Nicolas Slonimsky (April 27, 1894 - December 25, 1995) was a Russian-American composer, conductor, music critic, musician, and author. He emigrated to the United States in 1923. Slonimsky wrote Baker's Dictionary of Music & Musicians and was head editor until 1992. He also wrote The Lexicon of Musical Invective, a compilation of hilariously bad reviews by critics of composers since Beethoven's time, and an autobiography, Perfect Pitch. He died at age 101.

Slonimsky was a great champion of contemporary music. He conducted the world premiere of Edgar Varèse's Ionisation for thirteen percussionists in 1933, of Charles Ives' Three Places in New England in 1931, and various other works. His best known book is the Thesaurus of Scales and Melodic Patterns ISBN 082561449X, which has influenced many composers and jazz musicians.

External link

• Nicolas Slonimsky and John Coltrane : Countdown, Giant Steps, and the Chromatic Third Relationship by Katherine Kristalovich