List of Classical-Composer-Rich Countries or Regions by Era

This is a continuation of my series of alternate history blog articles, the first being about equating the lifespan of cats and dogs with those of humans, and the last prior to this being a revised list of Russian rulers dating from 1283 to 1917. All my alternate history articles are plans of what history will look like when changed, or what history in the new timeline I might create will look like.

This article involves a list of countries and regions rich with classical composers arranged in numerical order for each era from the country/region with the most composers to the one with the least. For instance, during the Renaissance, Italy at #1 has the most composers while Slovakia at #25 has the least. The countries/regions that are highlighted in bold in each era are the ones with the absolute most amounts of composers for the era. And these are the ones that will be represented in future articles listing names of composers per country/region and era.

A Few Helpful Notes​

1. In defining the nationality of composers, it is the one where they were born and/or made the most of their careers. In one actual instance, Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) was born in Germany, where he also made the most of his career; for that reason, he is considered belonging to a list of German composers. In another instance, Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632-1687) was born in Italy, but he did not make the most of his career there; he did so in France, so he should belong in a list of French composers. But in the end, a composer’s nationality can also be based on what is considered by a majority of music historians.
2. In most eras, there are only 8 countries/regions highlighted in bold, and they regularly serve as the nucleus for all of Western classical music and composition. They are Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Austria, England, Russia, and America. During the Renaissance, there are 7, and these include the 7 nations mentioned in the last sentence prior to America.
3. The first permanent English settlement in America was at Jamestown in 1607. This is 7 years after the traditionally noted end of the Renaissance, so there was no Renaissance in America. Thus America isn’t listed as a country/region boasting numerous composers during the Renaissance (in fact, no American Renaissance composers at all).
4. While there were permanent settlements in the New World by nations other than England (especially France and Spain) prior to 1607 (and very well before the end of the Renaissance), there are no Renaissance composers in the Americas due to decades of turbulence. Jamestown is in some ways headed down that road until 1613, with the arrival of John Whipple (1592-1673), who was born in London into an affluent musical family. John Whipple is the first American classical composer, and he promotes classical music and other fine arts in and around Jamestown from his arrival to America in 1613 onward. In February 1615, his first opera premieres in the New World, and from there, the promotion of music and the other fine arts in the Americas escalates. The turbulence in the Americas subsides and becomes limited to some very small towns and other rural areas.

Renaissance (c. 1370 – c. 1600)​

1. Italy
2. Spain
3. France
4. Germany
5. England
6. Russia
7. Austria
8. Flanders
9. Greece
10. Portugal
11. Holland
12. Switzerland
13. Denmark
14. Sweden
15. Norway
16. Finland
17. Ireland
18. Scotland
19. Poland
20. Ukraine
21. Romania
22. Czechia
23. Hungary
24. Belarus
25. Slovakia

Baroque (c. 1600 – c. 1760)​

1. Italy
2. Spain
3. France
4. Germany
5. England
6. Russia
7. America
8. Austria
9. Greece
10. Portugal
11. Holland
12. Belgium
13. Switzerland
14. Denmark
15. Sweden
16. Norway
17. Finland
18. Ireland
19. Scotland
20. Poland
21. Ukraine
22. Romania
23. Czechia
24. Hungary
25. Belarus
26. Slovakia
27. Mexico
28. Argentina
29. Canada
30. Brazil
31. Latin America (rest of)

Classical (c. 1730 – c. 1820)​

1. Italy
2. Spain
3. France
4. Germany
5. England
6. Russia
7. America
8. Austria
9. Greece
10. Portugal
11. Holland
12. Belgium
13. Switzerland
14. Denmark
15. Sweden
16. Norway
17. Finland
18. Ireland
19. Scotland
20. Poland
21. Ukraine
22. Romania
23. Czechia
24. Hungary
25. Belarus
26. Slovakia
27. Mexico
28. Argentina
29. Canada
30. Brazil
31. Latin America (rest of)

Romantic (c. 1800 – c. 1910)​

1. Italy
2. Spain
3. France
4. Germany
5. England
6. Russia
7. America
8. Austria
9. Greece
10. Portugal
11. Holland
12. Belgium
13. Switzerland
14. Denmark
15. Sweden
16. Norway
17. Finland
18. Ireland
19. Scotland
20. Poland
21. Ukraine
22. Romania
23. Czechia
24. Hungary
25. Belarus
26. Slovakia
27. Mexico
28. Argentina
29. Canada
30. Brazil
31. Latin America (rest of)

Modern (c. 1880 – c. 1975)​

1. America
2. Italy
3. Spain
4. France
5. Germany
6. England
7. Russia
8. Austria
9. Greece
10. Portugal
11. Holland
12. Belgium
13. Switzerland
14. Denmark
15. Sweden
16. Norway
17. Finland
18. Ireland
19. Scotland
20. Poland
21. Ukraine
22. Romania
23. Czechia
24. Hungary
25. Belarus
26. Slovakia
27. Mexico
28. Canada
29. Argentina
30. Brazil
31. Peru
32. Iceland
33. Bulgaria
34. Australia
35. New Zealand
36. Israel
37. Turkey
38. Egypt
39. India
40. China
41. Japan
42. South Korea
43. Philippines
44. Indonesia
45. Latin America (rest of)

Contemporary (c. 1945 – ????)​

1. America
2. Italy
3. Spain
4. France
5. Germany
6. England
7. Russia
8. Austria
9. Greece
10. Portugal
11. Holland
12. Belgium
13. Switzerland
14. Denmark
15. Sweden
16. Norway
17. Finland
18. Ireland
19. Scotland
20. Poland
21. Ukraine
22. Romania
23. Czechia
24. Hungary
25. Belarus
26. Slovakia
27. Mexico
28. Canada
29. Brazil
30. Argentina
31. Peru
32. Iceland
33. Bulgaria
34. Australia
35. New Zealand
36. Israel
37. Turkey
38. Egypt
39. Persia
40. India
41. China
42. Japan
43. Korea
44. Philippines
45. Indonesia
46. Latin America (rest of)