Nicholas Medtner (1880-1951) was a Russian/English composer and friend of
Rachmaninoff; Medtner’s piano compositions are complicated and lack melodic interest,
but have a devoted following.
Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) was a German composer and pianist of the romantic
period with a strong classical base; his compositions have a refined joyousness; in his
lifetime he was rated on a level with Mozart but he later suffered a decline in popularity
which has been reversed somewhat in recent years; Mendelssohn is noted for his piano
concertos, his Songs without Words, Variations Sérieuses and his Andante & Rondo
Capriccioso.
Olivier Messiaën (1908-1992) was a French pianist, organist and composer; many of his
compositions are influenced by bird-song; his ‘Vingt regards sur l’enfant-Jesus’ is his
best-known work for piano.
Moritz Moszkowski (1854-1925) was a Polish composer and pianist of the romantic
period; several of his large output of salon pieces, such as ‘Caprice Espagnole, ‘La
Jongleuse’ and ‘Etincelles’, are still played.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) was an Austrian composer and pianist of the
classical era; he is one of the most important and popular of all composers with his
prodigious melodic gift, clarity of line and formal perfection; his piano concertos and
sonatas are widely admired.
Modest Mussorgsky (1839-1881) was a Russian composer noted for his colourful piano
composition ‘Pictures at an Exhibition’ which was orchestrated by the composer and later
by Ravel.
Ignacy Paderewski (1860-1941) was a Polish composer and pianist of the late romantic
period; he wrote piano concertos and many piano pieces but they are rarely heard these
days.
Selim Palmgren (1878-1951) was a Finnish composer and pianist of the late romantic
period; he wrote piano concertos and piano pieces but, with the exception of ‘En Route’
and ‘Refrain de Berceau’, they are rarely heard these days.
Ernst Pauer (1826-1905) was an Austrian pianist, teacher, composer and editor; the
pianist Max Pauer (1866-1945) was his son.
Isidor Philipp (1863-1958) was a French pianist, pedagogue and editor.
Francis Poulenc (1899-1963) was a French composer of attractive, incisive, witty piano
pieces.