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Joseph Haydn (1732-1809), "Papa Haydn," is considered the Father of the Symphony. He worked for Prince Nikolaus Esterhazy and then Prince Anton in Vienna and Eisenstadt.
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Johann Christian Bach (1735-1782) was Johann Sebastian Bach's youngest son. He traveled, most notably to Italy in 1754 and London in 1762. His compositions reveal many influences from his travels.
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Luigi Boccherini (1743-1805) was born in Lucca, Italy, was sent to Rome to study, and settled in Madrid where he stayed for most of his career.
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Wolfgang Amade Mozart (1756-1791) composed in almost every genre during his brief life. He melded German, Italian, and other influences.
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Ignace Joseph Pleyel (1757-1831) composed symphonies, operas, and marionette operas, ran a music shop and piano factory in Paris.
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Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) mastered the Classical symphonic style and quickly began transitioning into the Romantic Era. When writing about Beethoven, critics were more concerned with what meaning he was attempting to represent with his music, and less concerned with how it was put together.
