Paul Juon (1872-1940) was a Russian-born composer of Swiss descent whose career unfolded largely in Germany and Switzerland. Born in Moscow, he studied violin and composition before becoming associated with the Berlin Hochschule für Musik.

Juon wrote chamber music, orchestral works, concertos, piano pieces and songs. His chamber music in particular attracted performers interested in late Romantic and early modern Central European repertory.

His style blends Russian colour, Germanic craft and a lyrical temperament. It is often richly textured and expressive, without belonging firmly to the more radical modernist currents of his time.

Sometimes called the “Russian Brahms,” Juon is now a specialist figure, but his music has attractive depth and warmth. It stands at a crossroads where national identity becomes more a prism than a passport.