COMPOSERS from Lithuania

Top 4

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the most legendary Lithuanian Composers of all time. This list of famous Lithuanian Composers is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity.

1. César Cui (1835 - 1918)

With an HPI of 66.11, César Cui is the most famous Lithuanian Composer.  His biography has been translated into 52 different languages on wikipedia.

César Antonovich Cui (Russian: Цезарь Антонович Кюи, romanized: Tsezar Antonovich Kyui; IPA: [ˈt͡sjezərʲ ɐnˈtonəvʲɪt͡ɕ kʲʊˈi] ; French: Cesarius Benjaminus Cui; 18 January [O.S. 6 January] 1835 – 26 March 1918) was a Russian composer and music critic, member of the Belyayev circle and The Five – a group of composers combined by the idea of creating a specifically Russian type of music. As an officer of the Imperial Russian Army, he rose to the rank of Engineer-General (equivalent to full General), taught fortifications in Russian military academies and wrote a number of monographs on the subject.

2. Maximilian Steinberg (1883 - 1946)

With an HPI of 51.62, Maximilian Steinberg is the 2nd most famous Lithuanian Composer.  His biography has been translated into 16 different languages.

Maximilian Osseyevich Steinberg (Russian: Максимилиан Осеевич Штейнберг; 4 July 1883 [O.S. 22 June] – 6 December 1946) was a Russian composer of classical music. Though once considered the hope of Russian music, Steinberg is far less well known today than his mentor (and father-in-law) Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, his rival Igor Stravinsky, or his student protege Dmitri Shostakovich. During the early 21st century, however, Steinberg's choral concerto Passion Week was rediscovered and performed for the first time. It was instantly lavishly praised as a masterpiece by both lovers and performers of Classical music. This has triggered a revival of interest in the life and music of Maximilian Steinberg.

3. Emil Młynarski (1870 - 1935)

With an HPI of 49.04, Emil Młynarski is the 3rd most famous Lithuanian Composer.  His biography has been translated into 15 different languages.

Emil Szymon Młynarski (Polish pronunciation: [ˈɛmil ˈʂɨmɔn mwɨˈnarskʲi]; 18 July 1870 – 5 April 1935) was a Polish conductor, violinist, composer, and pedagogue.

4. Bronius Kutavičius (1932 - 2021)

With an HPI of 46.50, Bronius Kutavičius is the 4th most famous Lithuanian Composer.  His biography has been translated into 15 different languages.

Bronius Kutavičius (13 September 1932 – 29 September 2021) was a Lithuanian composer and academic composition teacher. He wrote numerous oratorios and operas, often inspired by ancient Lithuanian polytheistic beliefs and music. He also composed film scores, orchestral works and chamber music. Kutavičius is regarded as a symbol of Lithuanian cultural identity, both in music and in politics. Among many awards, he received the Lithuanian State Prize in 1987.