Felix Mendelssohn (3 February 1809 – 4 November 1847) was a German composer, pianist, organist and conductor of the early Romantic period, who wrote symphonies, concertos, oratorios, piano music, and chamber music. His best-known works include his Overture and incidental music for A Midsummer Night's Dream, the Italian Symphony, his mature Violin Concerto, his String Octet, and his Songs Without Words for solo piano. He was born into a prominent Jewish family in Berlin, baptised as a Reformed Christian at age seven, and recognised early as a musical prodigy. Mendelssohn revived interest in Bach's music, notably with a performance of the St Matthew Passion in 1829. He enjoyed success in Germany and in his travels throughout Europe as a composer, conductor and soloist. Many of his major works premiered during his ten visits to Britain. He founded the Leipzig Conservatory, which became a bastion of his rather conservative tastes. After a long period of relative denigration, he is among the most popular romantic composers.
Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felix_Mendelssohn
_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:
1852:
The Argentine Confederation were defeated in the Platine War by an alliance consisting of Brazil, Uruguay and the Argentine provinces of Entre Ríos and Corrientes. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platine_War
1930:
The Communist Party of Indochina, the Communist Party of Annam, and the Communist League of Indochina merged to form the Communist Party of Vietnam. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communist_Party_of_Vietnam
1959:
American rock and roll musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson were killed when their plane crashed shortly after taking off from Mason City Municipal Airport in Iowa (wreckage pictured). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Day_the_Music_Died
2014:
Russia's first school shooting took place when a student opened fire at School No. 263 in Otradnoye District, Moscow, resulting in the deaths of a teacher and a police officer. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_Moscow_school_shooting
_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:
flare: 1. (transitive) To cause to burn. 2. (transitive) To cause inflammation; to inflame. 3. (transitive, intransitive) To open outward in shape. 4. (transitive, intransitive, aviation) To (operate an aircraft to) transition from downward flight to level flight just before landing. 5. (intransitive) To blaze brightly. 6. (intransitive) To shine out with a sudden and unsteady light; to emit a dazzling or painfully bright light. 7. (intransitive, figuratively) To shine out with gaudy colours; to be offensively bright or showy. 8. (intransitive, figuratively) To suddenly happen or intensify. 9. (intransitive, figuratively) To suddenly erupt in anger. 10. (intransitive, obsolete) To be exposed to too much light. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/flare
___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:
The longing in the depth of the heart for absolute good, and the power, though only latent, of directing attention and love to a reality beyond the world and of receiving good from it — constitutes a link which attaches every man without exception to that other reality. Whoever recognizes that reality recognizes also that link. Because of it, he holds every human being without any exception as something sacred to which he is bound to show respect. This is the only possible motive for universal respect towards all human beings. Whatever formulation of belief or disbelief a man may choose to make, if his heart inclines him to feel this respect, then he in fact also recognizes a reality other than this world's reality. Whoever in fact does not feel this respect is alien to that other reality also. --Simone Weil https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Simone_Weil