Louis Diémer

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Louis-Joseph Diémer (February 14, 1843 - December 21, 1919) was a French pianist and composer.

He studied at the Paris Conservatoire, winning premiers prix in piano, harmony and accompaniment, counterpoint and fugue, and solfège, and a second prix in organ. His teachers were Antoine Marmontel for piano, Ambroise Thomas for composition and François Benoist for organ. He quickly built a reputation as a virtuoso and toured with the violinist Pablo de Sarasate. At the Conservatoire he taught, among others, Robert Casadesus, Alfred Cortot, Alfredo Casella and Édouard Risler. Diémer was also instrumental in promoting the use of historical instruments, giving a series of harpsichord performances as part of the 1889 Universal Exhibition and contributing to the founding of the Société des instruments anciens. His output as a composer is extensive, including a piano concerto and a quantity of salon pieces, all more or less totally forgotten these days.

César Franck composed his Variations Symphoniques for him, and Edouard Lalo dedicated his piano concerto in F minor to him.