Today XXIII

Birthdays:

• Robert Browning, poet and playwright, May 7, 1812 – December 12, 1889

Today is the birthday anniversary of two of my favourite composers. Below are very short profiles of them:

• Johannes Brahms, composer, never wrote an opera, nor did he ever write in the characteristic 19th century form of the tone poem; strongly believed in absolute music, that is, music that does not rely upon a concrete scene or narrative as the tone poem does; as for his place in musical history, which so concerned him, he would no doubt be gratified in knowing that posterity has indeed placed him among the three great "B"'s of German composers — Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms, May 7, 1833 – April 3, 1897


• Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, composer, whose music has come to be known and loved for its distinctly Russian character as well as its rich harmonies and stirring melodies; his works, however, were much more western than those of his Russian contemporaries as he effectively used international elements in addition to national folk melodies; is well known for his ballets, although it was only in his last years, with his last two ballets, that his contemporaries came to really appreciate his finer qualities as a ballet music composer; completed ten operas, May 7, – November 6, 1893



• George Francis 'Gabby' Hayes, actor, May 7, 1885 - February 9, 1969


• Archibald MacLeish, poet, writer, and Librarian of Congress, May 7, 1892 – April 20, 1982


• Gary Cooper, actor, May 7, 1901 – May 13, 1961


• Edwin Herbert Land, scientist and inventor, May 12, 1909 – March 1, 1991


• William Lyle Richardson, aka Darren McGavin, actor, May 7, 1922 – February 25, 2006


• Anne Baxter, actress, May 7, 1923 – December 12, 1985


• Sophie Feldman, aka Totie Fields, comedienne, May 7, 1930 - August 2, 1978


• Theresa Breuer, aka Teresa Brewer, singer , 1931


• Thelma Houston, singer, 1946


• Janis Eddy Fink, aka Janis Ian, songwriter, singer and multi-instrumental musician, 1951


• Nora Louise Kuzma, aka Traci Lords, actress, 1968

RIP:

• Antonio Salieri, composer and conductor, August 18, 1750 – May 7, 1825


• Douglas Elton Fairbanks, Jr., KBE, DSC, actor, December 9, 1909 – May 7, 2000

Also:

• World premiere of Ludwig van Beethoven's Ninth Symphony in Vienna, Austria. The work was conducted by Michael Umlauf, under the composer's supervision, 1824


• Casey Janssen (1 - 2) got his first Major League win today, allowing only one hit over 7 1-3 dominant innings, in a 3-1 Blue Jays win over the LA Angels