And I probably should have said “Russians and their neighbours”.

I’ve written “Strav” as an abbreviation but I would always say his full name. And I think that’s an important distinction to make: written abbreviations vs verbal ones. So, as with Stravinsky, I will very often write “Beeth”, but I would always say Beethoven, and I might write “Mend” but I’d say Mendelssohn.

On the other hand, I’ll write and say “Rach” and “Tchaik”; I’d write “Shost” or “DSCH” and say “Shosty”; I’d consider saying “Prok”, but don’t actually do so.

My guess: we draw the line at three syllables, which is why I rarely hear people trying to abbreviate Stravinsky in speech, but hear “Rach” and “Shosty” all the time.

A new one for you: “Tak” for Georgian composer Otar Taktakishvili. (Incidentally, you might enjoy his music; there’s a Sonata for flute and piano that I like a lot.)

The Russians certainly do win as far as fantastic names go. I remember hearing that the best cure for insomnia was to begin reading a 19th-century Russian novel. Trying to follow all the names with the patronymics etc. would have you nodding with fatigue in no time!