Favourite European Composers (Non UK/IT/FR/DE/AT/SP/GR)

1. Andrzej Markowski

Andrzej Markowski was born on August 22, 1924 in Lublin, Lubelskie, Poland. He was a composer, known for Wild at Heart (1990), First Spaceship on Venus (1960) and The Hours of Hope (1955). He died on October 30, 1986 in Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland.

2. Arsen Dedic

Composer | Poslednji valcer u Sarajevu

Arsen Dedic was born on July 28, 1938 in Sibenik, Croatia, Yugoslavia. He was a composer and actor, known for Last Waltz in Sarajevo (1990), Crni sneg (1966) and The Way to Paradise (1970). He was married to Gabi Novak. He died on August 17, 2015 in Zagreb, Croatia.

3. Arthur Honegger

Composer | Mademoiselle Docteur

Arthur Honegger was born on March 10, 1892 in Le Havre, Seine-Inférieure [now Seine-Maritime], France. He was a composer and writer, known for Street of Shadows (1937), The Kidnapping (1934) and Pygmalion (1938). He was married to Andrée Vaurabourg. He died on November 27, 1955 in Paris, France.

4. Attila Zoller

Composer | Das Brot der frühen Jahre

Attila Zoller was born on June 13, 1927 in Visegrad, Hungary. He was a composer, known for The Bread of Those Early Years (1962), Tamara (1968) and The Naked Wytche (1970). He died on January 25, 1998 in Townshend, Vermont, USA.

5. Bent Fabricius-Bjerre

Composer | Blinkende lygter

Bent Fabricius-Bjerre was born on December 7, 1924 in Frederiksberg, Denmark. He was a composer and producer, known for Flickering Lights (2000), While We Live (2017) and Slingrevalsen (1981). He was married to Camilla Padilla Arndt, Anne Fabricius-Bjerre and Harriet Frederikke Dessau. He died on ...

6. Bo Nilsson

Composer | Att älska

Bo Nilsson was born on May 1, 1937 in Skellefteå, Västerbottens län, Sweden. He was a composer and director, known for To Love (1964), Träfracken (1966) and Här börjar äventyret (1965). He died on June 25, 2018 in Stockholm, Sweden.

7. Bojan Adamic

Composer | Operacija Ticijan

Slovenian composer, musician, conductor. Adamic was in Ribnica in the Duchy of Carniola in Slovenia on August 9, 1912. He attended Poljane Grammar School, attended the National Piano Conservatory at 13, and received his degree in piano from Ljubljana Music Academy in 1941, having already completed ...

8. Bronislau Kaper

Composer | Mutiny on the Bounty

Born: February 5, 1902 in Warsaw, Poland Died: April 25, 1983 in Los Angeles, California, USA Kaper displayed musical talent as early as the age of seven when his family acquired a piano. His inclination to music led him to study both piano and composition, while also taking courses in law to ...

9. Bruno Spoerri

Composer | Der Würger vom Tower

Bruno Spoerri was born on August 16, 1935 in Zürich, Switzerland. He is a composer, known for Der Würger vom Tower (1966), Tauwetter (1977) and Fluchtgefahr (1974).

10. Casimir Oberfeld

Composer | Mademoiselle Docteur

Casimir Oberfeld was born on November 16, 1903 in Lodz, Poland. He was a composer, known for Street of Shadows (1937), Rigolboche (1936) and Monsieur Hector (1940). He died on January 24, 1945 in Prelouc, Czech Republic.

11. Carlos D'Alessio

Composer | Delicatessen

Carlos D'Alessio was born on December 20, 1935 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was a composer, known for Delicatessen (1991), India Song (1975) and Maîtresse (1976). He died on June 14, 1992 in Paris, France.

12. Carlos Perón

Director | Olley: By the river

Carlos Perón was born in Zurich, Switzerland. He is known for Olley: By the river (2014), Yello: Lost Again (1984) and The Black Spider (1983).

13. Darko Kraljic

Composer | Ljubav i moda

Darko Kraljic was born in 1920 in Zagreb, Croatia. He was a composer and actor, known for Love and Fashion (1960), Murder Commited in a Sly and Cruel Manner and from Low Motives (1969) and Zvizduk u osam (1962). He died on July 16, 1998 in Belgrade, Serbia.

14. Dov Seltzer

Composer | Kazablan

Dov Seltzer was born on January 26, 1932 in Iasi, Romania. He is a composer and actor, known for Kazablan (1973), Mack the Knife (1989) and The Uranium Conspiracy (1978).

15. Dusan Radic

Composer | Sibirska ledi Magbet

Dusan Radic was born on April 10, 1929 in Sombor, Vojvodina, Serbia, Yugoslavia. He was a composer and actor, known for Siberian Lady Macbeth (1962), Hot Years (1966) and Ne diraj u srecu (1961). He died on April 3, 2010 in Belgrade, Serbia.

16. Emir Kusturica

Director | Underground

A Serbian film director. Born in 1954 in Sarajevo. Graduated in film directing at the prestigious Academy of Performing Arts (FAMU) in Prague in 1978. During his studies, he was awarded several times for his short movies including Guernica (1978), which took first prize at the Student's Film ...

17. Fernando de Carvalho

Soundtrack | Ver e Amar!

Fernando de Carvalho is known for Ver e Amar! (1930), Madragoa (1952) and Ladrão, Precisa-se!... (1946).

18. Frédéric Devreese

Composer | La partie d'échecs

Frédéric Devreese was born on June 2, 1929 in Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands. He was a composer and actor, known for The Chess Game (1994), Pauline & Paulette (2001) and The Man Who Had His Hair Cut Short (1965). He was married to Annie de Clerck. He died on September 28, 2020 in Belgium.

19. György Ligeti

Soundtrack | 2001: A Space Odyssey

1941-43 he began his study of composition under Ferenc Farkas; 1945-49 he continued at the Budapest Music Academy under the same teacher and Sándor Veress. 1950-56 he was lecturer in Harmony and Counterpoint at the Academy at Budapest. Left Hungary toward the end of 1956. 1957-59 freelance work at ...

20. Henny Vrienten

Composer | Spoorloos

Although he had already made a solo album using a pseudonym, Henny Vrienten started to become really popular when he entered the Dutch band Doe Maar. He and Ernst Jansz, looking younger than their actual 32 years, became teen idols. The popularity, resulting in fainting girls during sold-out ...

21. Henrik Otto Donner

Composer | Vihreä leski

Henrik Otto Donner was born on November 16, 1939 in Tampere, Finland. He was a composer and actor, known for Vihreä leski (1968), Räpsy & Dolly eli Pariisi odottaa (1990) and Windy Day (1962). He was married to Irina Martina Lillas and Christina Margaretha Schulman. He died on June 26...

22. Herman Brood

Soundtrack | The American

Herman Brood was born on November 5, 1946 in Zwolle, Overijssel, Netherlands. He was an actor and composer, known for The American (2010), Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008) and Cha-Cha (1979). He was married to Xandra Jansen. He died on July 11, 2001 in Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands.

23. Isaac Schwarts

Composer | Dersu Uzala

Isaak Shvarts was a prominent Soviet and Russian composer of Jewish descent. Born in Ukraine (Soviet Union), his family soon moved to Leningrad (present day St. Petersburg) in 1930. By the age of 12 young Isaac has already given his major concert performance at Leningrad Philharmonic Hall. In 1936,...

24. Jerry van Rooyen

Composer | Der Sarg bleibt heute zu

Composer Jerry van Rooyen was born on December 31, 1928 in The Hague, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands. Jerry took his first music lessons at age eight and immediately joined a brass band in his hometown as a trumpet player (the trumpet was his favorite instrument). van Rooyen studied for several years ...

25. Joseph Kosma

Soundtrack | The Score

Joseph Kosma was born in Budapest. He took an interest in music at a very young age, writing an opera called "Noel dans les Tranchées" as a teenager. One of his greatest loves in Budapest was the music of Bela Bartok. Finding the political atmosphere to be more and more oppressive in Budapest, ...

26. Kai Normann Andersen

Composer | Nyhavn 17

Kai Normann Andersen was born on April 11, 1900 in Denmark. He was a composer, known for Nyhavn 17 (1933), Naar bønder elsker (1942) and 7-9-13 (1934). He died on June 24, 1967 in Denmark.

27. Karel Svoboda

Composer | Tri orísky pro Popelku

Karel Svoboda was born on December 19, 1938 in Prague, Czechoslovakia [now Czech Republic]. He was a composer and actor, known for Three Wishes for Cinderella (1973), Tomorrow I'll Wake Up and Scald Myself with Tea (1977) and How About a Plate of Spinach? (1977). He was married to Vendula ...

28. Krzysztof Komeda

Composer | Rosemary's Baby

Krzysztof Komeda was born on April 27, 1931 in Poznan, Wielkopolskie, Poland. He was a composer and actor, known for Rosemary's Baby (1968), The Fearless Vampire Killers (1967) and Knife in the Water (1962). He was married to Zofia von Tittenbrun. He died on April 23, 1969 in Warsaw, Mazowieckie, ...

29. Ladislav Staidl

Soundtrack | Romance za korunu

Ladislav Staidl was born on March 10, 1945 in Stribrna Skalice, Protektorát Cechy a Morava [now Czech Republic]. He was a composer and actor, known for Romance za korunu (1975), Requiem for a Maiden (1992) and 30 panen a Pythagoras (1977). He was married to Ána Staidlová. He died on January 31, ...

30. Lars Färnlöf

Composer | Att angöra en brygga

Lars Färnlöf was born on July 22, 1942 in Alingsås, Sweden. He was a composer, known for Att angöra en brygga (1965), The Wedding (1973) and Kameleonterna (1969). He died on February 13, 1994 in Västerås, Sweden.

31. Lubos Fiser

Composer | Král Ubu

Lubos Fiser was born on September 30, 1935 in Prague, Czechoslovakia. He was a composer, known for Král Ubu (1996), The Golet in the Valley (1995) and Valerie and Her Week of Wonders (1970). He died on June 22, 1999 in Prague, Czech Republic.

32. Manuel Jorge Veloso

Composer | Pedro Só

Manuel Jorge Veloso was born on May 21, 1937 in Lisbon, Portugal. He was a composer, known for Pedro Só (1972), Uma Abelha na Chuva (1972) and Belarmino (1964). He died on November 13, 2019 in Lisbon, Portugal.

33. Maurice Jarre

Composer | Lawrence of Arabia

Unlike many musicians who started to learn music while still in their childhood, Maurice Jarre was already late in his teens when he discovered music and decided to make a career in that field. Against his father's will, he enrolled at Conservatoire de Paris where he studied percussions, ...

34. Michal Lorenc

Composer | Psy

Michal Lorenc is one of the most eminent, contemporary composers of film scores. He was born in 1955 in Warsaw. Since his debut in 1979, he has made music for more than 150 feature films, documentaries, tv-serials and theatre performances. He has worked with best Polish, Czech, British and American...

35. Mischa Spoliansky

Composer | Sanders of the River

Mischa Spoliansky, the distinguished composer who was born on December 28, 1898 in Bialystok, Russia, was forced forced to flee his native Russia after the Revolution of 1905 and then his adopted Germaany after the Hitler's rise to power. His family emigrated to Germany in 1905. The product of a ...

36. Moisey Vaynberg

Composer | Tegeran-43

Moisey Vaynberg was born on December 8, 1919 in Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland. He was a composer, known for Assassination Attempt (1981), Po tonkomu ldu (1966) and The Cranes Are Flying (1957). He died on February 2, 1996 in Moscow, Russia.

37. Van Cleave

Music_department | White Christmas

Van Cleave was born on May 8, 1910 in Bayfield, Wisconsin, USA. Van Cleave was a composer, known for White Christmas (1954), Funny Face (1957) and Easter Parade (1948). Van Cleave was married to Doris. Van Cleave died on July 2, 1970 in Los Angeles, California, USA.

Nathan Van Cleave

38. Nikica Kalodjera

Soundtrack | Parada

Nikica Kalodjera was born on May 19, 1930 in Belgrade, Serbia, Yugoslavia. He was a composer and actor, known for The Parade (2011), Crno-bijeli svijet (2015) and Lito vilovito (1964). He was married to Ljupka Dimitrovska and Ljiljana Simovic. He died on January 27, 2006 in Zagreb, Croatia.

39. Ole Høyer

Composer | Warriors of the Apocalypse

Ole Høyer was born on June 15, 1927 in Denmark. He was a composer and actor, known for Warriors of the Apocalypse (1984). He died on May 22, 2002 in Denmark.

40. Palle Mikkelborg

Music_department | Det drejer sig om -

Palle Mikkelborg was born on March 6, 1941 in Copenhagen, Denmark. He is a composer and actor, known for Det drejer sig om - (1967), The Flight of the Eagle (1982) and The Parallel Corpse (1982).

41. Patrick Juvet

Soundtrack | L'ennemi public n°1

Patrick Juvet was born on August 21, 1950 in Montreux, Switzerland. He was a composer, known for Mesrine: Public Enemy No. 1 (2008), R.A.I.D. Special Unit (2016) and Graduate First (1978). He died on April 1, 2021 in Barcelona, Spain.

42. Patrick Moraz

Soundtrack | The Stepfather

Patrick Moraz was born on June 24, 1948 in Morges, Switzerland. He is an actor and composer, known for The Stepfather (1987), The Middle of the World (1974) and The Invitation (1973). He is married to Phyllis. He was previously married to Marion.

43. Petr Skoumal

Composer | Trhák

Petr Skoumal was born on March 7, 1938 in Prague, Czechoslovakia [now Czech Republic]. He was a composer and actor, known for Trhák (1981), Srdecný pozdrav ze zemekoule (1983) and Indiánské léto (1995). He was married to Ilona Svobodová. He died on September 28, ...

44. Pierre Cavalli

Composer | L'ogre de Barbarie

Pierre Cavalli is known for L'ogre de Barbarie (1981), La clé des champs (1958) and Voyage chez les vivants (1970).

45. Robert Mellin

Soundtrack | Red Heat

Although a number of references believe Robert Mellin to have been born in Surrey, England in 1902, his obituary notices finally clarified that he was born in Kiev, Ukraine, and brought to England as a baby, albeit for a short stay. His father, 39-year-old tailor Joseph Melnikoff together with wife...

46. Roger Mores

Composer | L'etreinte

Roger Mores is known for L'etreinte (1969), Louisa, een woord van liefde (1972) and Cash? Cash! (1967).

47. Rogier van Otterloo

Composer | Soldaat van Oranje

Rogier van Otterloo was born on December 11, 1941 in Bilthoven, Utrecht, Netherlands. He was a composer, known for Soldier of Orange (1977), Turkish Delight (1973) and De vloek van Woestewolf (1974). He was married to Willy van Otterloo. He died on January 29, 1988 in Tienhoven, Utrecht, ...

48. Roman Vlad

Composer | Le mura di Malapaga

Roman Vlad was born on December 29, 1919 in Cernauti, Bukovina, Romania [now Chernivtsi, Ukraine]. He was a composer, known for The Walls of Malapaga (1949), Sunday in August (1950) and Beauty and the Devil (1950). He died on September 21, 2013 in Rome, Lazio, Italy.

49. Rudolf Friml

Soundtrack | Chinatown

Composer, songwriter ("Donkey Serenade", "Song of the Vagabonds") and pianist, educated at the Prague Conservatory and a music student of Anton Dvorak and Jiranek. He toured Europe as a concert pianist with violinist Jan Kubelik, and then toured America in 1901 and 1906. In 1912 he replaced Victor ...

50. Ruud Bos

Composer | Mensen zoals jij en ik

Ruud Bos was born on February 8, 1936 in Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands. He was a composer and actor, known for Mensen zoals jij en ik (1981), De zeemeerman (1996) and Dagboek van een herdershond (1978). He was married to Marjan Berk. He died on June 30, 2023 in Netherlands.

51. Stefan Nilsson

Composer | Så som i himmelen

Stefan Nilsson was born on July 27, 1955 in Kukasjärvi, Övertorneå, Norrbottens län, Sweden. He was a composer and actor, known for As It Is in Heaven (2004), Body Switch (1995) and Slagskämpen (1984). He died on May 25, 2023 in Saltsjöbaden, Nacka, Stockholms län, Sweden.

52. Stepán Lucký

Composer | Nahá pastýrka

Stepán Lucký was born on January 20, 1919 in Zilina, Czechoslovakia [now Slovakia]. He was a composer, known for Nahá pastýrka (1966), 105 % alibi (1959) and O vecech nadprirozených (1959). He died on May 5, 2006 in Prague, Czech Republic.

53. Stig Anderson

Soundtrack | Mamma Mia!

Stig Anderson was born on January 25, 1931 in Hova, Västra Götalands län, Sweden. He was an actor and composer, known for Mamma Mia! (2008), Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018) and The Martian (2015). He died on September 12, 1997 in Stockholm, Stockholms län, Sweden.

54. Sven Gyldmark

Composer | Bundfald

Sven Gyldmark was born on April 21, 1904 in Søllerød, Denmark. He was a composer and actor, known for Sin Alley (1957), Reptilicus (1961) and Ved Kongelunden... (1953). He was married to Aase Tove Jacobsen. He died on October 5, 1981 in Denmark.

55. Temistocle Popa

Composer | Cîntecele marii

Temistocle Popa was born on June 27, 1921 in Galati, Romania. He was a composer and actor, known for Cîntecele marii (1971), Nemesis's secret (1987) and La vîrsta dragostei (1963). He was married to Cornelia Teodosiu. He died on November 26, 2013 in Bucharest, Romania.

56. Thor G. Norås

Composer | Equilibrium - Det er meg du skal elske

Thor G. Norås was born on April 6, 1935 in Stavanger, Norway. He was a composer and actor, known for Equilibrium - Det er meg du skal elske (1965), Broder Gabrielsen (1966) and Nostalgia (2009). He died on January 13, 2015 in Norway.

57. Tonny Eyk

Soundtrack | Vrijdag

Tonny Eyk was born on July 4, 1940 in The Hague, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands. He is a composer and actor, known for Vrijdag (1980), Maria (1986) and Martijn en de magiër (1979).

58. Tõnu Naissoo

Composer | Viimne reliikvia

Tõnu Naissoo was born on March 18, 1951 in Tallinn, Estonia. He is a composer, known for The Last Relic (1969), Perekonnapildid (1989) and Suletud ring (1983).

59. Torbjörn Lundquist

Composer | Synnöve Solbakken

Torbjörn Lundquist was born on September 30, 1920 in Stockholm, Sweden. He was a composer, known for Synnöve Solbakken (1957), Damen i svart (1958) and Moln över Hellesta (1956). He died on June 1, 2000 in Grillby, Uppsala län, Sweden.

60. Urban Koder

Composer | Maja in vesoljcek

Urban Koder was born on March 4, 1928 in Ljubljana, Slovenia. He was a composer, known for Maja in vesoljcek (1988), Blossoms in Autumn (1973) and Mrtva ladja (1971). He was married to Helena Kordas. He died on January 9, 2019 in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

61. Vasili Kojucharov

Composer | Perry Grant, agente di ferro

Vasili Kojucharov is known for The Big Blackout (1966), Killer's Gold (1979) and Churchill's Leopards (1970).

62. Victor Herbert

Soundtrack | Duck Soup

Every professional recording artist today owes their livelihood to some degree to Victor Herbert. Working closely with John Philip Sousa, Irving Berlin and others, he was the driving force in founding the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) on February 13, 1914. He became...

63. Vítezslav Hádl

Composer | Velká filmová loupez

Vítezslav Hádl was born on May 5, 1945 in Prague, Protektorát Cechy a Morava [now Czech Republic]. He is a composer, known for The Great Movie Robbery (1986), Trhák (1981) and Arabela se vrací (1993).

64. Vladimir Kraus-Rajteric

Composer | Rat

Vladimir Kraus-Rajteric was born on December 14, 1924 in Zagreb, Croatia, Yugoslavia [now Croatia]. He was a composer and editor, known for Atomic War Bride (1960), Medaljon sa tri srca (1962) and Nights and Days (1959). He died on July 29, 1996.

65. Walter Baumgartner

Composer | Schwarzer Nerz auf zarter Haut

Composer, conductor, jazz musician (he played both piano and trombone), and arranger Walter Ernst Baumgartner was born on November 16, 1904 in Sevelen, Kanton St. Gallen, Switzerland. Walter founded the swing band the Magnolians in 1934. Baumgartner worked for a while as an arranger and was the ...

66. Wojciech Kilar

Composer | Bram Stoker's Dracula

Wojciech Kilar was born on July 17, 1932 in Lwów, Lwowskie, Poland [now Lviv, Ukraine]. He was a composer, known for Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992), The Ninth Gate (1999) and The Pianist (2002). He was married to Barbara Pomianowska. He died on December 29, 2013 in Katowice, Slaskie, Poland.

67. Yan Frenkel

Music_department | Protiv techeniya

Yan Frenkel was born on November 21, 1920 in Kiev, Ukrainian SSR [now Kyiv, Ukraine]. He was a composer and actor, known for Protiv techeniya (1981), Novye priklyucheniya neulovimykh (1968) and Begushchaya po volnam (1967). He died on August 25, 1989 in Riga, Latvian SSR, USSR [now Latvia].

68. Evgeniy Doga

Composer | Ryabinovyy vals

Evgeniy Doga was born on March 1, 1937 in Mokra, Rybnitsa raion, Moldavian ASSR, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Mocra, Rabnitsa District, Moldova or the unrecognized Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (Transnistria)]. He is a composer, known for Ryabinovyy vals (2010), The Road Within (2014) and Lautarii ...

69. Zbigniew Preisner

Composer | Trois couleurs: Bleu

Born in Poland in 1955, Zbigniew Preisner studied philosophy and history in the university of Cracow. In his twenties he started to study music in a autodidactical way: buying records and learning to write by taking the music in parts. He started to write his own compositions. His style has always ...

70. Zdenek Liska

Composer | Das Haus in der Karpfengasse

Zdenek Liska was born on March 16, 1922 in Smecno by Kladno, Bohemia, Czechoslovakia [now Czech Republic]. He was a composer, known for Das Haus in der Karpfengasse (1965), The Cremator (1969) and Prague Nights (1969). He died on August 13, 1983 in Prague, Czechoslovakia [now Czech Republic].

71. Zoran Simjanovic

Composer | Miris poljskog cveca

Zoran Simjanoviæ was born in Beograd in May, 1946. At the age of six he first begun to play piano, then he attended the music school "Mokranjac" and finally the Music Academy in Beograd.

Since 1961 he founded and played in some of the most recognized rock bands in Yugoslavia and abroad. He also ...