Mona Lisa: The lady with a smile

Icon & Legends / Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa

Mona Lisa (Italian: La Gioconda, French: La Joconde), the painting, and Leonardo da Vinci, its creator, have been subjects of books, discussions and critical reviews. The Mona Lisa is famous for her "enigmatic smile."

On April 15, 1452, Leonardo was born illegitimate in Vinci, a small village in Tuscany, to a public notary and a peasant girl. He became known as a polymath with various expertise including aviation, geometry, architecture, human anatomy, weaponry and more. He began painting his most famous work in 1503. Da Vinci's knowledge and skills were well respected throughout Italy and his reputation gained him a job under the Duke of Milan, for whom he painted the Last Supper, from 1495-1497.

The Mona Lisa 

The true identity of the Mona Lisa has always been the subject of debate. The general belief, or at least from biographers and historians through the centuries, is that the painting came from the request of a Florentine silk merchant, Francesco del Giocondo. 

Verdi's Requiem (Messa de Requiem)

 Classical Music / Sacred Music: Requiem

Verdi's Requiem is one of the most famous of the Catholic funeral mass. Requiems are traditionally a Roman Catholic mass to honour the dead. This work was composed by Giuseppe Verdi in memory of the Italian poet and novelist Alessandro Manzoni, who was profoundly admired by Verdi. It was first performed in Milan Cathedral on 22 May 1874 on the first anniversary of Manzoni's death.

Complete with thrilling symphonic score, virtuosic solo moments, and dramatic libretto, Verdi's Requiem tells of the fate of the living who fear death and beg for deliverance. 

Featured videos:

Leontyne Price sings "Libera me" from Messa da Requiem by Giuseppe Verdi.  La Scala Orchestra & Chorus.  Roberto Benaglio, Chorusmaster.  Herbert von Karajan, Conductor 1967. YouTube, uploaded by Addiobelpassato. Accessed April 20, 2023.  

Proms 2016 - Verdi's Requiem [Marin Alsop, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment].  Youtube, uploaded by hollowchatter. Accessed May 22, 2020.  It's beautiful, the best performance I found at Youtube. The soloists in "Have mercy" bring out the passion in it. To listen and reflect on the message as the choir, soloists, and orchestra sing with such passion, connected by conductor Maestra Marin, is simply breathtaking. Beautiful. Divine!

 

Considered too operatic to be performed in a liturgical setting, it is usually given in concert form of around 90 minutes in length. Musicologist David Rosen calls it "probably the most frequently performed major choral work composed since the compilation of Mozart's Requiem" (Wiki)

The parts of a Verdi Requiem Mass include: 

• 1. Requiem
  • Introit (chorus)
  • Kyrie (soloists, chorus)
• 2. Dies irae
  • Dies irae (chorus)
  • Tuba mirum (chorus)
  • Mors stupebit (bass)
  • Liber scriptus (mezzo-soprano, chorus – chorus only in original version)
  • Quid sum miser (soprano, mezzo-soprano, tenor)
  • Rex tremendae (soloists, chorus)
  • Recordare (soprano, mezzo-soprano)
  • Ingemisco (tenor)
  • Confutatis maledictis (bass, chorus)
  • Lacrymosa (soloists, chorus)
• 3. Offertory
  • Domine Jesu Christe (soloists)
  • Hostias (soloists)
• 4. Sanctus (double chorus)
• 5. Agnus Dei (soprano, mezzo-soprano, chorus)
• 6. Lux aeterna (mezzo-soprano, tenor, bass)
• 7. Libera me (soprano, chorus)
  • Libera me
  • Dies irae
  • Requiem aeternam
  • Libera me

Verdi's Requiem is a masterpiece and a testimony to Giuseppe Verdi's composing abilities outside of the field of opera he is most famous for. 

 

Resource:

Requiem (Verdi). en.wikipedia.org.   

(c) May 22, 2014. Updated April 20, 2023. Tel. Inspired Pen Web. All rights reserved. 

Edward Jenner

Science/Scientist Datebook: May 17

English Physician, Pioneer of Vaccination


Edward Anthony Jenner (1749-1823), was born on 17 May 1749 in Berkeley Gloucestershire. He also died there. Widely referred to as the "Father of Immunology," he is credited as the pioneer of smallpox vaccine. He developed vaccination to prevent smallpox.

Aware that a cowpox infection seemed to protect people from subsequent smallpox infection , he inoculated a healthy boy with cowpox. As a result, the boy developed a mild disease but months later the boy did not develop the disease after Jenner vaccinated against it.

His pioneering work in smallpox vaccine established vaccination as an invaluable medical tool.

Sources:

• McGovern, Una, Ed. Biographical Dictionary, 6th Edition.  Edinburgh: Chambers, 2002
• Ellyard, David. Who Discovered What When.  Sydney: New Holland, 2005

Image Credit:

Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain)

First Oral Contraceptive Pill

The pill for birth control, a single pill for drugs and sex.

On May 9, 1960, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA ) approved the birth control pill for use. Two days later, Enovid, the first oral contraceptive went on sale.

No one can fully say that the approval of this birth control pill could have prompted the sexual revolution.

In Remembrance of Mother's Day Founder, Anna Jarvis

Happy Mother's Day!

May 7, 2014

Five years ago, I wrote an article "Mother's Day Origins and Traditions Traced." This post serves as an insight from that earlier piece, for along with honouring all mothers of the world on Mother's Day, I feel we ought to celebrate its founder, Anna Jarvis.

We celebrate you Mrs. Anna Jarvis!

Tracing the origins of Mother's Day, Anna Jarvis's original intent was to remind us of the importance of mothers and to challenge us to treat them with love and respect. Unfortunately, and sadly, she griped that Mother's Day had been commercialized beyond belief with cards and flowers as standard bearers of honouring mothers.

Mozart Music in Movies (Earlier Post)

Films featuring the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

The list of Mozart music in films shared here is not exhaustive. Our aim is to impart awareness especially of those music you've heard unaware it's Mozart's.  The popular "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" appears in more than one film, so does Clarinet Concerto, an all-time favourite.


Adagio of Gran Partita, Piano Concerto No. 20 (2^nd movement), Requiem, and 1^st movement of both Symphonies Nos. 25 and 29.

After Peter Shaffer's 1984 film Amadeus, directed by Milos Forman, many people who aren't into classical music "turned on" to Mozart. To Mozartians and Mozart admirers, the general initial reaction about the movie was one of disgust since it was not historically accurate, but that's Hollywood. On the other hand, the good side is that some people who didn't know much about him were so taken by Amadeus the film enough to pursue more information about this child prodigy and his music. Mozart's music in the film Amadeus include Adagio of Gran Partita, Piano Concerto No. 20 (2^nd movement), Requiem, and 1^st movement of both Symphonies Nos. 25 and 29.

Here's a great website to the various music in the film, Amadeus. 

Film:  Amadeus

Halley's Comet

Science / Astronomy

    Halley's Comet

Edmond Halley produced the first atlas stars in the Southern Hemisphere.

Edmond Halley (1656-1742), was an English astronomer. In 1705, he discovered the "Halley's Comet" suppose to take 76 years to complete one orbit around the sun. An expert on comets, he realized that they orbited the Sun and calculated the orbits of 24. He claimed that comets observed in 1531, 1607, and 1682 were one and the same. He also said that the comet appeared at 76-year intervals.