Evgeny Svetlanov

In addition to being a skilled pianist and composer, Evgeny (or Yevgeny) Feodorovich Svetlanov was one of the 20th century's leading Russian conductors. While best known for his interpretations of a wide swath of Russian composers, he conducted everything from Elgar vocal works and Debussy symphonic sketches to each of Mahler's symphonies. As both a conductor and pianist, he helped maintain the legacy of Nikolai Myaskovsky, recording dozens of volumes of music by the Soviet composer, including his complete symphonic output.