- Gniessin, Michael Fabianovich
- (1883-1957)Russian composer. He was born in Rostov-na-Donu. He was professor of composition at the Moscow Conservatory (1923-35), taught composition at Leningrad Conservatory (1935-45), and later headed the composition department at the music school in Leningrad which bore his and his sister's name. He published books on composition, aesthetics, and Jewish music, and a study of Rimsky-Korsakov. In addition, he pioneered the new Russian symphonic style in his music, and the use of the folk music of the peoples of the USSR. Many of his works have Jewish titles.
Dictionary of Jewish Biography. Dan Cohn-Sherbok.