Rise of the Masters is a classical music series that brings together twelve of the best-loved composers in the repertoire. This site is an informational page about the series, drawn from an archived website from 2019. It does not sell or distribute music.
The twelve composers
The series features Johann Sebastian Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven, Johannes Brahms, Frédéric Chopin, Claude Debussy, Edvard Grieg, George Frideric Handel, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Franz Schubert, Robert Schumann, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and Antonio Vivaldi. Each has a short profile on this site, for example Bach, Mozart, Beethoven and Chopin.
How the series is organised
Every composer received an album of their own, released between November 2010 and April 2011. A 100-track compilation, which gathers the best-known works of all twelve, came out on 30 November 2010. You can see the full list, with release dates, on the albums page.
A playful extra
The series also inspired a mobile application in which users answer a questionnaire to find out which composer they most resemble, then apply a composer’s mask to a photo. Read more on the app page.
A friendly introduction
The collection was presented as a gateway for newcomers to classical music and as a convenient set of favourites for seasoned listeners. Its tone is lively, with a touch of humour in the way the composers are introduced, and it tries to make centuries-old masterpieces feel immediate.
About these pages
Facts about the albums come from the archive and reflect the situation in 2010 and 2011. For up-to-date availability, consult the official music services.