Discover the fascinating life stories of more than 90 of the world's greatest composers, from Mozart and Beethoven to Joaquín Rodrigo and Philip Glass. Introduced with a stunning portrait of each featured composer, biographical entries trace the friendships, loves, and rivalries that inspired each musical genius and their work. Profiles offer revealing insights into what drove each individual to create the musical masterpieces--symphonies, concertos, and operatic scores--that changed the direction of classical music and are still celebrated as masterpieces today. Lavishly illustrated with photographs and paintings of each composer, alongside original musical scores and personal correspondence, images of their homes and where they worked, and personal effects and other important artifacts, the book introduces the key influences, themes, and working methods of each individual, setting their works within a wider historical and cultural context. Charting the development of classical music and music movements across the centuries, Composers provides a compelling glimpse into the personal lives, loves, and influences of the giants of the classical music canon.