Max Bruch (1838-1920)

Max Bruch was a 19th century German composer, pianist, and violinist.  He is most well known for his violin compositions.  Bruch also composed a few pieces for the piano.  His six pieces for piano (op.12) are fairly early works, but are full of beautiful melody.  They are charming pieces that are short and lyrical.  

Bruch played both the violin and the piano.  He performed in public a few times as a pianist but claimed that he liked the violin more than the piano.  According to Bruch the violin could “sing a melody better than the piano can, and melody  is the soul of music.”