Birthdays
1729 - Catherine II (commonly known as Catherine the Great, born Princess Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst), Empress of Russia from 1762 until 1796, the country's longest-ruling female leader. She came to power following a coup d'état that she organised resulting in her husband, Peter III, being overthrown. Under her reign, Russia was revitalised, it grew larger and stronger, and was recognised as one of the great powers of Europe.
1816 - Charlotte Brontë, English novelist and poet, famous for Jane Eyre, published under the pen name Currer Bell, on 16 October 1847, by Smith, Elder & Co. of London. She was the eldest of the three Brontë sisters who survived into adulthood and whose novels became classics of English literature. She was born in Thornton, Yorkshire in England. Charlotte Bronte enlisted in school at Roe Head in January 1831, aged 14 years. Charlotte redefined the heroine in her poetry as a courageous and independent woman unlike the earlier poets. (Jane Eyre (full movie, 1970). Uploaded by Classic Movies Channel. Accesed April 21, 2017.)
1864 - Max Weber (born Maximilian Karl Emil Weber), German sociologist, historian, jurist, and political economist, who is regarded among the most important theorists on the development of modern Western society. Despite being recognized as one of the fathers of sociology, along with Auguste Comte and Émile Durkheim, Weber never saw himself as a sociologist, but as a historian. Weber is best known for his thesis combining economic sociology and the sociology of religion, emphasising the importance of cultural influences embedded in religion as a means for understanding the genesis of capitalism (in contrast to Marx's historical materialism).
1889 - Efrem Zimbalist, Sr, Russian-American violinist, teacher and head of the Curtis Institute. (Efrem Zimbalist plays Brahms Violin Concerto Op.77 (Koussevitzky 1946). Uploaded by Margo Beloved. April 21, 2019.)
1898 - Randall Thompson, American composer and Harvard University professor, particularly noted for choral works. He composed three symphonies and numerous vocal works. His most popular and recognizable choral work is his anthem, Alleluia, commissioned by Serge Koussevitzky for the opening of the Berkshire Music Center at Tanglewood. He also wrote the operas Solomon and Balkis and The Nativity According to St. Luke. Americana, a song cycle, is written in a 20th-century musical art style known as "News Items"—compositions that parody newspaper layout and content, or whose lyrics are lifted from media of the day.
1915 - Anthony Quinn (Manuel Antonio Rodolfo Quinn Oaxaca), Mexican-American actor, painter, writer, and film director. He was known for his portrayal of earthy, passionate characters in critically acclaimed movies; including La Strada, The Guns of Navarone, Guns for San Sebastian, Lawrence of Arabia, The Shoes of the Fisherman, Lion of the Desert, and A Walk in the Clouds. His Oscar-nominated titular role in Zorba the Greek is considered one of the most iconic performances in cinematic history. Quinn won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor twice: for Viva Zapata! and Lust for Life. he received two Academy Award nominations in the Best Leading Actor category, along with five Golden Globe nominations and two BAFTA Award nominations. In 1987, he was presented with the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award.
1920 - Bruno Maderna, Italian-born German conductor. He started an international career as a conductor, first in Paris and Munich, then across Europe. In 1955 he founded the Studio di fonologia musicale di Radio Milano with Luciano Berio and Incontri musicali, a series of concerts disseminating contemporary music in Italy. Maderna composed much music in all genres: instrumental, chamber, concertos and electronic, large amounts of incidental music for theatre and radio, and transcriptions and editions of early music.
1920 - Bruno Maderna, Italian-born German conductor. He started an international career as a conductor, first in Paris and Munich, then across Europe. In 1955 he founded the Studio di fonologia musicale di Radio Milano with Luciano Berio and Incontri musicali, a series of concerts disseminating contemporary music in Italy. Maderna composed much music in all genres: instrumental, chamber, concertos and electronic, large amounts of incidental music for theatre and radio, and transcriptions and editions of early music.
At the heart of Maderna's output are a number of concertos, including one for violin, one for two pianos, two for solo piano and several for flute and orchestra. He was particularly drawn to the oboe, composing three concertos in all: the first in 1962–63 followed by two more in 1967 and 1973.[2]
1926 - Queen Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary), United Kingdom, Queen of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and other Commonwealth realms since 6 February 1952. Born in London, the first child of the Duke and Duchess of York, later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. She was educated privately at home. Her father ascended the throne on the abdication of his brother King Edward VIII in 1936, from which time she was the heir presumptive. She began to undertake public duties during the Second World War, serving in the Auxiliary Territorial Service. In 1947, she married Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, a former prince of Greece and Denmark, with whom she has four children: Charles, Prince of Wales; Anne, Princess Royal; Prince Andrew, Duke of York; and Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex. Significant events have included her coronation in 1953 and the celebrations of her Silver, Golden, and Diamond Jubilees in 1977, 2002, and 2012, respectively. In 2017, she became the first British monarch to reach a Sapphire Jubilee. She is the longest-lived and longest-reigning British monarch, the longest-serving female head of state in world history, and the world's oldest living monarch, longest-reigning current monarch, and oldest and longest-serving current head of state. In the UK, support for the monarchy has been and remains consistently high, as did her personal popularity. Queen Elizabeth II - Britain's Longest Reigning Monarch Documentary. Youtube, uploaded by The People Profiles. Accessed April 21, 2024.)Lefties:
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More birthdays and historical events today, 21 April - On This Day.
Featuring a beloved queen: Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (21 April 1926 - 8 September 2022)
Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was Queen of the United Kingdom and 15 other Commonwealth realms. She was born in Mayfair, London, as the first child of the Duke and Duchess of York (later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth). Her father ascended the throne in 1936 upon the abdication of his brother, King Edward VIII, making Elizabeth the heir presumptive.
Queen Elizabeth II. Women of History.
Feature:
Enjoy a video of Prokofiev's "Classical Symphony" conducted by SSO's Chief Conductor and Artistic Director David Robertson. Recorded on Thursday 28 June
2012 at the Sydney Opera House, Concert Hall.
Prokofiev's "Classical Symphony"
753 BC - Traditional date for the founding of Rome by twin brothers, Romulus and Remus. Later, Romulus would murder Remus.
1509 - Henry VIII becomes King of England.
1918 - Sergei Prokofiev conducts his Classical Symphony in its premiere in St. Petersburg.
1944 - French women are granted the right to vote.
1960 - Brasilia takes over from Rio de Janeiro as the capital of Brazil.
1965 - The second (also last) New York World's Fair opens in New York. It was touted to be an international showcase for emergent consumerism and technological advancements, but ended in controversy over financial mismanagement.
1967 - Led by Col. George Papadopoulos, a coup d'etat takes place in Greece. The country remains under the control of a military regime for the next seven years.
1973 - Sir Arthur Bliss's Variations, for orchestra, is first performed in London. Leopold Stokowski conducting. (Here's Arthur Bliss's Metamorphic Variations, basato sul ciclo di dipinti "Tantris" di George Dannatt (1973). Updated by Wellesz Modern. Accessed April 21, 2020.)
1985 - Brazilian Ayrton Senna wins his first Formula One championship - the Portuguese Grand Prix in Estoril. He is considered one of the best drivers in motor racing history.
1989 - The Tiananmen Square protests in Beijing escalate. Concerned that the death of deposed politician Hu Yaobang will stall reform, more than 100,000 Chinese students assemble.
1994 - Aleksander Wolszczan, a Polish astronomer, publishes his findings that there is another planetary system outside our solar system. It is the first extra-solar planetary system whose existence has been proved.
Video Credit:
Prokofiev's "Classical Symphony"
Historical Events
753 BC - Traditional date for the founding of Rome by twin brothers, Romulus and Remus. Later, Romulus would murder Remus.
1509 - Henry VIII becomes King of England.
1918 - Sergei Prokofiev conducts his Classical Symphony in its premiere in St. Petersburg.
1944 - French women are granted the right to vote.
1960 - Brasilia takes over from Rio de Janeiro as the capital of Brazil.
1965 - The second (also last) New York World's Fair opens in New York. It was touted to be an international showcase for emergent consumerism and technological advancements, but ended in controversy over financial mismanagement.
1967 - Led by Col. George Papadopoulos, a coup d'etat takes place in Greece. The country remains under the control of a military regime for the next seven years.
1973 - Sir Arthur Bliss's Variations, for orchestra, is first performed in London. Leopold Stokowski conducting. (Here's Arthur Bliss's Metamorphic Variations, basato sul ciclo di dipinti "Tantris" di George Dannatt (1973). Updated by Wellesz Modern. Accessed April 21, 2020.)
1985 - Brazilian Ayrton Senna wins his first Formula One championship - the Portuguese Grand Prix in Estoril. He is considered one of the best drivers in motor racing history.
1989 - The Tiananmen Square protests in Beijing escalate. Concerned that the death of deposed politician Hu Yaobang will stall reform, more than 100,000 Chinese students assemble.
1994 - Aleksander Wolszczan, a Polish astronomer, publishes his findings that there is another planetary system outside our solar system. It is the first extra-solar planetary system whose existence has been proved.
Video Credit:
Women of History. Queen ELizabeth II. YouTube, uploaded by Women of History. Accessed April 21, 2023.
1. Asiado, Tel. The World's Movers and Shapers. New Hampshire: Ore Mountain Publishing House (2005)
3. Chambers Biographical Dictionary, 19th Ed. London: Chambers Harrap, 2011
4. Dateline. Sydney: Millennium House, (2006)
5. Grun, Bernard. The Timestables of History, New 3rd Revised Ed. Simon & Schuster/Touchstone (1991)
(c) June 2007. Updated April 21, 2024. Tel. Inspired Pen Web. All rights reserved.
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