Sterndale Bennett (13 April 1816 – 1 February 1875) was an English
composer, pianist, and conductor who became a leading force in musical
education. As a student at the London Royal Academy of Music (RAM), he
was admired by Felix Mendelssohn, who invited him to come to Germany. In
three long visits there between 1836 and 1842 he performed as a pianist
and composed, befriending Robert Schumann. In 1837 he began teaching at
the RAM, with which he was associated for most of his life. His pupils
included Arthur Sullivan, Hubert Parry, and Tobias Matthay. He performed
throughout the 1840s and 1850s, returning to composition in 1858; by
this time his works were considered old-fashioned, though they were
still popular. He was Professor of Music at the University of Cambridge
from 1856 to 1866, then became Principal of the RAM, rescuing it from
closure. He was knighted in 1871. He died in London and was buried in
Westminster Abbey. In recent years, appreciation of Bennett's
compositions has been rekindled and many of his works have been
recorded. Several concerts of his music are planned for his bicentenary
year of 2016.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Sterndale_Bennett>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1598:
King Henry IV of France issued the Edict of Nantes, granting
freedom of religion to the Huguenots.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edict_of_Nantes>
1777:
American Revolutionary War: British and Hessian forces
conducted a surprise attack against a Continental Army outpost at Bound
Brook, New Jersey.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Bound_Brook>
1941:
The Soviet Union and the Empire of Japan signed a neutrality
pact, which lasted through most of World War II.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet%E2%80%93Japanese_Neutrality_Pact>
1956:
The Vietnamese National Army captured Ba Cụt, military
commander of the Hoa Hao religious sect, which ran a de facto state in
southern Vietnam in opposition to Prime Minister Ngo Dinh Diem.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ba_C%E1%BB%A5t>
2015:
Czech politician Vít Jedlička proclaimed the micronation
Liberland on a patch of land between Croatia and Serbia that had been
unclaimed by either side due to a territorial dispute.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberland>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
trumpery:
1. Worthless finery; bric-a-brac or junk.
2. Nonsense.
3. (obsolete) Deceit; fraud.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/trumpery>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
I've learned some things from having lived: If you're alive,
experience largely, merge with rivers, heavens, cosmos For what we call
living is a gift given to life And life is a gift bestowed upon us
--Ataol Behramoğlu
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Ataol_Behramo%C4%9Flu>