How Much Do You Know About These Famous Composers?

Bach lived in the late 1600s to the mid-1700s. As such, he was very much a major figure of classical music's Baroque period.

He had the big name and the big personality -- he was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. And before the age of five, he mastered the violin and keyboard, and then began making compositions that would capture the world's imagination.

George Frideric Handel was the 18th-century version of a rock star. He played to excited audiences, made a vast fortune and died famous.

Born in 1770 in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Beethoven became one of the world's legendary pianists and composers. He died at the age of 56, a true celebrity in Vienna.

Antonio Vivaldi wrote his famous "Four Seasons," a collection of four violin concerti, in the early 1720s. Each of the pieces evokes one of seasons of the year.

Russian-born Igor Stravinsky was born in 1882 and created his most powerful works in the 20th century. His unique and adventurous sense of rhythm made him distinctive among classical composers.

Franz Schubert died in his early 30s but made the most of his short lifetime. He created more than 600 pieces of music, many of which are highly regarded by musicologists.

In the Baroque era, few pieces stand quite so tall as the "Brandenburg Concertos" by Johann Sebastian Bach. These orchestral compositions are some Bach's most legendary works.

Franz Schubert was a composer who worked during the end of the Classical era and the beginning of the Romantic period. The Baroque era was one of classical music's earlier periods.

In his 20s, Ludwig van Beethoven began suffering from hearing impairment, a problem that grew worse as he aged. By the end of his life he was nearly deaf … but he still managed to compose masterpieces.

Composed in 1742, "Messiah" is a truly iconic piece of classical music, based on passages from the Bible. The "Hallelujah" chorus might be Handel's best moment ever.

Franz Liszt was an iconic Hungarian composer with virtuoso ability with the piano. His many diverse compositions made a major impact on the 20th-century composers who followed in his wake.

The airport in Warsaw is named for this titan of classical music. Frederic Chopin is an icon of Poland, a composer and pianist for the ages.

In 1796, when he was late in his career, Joseph Hadyn created the "Trumpet Concerto." It eventually became one of Haydn's best-known works.

Robert Schumann wanted to be a lawyer … but then traded law for music, and the world will never be able to repay him for his wise choice. He was a fantastic pianist who eventually became a legendary composer.

Antonio Vivaldi was a famous Italian composer. He was also a devout religious man, and many of his works celebrated his faith.

Created for Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes company, Igor Stravinsky's "The Firebird" was a smash hit from the get-go. The composition was inspired by Russian folk tales.

The "Goldberg Variations" were written by Bach and published in the 1740s. They were some of the only compositions that actually saw publication during his lifetime.

Mozart was incredibly prolific, in part because he started writing at such a young age. He wrote his first opera, "Mitridate Re di Ponto" when he was just 14 years old.

In his formative years, Robert Schumann was a stellar pianist, but he suffered a hand injury that ended his playing days. He switched to composing and found that he was an excellent writer.

Wagner was a famous composer who also loved drama and theatre. Many of his compositions wound up in stage performances.

In the 1820s, Beethoven unveiled his "Late Quartets," the final major compositions of his life. Listeners were mostly puzzled (or even aghast) at the challenging music … but modern critics have taken a more positive view of the work.

In the lexicon of classical music, few composers have as many popular pieces as Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. He wrote "The Nutcracker," one of the world's best-loved compositions.

Joseph Haydn so loved his "Trauer" (Mourning) Symphony No. 44" that he wanted it to be played during his funeral. It is a four-movement piece that was completed in 1772.

Chopin made a great number of masterpieces in his life, and "Prelude, Op. 28, No. 15" is one of them. This heavy composition has the power and resonance of a sweeping thunderstorm.

Joseph Haydn, who lived in the 18th century, made contributions to the sonata form of chamber music. He was sometimes called the "Father of the String Quartet."

Wagner designed the Bayreuth Festspielhaus, his very own opera house, which opened in 1876. The house features an orchestra pit that's designed to completely conceal the musicians, who play, of course, only Wagner pieces.

In 1899, Claude Debussy finished "Nocturnes," perhaps his best-known orchestral composition. The three movement of "Nocturnes" are called "Clouds," "Festivals" and "Sirens."

He burned bright and died young. Mozart made one masterpiece after another and then died at age 35 of an illness that researchers have never been able to identify.

Giuseppe Verdi was an Italian composer particularly well-regarded for his operas. "Otello" and "Requiem" are two of his most famous pieces.