What Makes a Great Composer?
How education, institutions, emotion, and opportunity shape creativity in classical music.
About the Book
Why do we still listen to Mozart’s music but not Salieri’s? Would Nadia Boulanger be better known as a composer than a teacher if she were a man? Why did so many composers move to Vienna, Paris, and London, despite the hardships of city life?
In What Makes a Great Composer?, economists Karol J. Borowiecki and Marc T. Law offer a novel perspective on why some composers and their works have endured while others have not. Drawing on data-driven methods rather than the usual anecdotes and received wisdom regarding the sources of musical genius, they uncover previously unnoticed patterns of creativity.
Spanning nearly a millennium of musical history—from medieval courts and cathedrals to modern concert halls and conservatories—the book shows how the creative lives of composers were molded by opportunity, constraint, talent, and temperament.
Borowiecki and Law consider not only celebrated masters but also forgotten voices, including female composers whose paths were blocked by structural barriers. They explore key determinants of success, including education, cities and migration, war and conflict, and economic incentives. Drawing on a wealth of data gathered over nearly twenty years, they shed light not only on music history but, more broadly, on the conditions that allow creativity to flourish.
Praise for What Makes a Great Composer?
“A landmark achievement in understanding the glories of Western classical music.”
“The most wide-ranging empirical treatment of the musical geniuses who created the Western classical repertoire.”
“A thought-provoking, often provocative interpretation of statistical data which will stimulate many discussions.”
“A revelation. The book uncovers long-term trends that would otherwise remain hidden.”
“A truly interdisciplinary work that will be of interest to readers from both the humanities and the sciences.”
“The book’s creativity and reach sit comfortably beside the great compositions it analyzes. Genius is never born alone, but made, shaped, and sometimes broken by the world around it.”
Listen to the Music
Experience the music at the heart of What Makes a Great Composer? Our chapter-by-chapter listening guide brings together carefully selected works and recommended recordings that illuminate the questions, examples, and stories explored in the book.
Listen as you read, explore individual chapters, or simply discover the music for yourself.
About the Authors
Karol J. Borowiecki
Karol J. Borowiecki is professor of economics at the University of Southern Denmark and President of the Association for Cultural Economics International. He is the coauthor of The Economics of Art and Culture.
Marc T. Law
Marc T. Law is professor of economics at the University of Vermont and a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Cultural Economics.
What Makes a Great Composer?
A Data-Driven Exploration of Music History
Karol J. Borowiecki and Marc T. Law
Princeton University Press · 2026
