Try Balakirev! The gentle lyrical genius of Russian Romanticism! Perhaps the most overlooked genius classical composer. Famously the teacher of Borodin (also underrated!!!), Mussorgsky, and Rimsky-Korsakov, he was also one of Tckaikovsky's mentors. While Tchaikovsky was learning in the conservatory (Balakirev's group was the alternative to the conservatory), he corresponded extensively with Balakirev and asked him to review many of his earliest compositions. Balakirev encouraged his individuality and gave him confidence! If you love Chopin and lyrical Russian Romanticism, you'll love Balakirev. Don't overlook his nocturnes- one of the geniuses of piano music. And orchestral music!
Balakirev is, for me, perhaps the greatest of all the 'mighty handful' (Balakirev, Borodin, Mussorgsky, Rimsky-Korsakov), and one of the true Giants of Russian Romanticism (with his 'student' Tchaikovsky and Tchaikovsky's student Rachmoninov) for his otherworldly, deeply Romantic lyrical genius and evocative, sweetly otherworldly qualities- obviously both an inspiration to Tchaikovsky, and qualities that he couldn't teach to Mussorgsky and Rimsky-Korsakov... Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov are his heirs there- but his music contains more of the exotic Asian influence of Borodin and Rimsky-Korsakov, and his ultra-Romantic lyricism is gentler, like Chopin. (Beware those that will tell you that much of his piano music is no good- they're expecting something dramatic like Beethoven, where Balakirev is lyrical and often gentle! If you're on Amazon listen to the samples yourself!)
He is, to me, the heir to both Chopin and the exotic Russian/central Asian music used extensively by Rimsky-Korsakov and Borodin, and obviously one of the inspirations of Tchaikovsky and his successors (well, successor)- and a piano composer with few equals! His music and teaching inspired most of Russia's great Romantic composers- and I can see why... deep, sweet Romantic lyricism at its best!
Try it! You might like it!!!