12 composers who were total heart-throbs in their 20s

9 October 2020, 11:24

Brahms' Hungarian Dance No.5

From the impeccably coiffured Johannes Brahms to the perennial heartbreaker Leonard Bernstein, these composers were all heart-breakingly handsome in their 20s.

1. Frédéric Chopin

   Aged 20, Chopin was 10 per cent musical genius and 90 per cent cheekbones. *sigh*

   

2. Leonard Bernstein

   29-year-old Lenny’s composing and conducting talents were the stuff of legend in New York. He also had lovely, swoopy hair, and was an impeccable dresser.

   

3. George Gershwin

   Young Gershwin revolutionised classical music, created a jazz standard and fully understood the power of a good smoulder.

   

4. Johannes Brahms

   27-year-old Brahms, stealing Clara Schumann's heart with that knowing swagger and incredibly coiffured head of hair.

   

5. Clara Schumann

   21-year-old Clara Schumann was a vision, from her huge eyes to her lovely up 'do. No wonder Brahms was obsessed…

   

6. Franz Liszt

   On the cusp of 30, Liszt still had all the swagger of a confident 20-year-old. And why wouldn’t he? Look at that pout. *dies*

   

7. Edward Elgar

   Edward Elgar: the envy of every man everywhere who can’t manage to grow a moustache in his 20s.

   

8. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

   More beards! Manly Pyotr sure knew how to groom himself at 27. *fans self*

   

9. Felix Mendelssohn

   From that elegant jawline to those lovely big brown eyes, young Felix was all kinds of adorable.

   

10. Sergei Rachmaninov

    It takes a lot to look good in sepia – but young, moody Sergei pulls it off.

    

11. Gustav Mahler

    What was going on in Mahler’s head was anyone’s guess, but just look at those lovely dark ‘brows. Here he is, aged just 24.

    

12. Maurice Ravel

    Ah, Maurice. He wrote some of the most magical music of the 20th century, and was ahead of the curve when it came to geek chic.