Composers' Names Pronunciation Study Sheet
Last Names

Directions: This sheet contains the pronunciations of the names of 40 of the top Classical music composers. Some people are “sight” learners and can learn the names best by using these study sheets. Other people learn best by listening and can learn better by using the sound activity at the Classical Music Project web site. Our advice is to use any method that works for you…probably using both is best…and at the same time…since the names are in the same order both places. NOTE: Technically the study sheets here use the “sight, reasoning” technique because you must see the names first, and then use reasoning to figure out the pronunciations.  Note: We use notation that we think anyone can understand in determining the pronunciations, not the notation used in dictionaries, which frankly we find at times to be difficult…we are always forced to look at the bottom of the pages for examples.

 

Johannn Pachelbel is pronounced  Jo hahn…Pock hell’ bull in Europe and Pock’ a bell in America.

Antonio Vivaldi is pronounced An toe nee o…Va val’ dee.

Johann Sebastian Bach is pronounced Jo hahn…See bash tion…Bock.

George Fredrick Handel is pronounced  Jorge… Fred rik  Han’ dle, like in “handle” of a cup.

Franz Joseph Haydn is pronounced Fronz… Joe sif… Hi’ den.

Luigi Boccherini is pronounced  Lew ee gee… Bo’ ka ree nee.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is pronounced Wolf gang…Ahm a day is…Moats’ art.

Ludwig van Beethoven is pronounced Lude wig… von... Bay’ toe vin.

Gioacchino Rossini is pronounced  Gee ah kee no…Row see’ nee.

Franz Schubert is pronounced  Fronz…Shoe beart’.

Feliz Mendelssohn is pronounced  Feel ix… Men’ dell son.

Fredrik Chopin is pronounced  Fred rik…Show’ pan.

Robert Schumann is pronounced Rob urt… Shoe’ mahn.

Franz Liszt is pronounced Fronz …List.

Richard Wagner is pronounced  Ree card… Vog’ ner.

Giuseppe Verdi is pronounced  Gee sep aa…Vair’ dee.

Charles Francois Gounod is pronounced Charlz… Franz wha… Goo no’.

Jacques Offenbach is pronounced  Jock… Off’ in back.

Bedrich Smetana is pronounced Bed rich…Smet’ ta na.

Johann Strauss is pronounced Jo hahn… Strous, like in house.

Johannes Brahms is pronounced Jo hahn nis…. Bramz.

Alexander Borodin is pronounced Al ix an der… Bore o deen’.

Amilcare Ponchielli is pronounced A mee car ray… Ponk’ ee el li.

Camille Saint Saens is pronounced Ka meal…Saint Saw (close enough).

Georges Bizet is pronounced Jorge Biz eh’.

Modest Mussorgsky is pronounced Moe dest’ …Moo’zor skee.

Peter Illich Tchaikovsky is pronounced Pee ter…Ill ich Chi kov skee.

Antonin Dvorak is pronounced An toe neen… Da vor’ zhack.

Jules Massenet is pronounced Jewels… Mass’ a ney.

Edvard Greig is pronounced Ed vard…Greeg.

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov is pronounced Nick o lie… Rim’ skee– Course’ a cov.

Edward Elgar is pronounced Ed werd… El’ gar.

Giacomo Puccini is pronounced Jock a mo… Poo chee’ nee.

Gustav Mahler is pronounced Goose tav…Mal’ ler.

Claude Debussy is pronounced Clawed… Day bue say’ or Day’ bue see.

Pietro Mascagni is pronounced Pee eh’ throw…Mas gan’ yee.

Richard Strauss is pronounced Ree Card…Strous (like in house).

Jean Sibelius is pronounced Zchan …See bell’ ee us.

Sergei Rachmaninoff is pronounced Sir gay…Rock maan’ ee noff

Maurice Ravel is pronounced More eece…Ra vell’.