The first "Études" of the Opus 10 set were written when Chopin was still in his teens. Chopin's "Études" elevated the musical form from purely utilitarian exercises to great artistic masterpieces. At a concert in which Chopin performed his opus 25, Robert Schumann said ""À la Chopin"".
Mono Lake Tufa State Reserve
The Mono Lake Tufa State Reserve is a nature reserve near Yosemite National Park within "Mono County", California. This reserve was founded in 1981 by the California State Legislature, to protect the formations of the natural limestone "Tufa" at Mono Lake.
Lev Ivanov
Lev Ivanovich Ivanov (1834-1901) was a Russian ballet dancer and choreographer. He became Second Balletmaster of the Imperial Ballet. Ivanov is credited with choreographing "The Nutcracker" in 1892 due to the ill health of Ballet Master Marius Petipa. The extent of his work is disputed. Only Petipa's name appeared on posters for the first production. Ivanov also worked with Petipa on a restaging of "Swan Lake"in 1895. He choreographed Acts 2 and 4, and the Italian and Hungarian dances in Act 3. Other ballets choreographed by Ivanov as the Second Balletmaster to Petipa include "The Enchanted Forest" (1887), and "The Tulip of Haarlem" (1887). Ivanov is credited with the choreography for the "Polovetsian Dances" in the first production of Borodin's "Prince Igor" in 1890. Late in life, Ivanov petitioned the Imperial Theatres for financial assistance on the strength of his 50 years of service. He died in poverty.
Arthur Ashe
Arthur Robert Ashe, Jr. (July 10, 1943 – February 6, 1993) was an American tennis player. He started playing tennis professionally in 1969. He won three singles Grand Slam titles: the US Open in 1968, the Australian Open in 1970 and Wimbledon in 1975. He won two Grand Slam doubles titles: the French Open in 1971 and the Australian Open in 1977. Arthur Ashe was ranked no 1. for being the best tennis player, the first African American to be number one. He retired in 1980. Arthur Ashe raised awareness about HIV and AIDs. He also was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1993.
Ashe was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia. He died of AIDS in New York City.
Italian Concerto
The "Italian" Concerto (or, Concerto in the Italian style) is a piece of music for harpsichord composed by Johann Sebastian Bach. It was published in 1735 with the "French Overture" in the second volume of Bach's "Keyboard Practice". Both pieces are Bach's interpretations of popular musical forms of the day. The "Italian Concerto" is a three-movement composition written specifically for a two-manual harpsichord (see image).
The first movement is written in F major. It has a time signature of 2/4, but lacks a tempo marking. It is always played Allegro (fast). The second movement is written in D minor. Its time signature is 3/4, and its tempo marking is Andante (slow). The third movement is written in F major. Its time signature is cut-time (2/2), and its tempo is marked Presto (very fast). The first and third movements are composed in "ritornello" style. This means a theme particular to the movement returns time and again. The second movement is a very florid arioso-like piece.
An orchestral Italian concerto relies upon contrasts between the full orchestra and a small group of instruments which act as soloists. Bach achieves this effect by using the lower manual on the harpsichord as the "full orchestra" and the upper manual as the "small group of instruments".
Steps (group)
Steps are a British vocal pop group who formed in 1997. The members of the quintet are Lee Latchford-Evans, Claire Richards, Lisa Scott-Lee, Faye Tozer and Ian "H" Watkins. Steps have released four albums. They released their first single "5,6,7,8" in 1997.
Falstaff
Sir John Falstaff is a fictional character who appears in three plays by William Shakespeare. In two of the "Henry IV" plays, he is a friend of Prince Hal, the man who becomes King Henry V.
Falstaff is very fat. He thinks he is very important and is always boasting. He is also a coward. Falstaff makes Prince Hal get into trouble. When Hal becomes king Falstaff is rejected.
Falstaff is a comic figure, but Shakespeare makes him say some things which tell us a lot about human nature. For example: before a battle in "Henry IV" he explains that his cowardice is actually common sense, because honour in battle is not really worth anything. Honour would not stop other people saying he was a coward and it would not help him if he got injured.
Falstaff also appears in "The Merry Wives of Windsor".
Shakespeare’s character inspired several musicians to compose music about him. Carl Otto Nicolai wrote an opera called "Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor" (1849). Verdi’s wrote an opera Falstaff based on the same play. It is often thought to be Verdi’s greatest opera. Ralph Vaughan Williams wrote an opera called "Sir John in Love", (1924–1928). Elgar wrote a brilliant piece for orchestra called “Falstaff” which he called: “a symphonic study”.
It is likely that Shakespeare based the character of Falstaff on a real person. Many ideas have been discussed but no one can be sure who Shakespeare may have had in mind.
Laura Linney
Laura Leggett Linney (born February 5, 1964) is an American actress. She has acted in movies, on television and theater. She won a Golden Globe Award for playing Abigail Adams in "John Adams". She is best known for playing the central role of Cathy Jamison in "The Big C", for which she won a Golden Globe Award.
She was born in Manhattan, New York City. She is the elder daughter of Romulus Linney (1930-2011).
Sammy Davis Jr.
Sammy Davis Jr. (December 8, 1925 – May 16, 1990) was an American entertainer. He was a dancer, singer and instrumentalist (playing vibraphone, trumpet and drums), comedian and actor. He was born in Harlem, New York City. Davis became hugely successful as a stage singer and recording artist and when asked to play at segregated places (where African-Americans were not allowed) he refused. Because of this some popular venues began to allow African-Americans to attend just so they could have Davis and other popular black musicians play. Before that black singers like Davis and Nat King Cole could play at the hotels and casinos but not stay or gamble there.
Davis led an unhealthy lifestyle of drinking, smoking and cocaine use but was one of the most popular musicians and actors of the time. He converted to Judaism while in the hospital in 1954 and 1955. He was also a member of the Rat Pack with friends Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin.
The Kennedy Center honored Davis in 1987.
Davis died of throat cancer in Beverly Hills, California.
Lang Lang
Lang Lang (Chinese: 郎朗, Pinyin: Láng Lǎng), born June 14, 1982, in Shenyang, Liaoning, China, is a Chinese pianist. He has played with the best orchestras in Europe, the United States and his native China. He is very famous around the world for his concert performances, television appearances, albums and soundtracks. Lang has done much to encourage children and young musicians to like classical music, especially through the international foundation he created in New York in 2008.
Lang Lang, which means "brilliance of the sky", was born in Shenyang, China, and is of Manchu ethnicity. His father Lang Guoren (郎国任) is also a musician, who plays the erhu. At the age of two, Lang watched the "Tom and Jerry" episode "The Cat Concerto" which features the Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 by Franz Liszt. According to Lang, this first contact with Western music is what wanted him to learn piano. He began lessons with Professor Zhu Ya-Fen at age three. At the age of five, he won first place at the Shenyang Piano Competition and played his first public recital.