G'day Firebrand, Thank you for your question. It was Igor Stravinksy. According to Wikipedia , "Diaghilev heard Stravinsky's early orchestral works Fireworks and Scherzo Fantastique, and was impressed enough to ask Stravinsky to arrange some pieces by Frédéric Chopin for the Ballets Russes. In 1910, he commissioned his first score from Stravinsky, The Firebird. Petrushka (1911) and The Rite of Spring (1913) followed shortly afterwards, and the two also worked together on Pulcinella (1920) and Les Noces (1923)." I have attached sources for your reference. Regards Wikipedia Sergei Diaghilev http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergei_Diaghilev Wikipedia Igor Stavinsky http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Igor_Stravinsky Naxos .com http://www.naxos.com/composerinfo/1003.htm Classical.net http://www.classical.net/music/comp.lst/stravinsky.html

1) "The Firebird (French: L'Oiseau de feu; Russian: Жар-птица, Žar-ptica) is a 1910 ballet by Igor Stravinsky. The ballet is based on Russian folk tales of the magical glowing bird of the same name that is both a blessing and a curse to its captor. The music was premiered as a ballet by Diaghilev's Ballets Russes in Paris on 25 June 1910 conducted by Gabriel Pierné. It was the first of their productions with music specially composed for them. Originally the music was to have been written by Russian composer Anatol Liadov (1855-1914); but when he was slow in starting work, Diaghilev transferred the commission to the 28-year old Stravinsky. The ballet has historic significance not only as Stravinsky's 'breakthrough piece' ("Mark him well", said Diaghilev to Tamara Karsavina, who was dancing the title role: "He is a man on the eve of celebrity..."), but also as the beginning of the collaboration between Diaghilev and Stravinsky that would also produce Petrushka and The Rite of Spring." Source and further information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Firebird 2) "Petrouchka or Petrushka (French: Pétrouchka; Russian: Петрушка) is a ballet with music by the Russian composer Igor Stravinsky and choreography by Michel Fokine. It is a story of a Russian traditional puppet, Petrushka, who is made of straw and with a bag of sawdust as his body, but who comes to life and has the capacity to love, a story superficially resembling that of Pinocchio." Source and further information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petrushka_%28ballet%29 3) "Sergei Pavlovich Diaghilev (Russian: Серге́й Па́влович Дя́гилев / Sergei Pavlovich Dyagilev), also referred to as Serge, (March 31, 1872 – August 19, 1929) was a Russian art critic, patron, ballet impresario and founder of the Ballets Russes from which many famous dancers and choreographers would later arise." Source and further information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diaghilev 4) "Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky (Russian: Игорь Фёдорович Стравинский, Igor' Fjodorovič Stravinskij) (June 17, 1882 – April 6, 1971) was a Russian composer, considered by many in both the West and his native land to be the most influential composer of 20th century music.[1] He was a quintessentially cosmopolitan Russian who was named by Time magazine as one of the most influential people of the century.[2] In addition to the recognition he received for his compositions, he also achieved fame as a pianist and a conductor, often at the premieres of his works. Stravinsky's compositional career was notable for its stylistic diversity. He first achieved international fame with three ballets commissioned by the impresario Serge Diaghilev and performed by Diaghilev's Ballets Russes (Russian Ballet): L'Oiseau de feu ("The Firebird") (1910), Petrushka (1911), and Le sacre du printemps ("The Rite of Spring") (1913). The Rite, whose premiere provoked a riot, transformed the way in which subsequent composers thought about rhythmic structure; to this day its vision of pagan rituals, enacted in an imaginary ancient Russia continues to dazzle and overwhelm audiences." 5) "Igor Stravinsky, conductor (1965) 'Lullaby and F... Igor Stravinsky, conductor (1965) 'Lullaby and Final Hymn' from the "Firebird Ballet Suite" (1945 version) Music by Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PLek6m4phQ

it was igor stravinsky..my friend used to play petrushka on piano, her teacher told me that it was really really hard to play