The Wealth of the Masters: Composers' Net Worth in Today's Currency

• Net Worth (Peak in Today’s Terms): Approximately $1–1.5 million

• Real Estate & Assets: Owned modest properties, including a home in Leipzig.

• Earnings: As Thomaskantor in Leipzig, Bach earned a salary of 700 thalers annually, which in today's terms would be roughly £28,000 or about $35,000 USD.

• Lifestyle: Moderate. Bach prioritized his large family and musical commitments, rarely indulging in luxury.

• Biggest Expense: Raising and educating his 20 children, many of whom became musicians themselves.

• Highest-Earning Job: His work as Kapellmeister for Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Köthen provided steady income and allowed creative freedom.

Bach’s disciplined life and steady earnings ensured a relatively comfortable existence, though he was far from wealthy by modern standards.

• Net Worth (Peak in Today’s Terms): Approximately $3–5 million

• Real Estate & Assets: Rented luxurious apartments and owned exquisite pianos but did not own real estate.

• Earnings: At his peak in the 1780s, Mozart earned about 4,000 florins annually from performances, teaching, and compositions, equivalent to approximately $120,000 USD today.

• Don Giovanni: Mozart was reportedly paid 225 florins for the commission of Don Giovanni, equivalent to about $9,000 USD today.

• Lifestyle: Lavish. Mozart was known for his extravagant spending on clothing, entertainment, and social events.

• Biggest Expense: Gambling and maintaining a high-profile social lifestyle.

• Family: Supported a family with six children, though only two survived to adulthood.

• Highest-Earning Job: Opera commissions, with The Marriage of Figaro and Don Giovanni being particularly lucrative.

Despite earning a modern millionaire's income, Mozart's financial mismanagement and untimely death left his family in debt, casting a shadow on his brilliant career.

• Net Worth (Peak in Today’s Terms): Approximately $10–12 million

• Real Estate & Assets: Lived in rented apartments in Vienna and owned valuable manuscripts and pianos.

• Earnings: At his peak, Beethoven earned about 4,000 florins annually, similar to Mozart, or roughly $120,000 USD in today’s currency.

• Lifestyle: Mixed. Beethoven could be frugal in daily life but spent liberally on medical care and his art.

• Biggest Expense: Medical treatments and frequent relocations within Vienna.

• Family: Never married, but financially supported his nephew Karl.

• Highest-Earning Job: Subscriptions for major works like the Eroica Symphony brought substantial income.

Despite his substantial earnings, Beethoven's health issues and familial responsibilities limited his financial stability.

• Net Worth (Peak in Today’s Terms): Approximately $8–10 million

• Real Estate & Assets: Rented elegant Parisian apartments and owned luxury Pleyel pianos.

• Earnings: Chopin’s piano lessons and salon performance for the Parisian elite brought him an income of 20,000 francs annually, equivalent to about $150,000 USD today.

• Lifestyle: Elegant but not extravagant. Chopin preferred intimate salon performances and refined living.

• Biggest Expense: Medical care for his tuberculosis and travels to warmer climates for health reasons.

• Family: Had no children but occasionally supported relatives in Poland.

• Highest-Earning Job: Piano lessons, with fees reaching 20 francs per lesson, equivalent to $150 in today’s currency.

Chopin’s health limited his productivity, but his earnings and selective lifestyle allowed him a comfortable existence in the cultural heart of Paris.