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