Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky (Russian: Модест Петрович Мусоргский; IPA: [mɐˈdʲɛst pʲɪˈtrovʲɪtɕ ˈmusərkskʲɪj]; 21 March [O.S. 9 March] 1839 – 28 March [O.S. 16 March] 1881) was a Russian composer, one of the group known as "The Five". He was an innovator of Russian music in the romantic period.