21. Percy Grainger
Australian composer, conductor, pianist and avid collector of folk music. He moved to the U.S.A. in 1914 and eventually became a U.S. citizen. Much of his compositions were influenced by English folk music. His major works include "Country Gardens," "Molly on the Shore" and "Handel in the Strand."22. Paul Hindemith
Music theorist, teacher and prolific composer of the 20th century. He was also a leading advocate of Gebrauchsmusik or "utility music"; music that is meant to be performed by amateur or non professional musicians.23. Gustav Holst
British composer and influential music educator of the 20th century. He is particularly known for his orchestral pieces and stage works. His most famous work is "The Planets," an orchestral suite consisting of seven movements, each named after a planet and their respective character in Roman mythology. It starts off with the spine-tingling "Mars, the Bringer of War" and ends with "Neptune, the Mystic."24. Charles Ives
Innovative composer of the 20th century and is considered the first major composer from America. His works, which includes piano music and orchestral pieces, were often based on American themes. Aside from composing, Ives also ran a successful insurance agency.25. Leoš Janácek
Czech composer of the 20th century who supported the nationalist tradition in music. He is primarily known for his operas, particularly "Jenùfa," a tragic story of a peasant girl. The said opera was completed in 1903 and performed the following year in Brno; Moravia's capital.26. Scott Joplin
Public Domain Image from Wikimedia Commons
Referred to as the "father of ragtime," Joplin is known for his classic rags for the piano such as "Maple Leaf Rag" and "The Entertainer."
27. Zoltan Kodaly
Zoltan Kodaly was born in Hungary and learned how to play the violin, piano and cello without formal schooling. He went on to write music and became close friends with Bartók. He received his PhD and gained critical praise for his works, especially music that was meant for children. He composed a lot of music, put on concerts with young musicians, wrote many articles and conducted lectures.28. Gyorgy Ligeti
One of the prominent Hungarian composers of the post-war period who developed a music style called "micropolyphony." One of his major compositions wherein he used this technique is in "Atmosphères." The said composition was featured in the 1968 movie "2001: A Space Odyssey" directed by Stanley Kubrick.29. Witold Lutoslawski
Photo by W. Pniewski and L. Kowalski from Wikimedia Commons
Major Polish composer of the 20th century particularly notable for his orchestral works. He attended the Warsaw Conservatory where he studied composition and music theory. Among his famous works are "The Symphonic Variations," "Variations on a Theme of Paganini" and "Funeral Music" which he dedicated to the Hungarian composer Béla Bartók.