

• Ethel Smyth (1858–1894)

• John Stafford Smith (1750–1836)

• Naresh Sohal (1939–2018)

• Arthur Somervell (1863–1937)

• Philip Sparke (born 1951)

• Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji (1892–1988)

• Patric Standford (1939–2014)

• Charles Villiers Stanford (1852–1924)

• John Stanley (1712–1786)

• Christopher Steel (1938 or 1939–1991 or 1992)

• Bernard Stevens (1916–1983)

• James Stevens (1892–1971)

• Haldane Stewart (1868–1942)

• Robert Prescott Stewart (1825–1894)

• Richard Stoker (1938–2021)

• Martin Suckling (born 1981)

• Arthur Sullivan (1842–1900)

T
• Joby Talbot (born 1971)

• Thomas Tallis (c. 1505–1585)

• Phyllis Tate (1911–1987)

• John Tavener (1944–2013)

• John Taverner (c. 1490–1545)

• Mansel Thomas (1909–1986)

• Shirley Thompson (born 1958)

• Michael Tippett (1905–1998)

• Will Todd (born 1970)

• Thomas Tomkins (1572–1656)

• Ernest Tomlinson (1924–2015)

• Paolo Tosti (1846–1916)

• Donald Tovey (1875–1940)

• Harold Truscott (1914–1992)

• Mark-Anthony Turnage (born 1960)

V
• Robert Valentine (c. 1671–1747)

• Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872–1958)

• John Veale (1922–2006)

• Ian Venables (born 1955)

W
• Julian Wagstaff (born 1970)

• William Wallace (1860–1940)

• Errollyn Wallen (born 1958)

• William Walton (1902–1983)

• John Ward (1590–1638)

• Peter Warlock (1894–1930)

• Thomas Weelkes (1576–1623)

• Judith Weir (born 1954)

• Samuel Wesley (1766–1837)

• Samuel Sebastian Wesley (1810–1876)

• Douglas Weiland (born 1954)

• Janet Wheeler (born 1957)

• John White (born 1936)

• Percy Whitlock (1903–1946)

• Grace Williams (1906–1977)

• James Wilson (1922–2005)

• Thomas Wilson (1927–2001)

• Beth Wiseman (1951–2007)

• Stevie Wishart (living)

• Charles Wood (1866–1926)

• Hugh Wood (1932–2021)

• John Wooldridge (1919–1958)

• John Woolrich (born 1954)

• William Wordsworth (1908–1988)

• David Wright (born 1953)

• David Wynne (1900–1983)