Louis Moreau Gottschalk (May 8, 1829 – December 18, 1869) was an American composer and pianist, best known as a virtuoso performer of his own romantic piano works. He spent most of his working career outside of the United States.Gottschalk was born in New Orleans to a prosperous merchant and businessman from London (Edward Gottschalk) and a French Creole mother (Aimée Marie Bruslé). He had six brothers and sisters, five of whom were half-siblings by his father's biracial mistress.