The life of a musical composition depends substantially on the exposure, availability, and general knowledge of its existence by performers and the musical public at large. This is particularly the case with a composer such as Ramiro Cortés, who was the first Hispanic American to have achieved international recognition in classical music.

This works list has been organized according to the following types of compositions:

Each main category is organized chronologically, according to the ending compostion date. If a composition has been revised, the revised version(s) are listed with the original rather than by the year of revision. Works with unknown compositional dates are listed at the end of each category.

Ramiro Cort és, age 16; Photo by Bruce Gentry, courtesy Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library, the University of Utah