Witold Lutosławski (25 January 1913 – 7 February 1994) was a Polish composer and conductor. His compositions include symphonies, concertos, orchestral song cycles, and chamber works. During his youth, he studied piano and composition in Warsaw. Having narrowly escaped German capture, during World War II he earned income by playing the piano in Warsaw bars. Post-war Stalinist authorities banned his First Symphony for being "formalist". His early works were inspired by Polish folk music, including Concerto for Orchestra and Dance Preludes in the mid-1950s. He often built up harmonies from small groups of musical intervals. From the late 1950s he developed new and characteristic composition techniques that stipulated elements of aleatoric music within a tightly controlled musical architecture. In the 1980s, he supported the Solidarity movement artistically. He received the Grawemeyer Award, the Royal Philharmonic Society's Gold Medal, and in 1994, the Order of the White Eagle, Poland's highest honour.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witold_Lutos%C5%82awski

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1792:

Thomas Hardy founded the London Corresponding Society to seek a "radical reform of parliament", later influencing the reform movements of early-19th-century England. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Corresponding_Society

1917:

Serving as a British armed merchant cruiser, Laurentic (depicted) was sunk by German naval mines off the northern coast of Ireland, resulting in 354 deaths. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Laurentic_%281908%29

1967:

South Vietnamese junta leader Nguyễn Cao Kỳ fired his rival Nguyễn Hữu Có while the latter was overseas on a diplomatic visit. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nguy%E1%BB%85n_H%E1%BB%AFu_C%C3%B3

1995:

A team of Norwegian and American scientists launched a Black Brant XII sounding rocket, which was mistaken by Russian forces for a Trident missile. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norwegian_rocket_incident

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

lang may yer lum reek: (Scotland) Used to wish someone well, especially as a drinking toast or a farewell. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/lang_may_yer_lum_reek

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

When I read a book I seem to read it with my eyes only, but now and then I come across a passage, perhaps only a phrase, which has a meaning for me, and it becomes part of me.   --W. Somerset Maugham https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/W._Somerset_Maugham