M. (Montagu) Montagu-Nathan

Born in Banbury on September 17, 1877, he was originally named Montagu Nathan and later legally changed his name to Montagu Montagu-Nathan in 1909. He studied in Birmingham and continued violin training in Brussels, Frankfurt, and London, working with major teachers before appearing as a violinist in places including Belfast and Leeds.

He eventually left the concert platform for music journalism and authorship, becoming especially well known as a British writer on Russian music. His books include A History of Russian Music, An Introduction to Russian Music, Contemporary Russian Composers, Moussorgsky, and The Orchestra and How to Listen to It—works that show how strongly he wanted to make serious music feel approachable to general readers.

He died in London on November 15, 1958. Although not a household name today, he remains an interesting guide to how Russian composers were introduced to English-speaking audiences in the early twentieth century.