1.
Royal College of Music
–
The Royal College of Music is a conservatoire established by royal charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, UK. It offers training from the undergraduate to the level in all aspects of Western Art including performance, composition, conducting. The RCM also undertakes research, with strengths in performance practice and performance science. The college is one of the four conservatories of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music and its buildings are directly opposite the Royal Albert Hall on Prince Consort Road, next to Imperial College and among the museums and cultural centres of Albertopolis. The college was founded in 1883 to replace the short lived, the school was the result of an earlier proposal by the Prince Consort to provide free musical training to winners of scholarships under a nationwide scheme. After many years delay it was established in 1876, with Arthur Sullivan as its principal, the school was housed in a new building in Kensington Gore, opposite the west side of the Royal Albert Hall. The building was not large, having only 18 practice rooms, the following year Sullivan resigned, and was replaced by John Stainer. And because its purpose was unclear, so was its provision, even before the 1880 report it had become clear that the NTSM would not fulfil the role of national music conservatoire. The original plan was to merge the Royal Academy of Music, the NTSM agreed, but after prolonged negotiations the Royal Academy refused to enter into the proposed scheme. In 1881, with George Grove as an instigator, and with the support of the Prince of Wales. The Royal College of Music occupied the premises previously home to the NTSM, Grove was appointed its first director. There were 50 scholars elected by competition and 42 fee-paying students, Grove, a close friend of Sullivan, loyally maintained that the new college was a natural evolution from the NTSM. In reality his aims were different from Sullivans. They believed that a capable college orchestra would not only benefit instrumental students, the colleges first intake of scholarship students included 28 who studied an orchestral instrument. The potential strength of the orchestra, including fee-paying instrumental students, was 33 violins, five violas, six cellos, one double bass, one flute, one oboe. The old premises proved restrictive, and a new building was commissioned in the early 1890s on a new site in Prince Consort Road, the building was designed by Sir Arthur Blomfield in Flemish Mannerist style in red brick dressed with buff-coloured Welden stone. Construction began in 1892 and the building opened in May 1894, the building was largely paid for by two large donations from Samson Fox, a Yorkshire industrialist, whose statue, along with that of the Prince of Wales, stands in the entrance hall. Grove retired at the end of 1894, and was succeeded as director by Hubert Parry, since its founding in 1882 the college has been linked with the British royal family
2.
Royal Academy of Music (company)
–
It is not connected to the London conservatoire with the same name, which was founded in 1822. It commissioned large numbers of new operas from three of the composers in Europe, Handel, Attilio Ariosti and Giovanni Bononcini. Initially the librettist Paolo Antonio Rolli was the Italian secretary of the Academy, the capital of £10,000 was divided in 50 shares of £200 each. Sixty-three people initially subscribed for shares, the issue was rapidly oversubscribed, several took more than one share, Lord Burlington subscribed £1000. Otto Erich Deutsch printed a list of 63 names, a later list by Charles Burney carried 73 names, the extra ten were perhaps those admitted at the directors meetings on 30 November and 2 December 1719. This would give a total capital of £17,600. In 1723 the Academy paid a dividend of seven percent and it was the only dividend they ever paid. John Vanbrugh and Colonel John Blathwayt, noted for his musical talents who had studied harpsichord under Alessandro Scarlatti, on 14 May 1719 Handel was ordered by the Lord Chamberlain and governor of the corporation, the Duke of Newcastle, to look for new singers. Handel travelled to Dresden to attend the newly built opera house and he saw Teofane by Antonio Lotti, composed for the wedding of August III of Poland, and engaged leading members of the cast on behalf of the Royal Academy of Music. In April 1720 the Academy began producing operas, the orchestra consisted of seventeen violins, two violas, four cellos, two double basses, four oboes, three bassoons, a theorbo and a trumpet. The brothers Prospero and Pietro Castrucci as well as Johan Helmich Roman, Bononcini was a cellist, he and Handel presumably accompanied the recitatives in all the operas. Filippo Amadei, one of the composers of Muzio Scevola, also played cello, Pietro Giuseppe Sandoni, John Baptist Grano was the trumpeter, John Festing played oboe, Charles Frederick Weideman was the flautist and oboist and is also known from his appearance in The Enraged Musician. The first opera staged by the Academy was Numitore composed by Giovanni Porta, the second was Radamisto by Handel, extravagant fees were offered to entice the best performers from Italy. For Margherita Durastanti in the role of Radamisto, Handel wrote one of his favourite arias, Ombra cara di mia sposa. The great singers who were to be the brightest stars of the Royal Academy during the few years, such as the castrato Senesino. Handel used the libretto of Teofane for his Ottone, with Cuzzoni as prima donna and it became his most successful opera in the years of the Academy. In 1724 and 1725 Handel wrote several masterpieces, Giulio Cesare with many da capo arias that became famous, not a castrato but a tenor, Francesco Borosini, sang the leading role of Bajazet in Handels most powerfully tragic opera Tamerlano. Insisting on adding the death of Bajazet he had a role in shaping the climax of the work. Charles Burney called the prison scenes Chi di voi in Rodelinda one of the finest pathetic airs that can be found in all works, in between Bononcini was dismissed, and went into private service, Robinson retired and Joseph Goupy may have been employed as a scene-painter
3.
Anne, Princess Royal
–
Anne, Princess Royal, KG KT GCVO GCStJ QSO GCL CD is the second child and only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. At the time of her birth, she was third in the line of succession, behind her mother – then Princess Elizabeth – and elder brother and she rose to second after her mothers accession, but is currently 12th in line. Anne is known for her work, and is patron of over 200 organisations. Princess Anne has held the title of Princess Royal since 1987 and is its seventh holder, Anne was married to Captain Mark Phillips in 1973, they divorced in 1992. They have two children and three grandchildren, in 1992, within months of her divorce, Anne married Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, whom she had met while he served as her mothers equerry between 1986 and 1989. Anne was born at Clarence House on 15 August 1950 at 11,50 am, as the child and only daughter of Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh. She was the grandchild of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. Anne was baptised in the Music Room of Buckingham Palace on 21 October 1950, by Archbishop of York, after the death of George VI, Annes mother ascended the throne as Queen Elizabeth II. Given her young age at the time, she did not attend the coronation, the Company was active until 1963, when Anne went to boarding school. Anne enrolled at Benenden School in 1963, in 1968 she left school with six GCE O-Levels and two A-Levels. In the next couple of years, Anne started dating, in 1970 her first boyfriend was Andrew Parker Bowles, who later became the first husband of Camilla Shand. Following the wedding, Anne and her husband lived at Gatcombe Park and he was made acting captain by the start of 1974 when he was appointed a personal aide-de-camp to Queen Elizabeth II. By 1989, however, Princess Anne and Mark Phillips announced their intention to separate, the couple divorced on 23 April 1992. The Queen had offered Phillips an earldom on his wedding day, the couple had two children, Peter Phillips and Zara Phillips. As female-line descendants of royalty, the children have no title despite being the grandchildren of a monarch, Anne became a grandmother on 29 December 2010 when Peter and his wife Autumn had a daughter, Savannah. On 29 March 2012, the couple had daughter, Isla. Annes third granddaughter, Mia Grace, was born on 17 January 2014 to Zara and her husband Mike Tindall. As Princess Anne and Mark Phillips were returning to Buckingham Palace on 20 March 1974, from a charity event on Pall Mall, the driver of the Escort, Ian Ball, jumped out and began firing a pistol
4.
University of London
–
The University of London is a collegiate research university located in London, England, consisting of 18 constituent colleges, nine research institutes and a number of central bodies. The university moved to a structure in 1900. The specialist colleges of the university include the London Business School, Imperial College London was formerly a member before leaving the university in 2007. City is the most recent constituent college, having joined on 1 September 2016, in post-nominals, the University of London is commonly abbreviated as Lond. or, more rarely, Londin. From the Latin Universitas Londiniensis, after its degree abbreviations, University College London was founded under the name London University in 1826 as a secular alternative to the religious universities of Oxford and Cambridge. In response to the controversy surrounding such educational establishment, Kings College London was founded and was the first to be granted a royal charter. Yet to receive a charter, UCL in 1834 renewed its application for a royal charter as a university. In response to this, opposition to exclusive rights grew among the London medical schools, the idea of a general degree awarding body for the schools was discussed in the medical press. And in evidence taken by the Select Committee on Medical Education, in 1835, the government announced the response to UCLs petition for a charter. Following the issuing of its charter on 28 November 1836, the university started drawing up regulations for degrees in March 1837. The death of William IV in June, however, resulted in a problem – the charter had been granted during our Royal will and pleasure, queen Victoria issued a second charter on 5 December 1837, reincorporating the university. The university awarded its first degrees in 1839, all to students from UCL, the university established by the charters of 1836 and 1837 was essentially an examining board with the right to award degrees in arts, laws and medicine. However, the university did not have the authority to grant degrees in theology, in medicine, the university was given the right to determine which medical schools provided sufficient medical training. Beyond the right to students for examination, there was no other connection between the affiliated colleges and the university. In 1849 the university held its first graduation ceremony at Somerset House following a petition to the senate from the graduates, about 250 students graduated at this ceremony. The London academic robes of this period were distinguished by their rich velvet facings, the list of affiliated colleges grew by 1858 to include over 50 institutions, including all other British universities. In that year, a new charter effectively abolished the affiliated colleges system by opening up the examinations to everyone whether they attended a college or not. The expanded role meant the university needed more space, particularly with the number of students at the provincial university colleges
5.
Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester
–
Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester, GCVO, is the wife of Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, who is a grandson of King George V and Queen Mary, and first cousin of Queen Elizabeth II. Birgitte was born Birgitte Eva Henriksen, in Odense, Denmark, the daughter of Asger Preben Knud Wissing Henriksen, a lawyer, and his wife, Vivian van Deurs. After her divorce, her father married Emma Neergaard Rasmussen, the wife of magnate Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller. She took her mothers name van Deurs on 15 January 1966. She moved to Cambridge, England, and also worked at the Danish Embassy in London, in February 1972, Birgitte became engaged to Prince Richard of Gloucester, the younger son of Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester. The groom designed her coral and silver engagement ring and their marriage took place on 8 July 1972 at St Andrews Church, Barnwell, Northamptonshire. The brides wedding dress was designed by Norman Hartnell, at that time, she was styled Her Royal Highness Princess Richard of Gloucester. Six weeks after their wedding, Prince Richards elder brother, Prince William, was killed in a flying accident, Prince Richard unexpectedly became heir apparent to the dukedom and upon his fathers death in 1974, the couple became the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. The couple have three children and six grandchildren, Alexander Patrick Gregers Richard Windsor, Earl of Ulster, born 24 October 1974 and he married Claire Alexandra Windsor, Countess of Ulster on 22 June 2002. The couple have two children, Xan Richard Anders Windsor, Lord Culloden Lady Cosima Rose Alexandra Windsor Lady Davina Elizabeth Alice Benedikte Lewis and she married Gary Christie Lewis on 31 July 2004. The couple have two children, Senna Kowhai Lewis Tāne Mahuta Lewis Lady Rose Victoria Birgitte Louise Gilman, born 1 March 1980 and she married George Gilman on 19 July 2008. Birgitte has also travelled overseas in support of her own patronages and military units and she and her husband represented the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at the state funeral of King Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV of Tonga on 19 September 2006. They also represented the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at the coronation of King George Tupou V of Tonga on 1 August 2008 in Nukuʻalofa, Birgitte is sponsor of two Royal Navy ships, HMS Gloucester and HMS Sandown. She is also the Royal Patron of the Bermuda Regiment, after the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, Birgitte became President of the Royal Academy of Music. She is also the patron of Prostate Cancer UK, in March 2006, she opened the Prostate Centre. The Duchess lives in London at Kensington Palace, her royal residence
6.
Postgraduate education
–
In North America, this level is generally referred to as graduate school. The organization and structure of education varies in different countries. This article outlines the types of courses and of teaching and examination methods. There are two types of degrees studied for at the postgraduate level, academic and vocational degrees. The term degree in this means the moving from one stage or level to another. University studies took six years for a degree and up to twelve additional years for a masters degree or doctorate. The first six years taught the faculty of the arts, which was the study of the seven liberal arts, arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, music theory, grammar, logic, the main emphasis was on logic. Once a Bachelor of Arts degree had been obtained, the student could choose one of three faculties—law, medicine, or theology—in which to pursue masters or doctors degrees. Because theology was thought to be the highest of the subjects, the main significance of the higher, postgraduate degrees was that they licensed the holder to teach. In most countries, the hierarchy of postgraduate degrees is as follows, in Scottish Universities, the Master of Philosophy degree tends to be by research or higher masters degree and the Master of Letters degree tends to be the taught or lower masters degree. In many fields such as social work, or library science in North America. Professional degrees such as the Master of Architecture degree can last to three and a years to satisfy professional requirement to be an architect. Professional degrees such as the Master of Business Administration degree can last up to two years to satisfy the requirement to become a business leader. These are often divided into academic and professional doctorates. An academic doctorate can be awarded as a Doctor of Philosophy degree or as a Doctor of Science degree, a doctorate is the terminal degree in most fields. In the United States, there is distinction between a Doctor of Philosophy degree and a Doctor of Science degree. In the second half of the 19th century, however, US universities began to follow the European model by awarding doctorates, in the UK, an equivalent formation to doctorate is the NVQ5 or QCF8. Most universities award degrees, usually at the postgraduate level
7.
Marylebone Road
–
Marylebone Road is an important thoroughfare in central London, within the City of Westminster. It runs east-west from the Euston Road at Regents Park to the A40 Westway at Paddington. The road which runs in 3 lanes in both directions, is part of the London Inner Ring Road and as such part of the boundary of the zone within which the London congestion charge applies. As part of the Ring Road and a route to the A40 and the A5 and M1 motorway much of the traffic leaving central London for the Midlands. The road was effectively Londons first bypass, construction of the New Road, as it was called, began in 1756 along the northern edge of the built-up area. In 1857, the name was changed from New Road, with sections, west to east, renamed Marylebone Road, Euston Road. The name Marylebone originates from a church, called St Marys, the church and the surrounding area later became known as St Mary at the bourne, which over time became shortened to its present form Marylebone. The current St Marylebone Parish Church is on the south of Marylebone Road, opposite the Royal Academy of Music, one of Londons principal tourist attractions lies on Marylebone Road - Madame Tussauds. It is also the location of the Royal Academy of Music, mainline Marylebone Paddington Tube Edgware Road Edgware Road Marylebone Paddington Baker Street Regents Park Great Portland Street
8.
Music school
–
A music school is an educational institution specialized in the study, training and research of music. Such an institution can also be known as a school of music, music academy, music faculty, college of music, music department, Music instruction can be provided within the compulsory general education system, or within specialized childrens music schools such as the Purcell School. Elementary-school children can access music instruction also in after-school institutions such as music academies or music schools, in Venezuela El Sistema of youth orchestras provides free after-school instrumental instruction through music schools called núcleos. In other parts of Europe, the equivalents of higher school of music or university of music may be used, although music and music education may have been in existence for thousands of years, the earliest history is speculative. Even when history starts to be recorded, music is mentioned more frequently than music education. Within the biblical tradition, Hebrew litany was accompanied with music, but the Torah or Pentateuch was silent on the practice and instruction of music in the early life of Israel. ”This has led some scholars to believe that the prophet Samuel was the patriarch of a school which taught not only prophets and holy men. The schola cantorum in Rome may be the first recorded school in history. The school consisted of monks, secular clergy, and boys, wells Cathedral School, England founded as a Cathedral School in 909 a. d. to educate choristers, continues today to educate choristers and teaches instrumentalists. However the school appears to have been refounded at least once, Saint Martial school, 10th to 12th century, was an important school of composition at the Abbey of Saint Martial, Limoges. It is known for the composition of tropes, sequences, in this respect, it was an important precursor to the Notre Dame School. It was the Notre Dame school which was the earliest repertory of polyphonic music to gain international prestige, the school was a group of composers and singers working under the patronage of the great Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris. First records on Escolania de Montserrat, boys choir linked to a school, back to 1307. The Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia is one of the oldest musical institutions in the world, the term conservatory has its origin in 16th-century Renaissance Italy, where orphanages were attached to hospitals. The orphans were given an education there, and the term gradually applied to music schools. These hospitals-conservatories were among the first secular institutions equipped for training in music. By the 18th century, Italian conservatories were already playing a role in the training of artists. In the city of Naples, a conservatorio was strictly a secular place for teaching and learning specializing in music education. The second half of the 19th century saw the network expanding to the Americas, Rio de Janeiro, Boston, Baltimore and Chicago, Havana, and Buenos Aires
9.
Royal charter
–
A royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organisations such as cities or universities, Charters should be distinguished from warrants and letters of appointment, as they have perpetual effect. Typically, a Royal Charter is produced as a high-quality work of calligraphy on vellum, the British monarchy has issued over 980 royal charters. Of these about 750 remain in existence, the earliest was to the town of Tain in 1066, making it the oldest Royal Burgh in Scotland, followed by the University of Cambridge in 1231. Charters continue to be issued by the British Crown, a recent example being that awarded to the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity, Charters have been used in Europe since medieval times to create cities. The date that such a charter is granted is considered to be when a city is founded, at one time, a royal charter was the sole means by which an incorporated body could be formed, but other means are generally used nowadays instead. In the period before 1958,32 higher education institutes had been created by royal charter and these were typically engineering or technical institutions rather than universities. Royal decrees can therefore no longer grant higher education status or university status. A Royal Charter is granted by Order in Council, either creating an incorporated body and this is an exercise of the Royal Prerogative, and, in Canada, there are hundreds of organisations under Royal Charters. Such organisations include charities, businesses, colleges, universities, today, it is mostly charities and professional institutions who receive Royal Charters. Application for a charter is a petition to the Queen-in-Council, however, meeting these benchmarks does not guarantee the issuance of a Royal Charter. Companies, corporations, and societies in Canada founded under or augmented by a Royal Charter include, Royal Charter was issued in August 1826 to purchase and develop lands. Purchased the Crown Reserve of 1,384,413 acres, cities under Royal Charter are not subject to municipal Acts of Parliament applied generally to other municipalities, and instead are governed by legislation applicable to each city individually. The Royal Charter codifies the laws applied to the particular city, the Universitys Pontifical Charter was granted by Pope Leo XIII in 1889. Several Canadian private schools were founded or reconstituted under Royal Charter, the Royal Gibraltar Post Office was granted Royal Charter in 2005. The Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club obtained Royal Charter in 1959 and it is one of the three banknote-issuing banks in Hong Kong. The Royal Asiatic Society Hong Kong Branch Chartered originally in 1847, disbanded 1859, the Institution of Engineers was incorporated by royal charter in 1935. A number of Irish institutions retain the Royal prefix, even though Republic of Ireland severed all remaining connections between the state and the British monarch in 1949, the University of South Africa received a Royal Charter in 1877
10.
Simon Rattle
–
Sir Simon Denis Rattle OM CBE is an English conductor. He rose to prominence during the 1980s and 1990s, while Music Director of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Simon Rattle has been conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic since 2002. It was announced in March 2015 that Simon Rattle would become Music Director of the London Symphony Orchestra from September 2017, Simon Rattle was born in Liverpool, the son of Pauline Lila Violet and Denis Guttridge Rattle, a Commander in the Royal Navy. He was educated at Liverpool College, although Rattle studied piano and violin, his early work with orchestras was as a percussionist for the Merseyside Youth Orchestra. He entered the Royal Academy of Music, in 1971, there, his teachers included John Carewe. In 1974, his year, Rattle won the John Player International Conducting Competition. He spent the academic year 1980/81 at St Annes College, Oxford studying English Language and he had been attracted to the college by the reputation of Dorothy Bednarowska, Fellow and Tutor in English. He was elected an Honorary Fellow of St Annes in 1991 and he was admitted to the degree of Doctor of Music honoris causa of the University of Oxford in 1999. In 1974, he was assistant conductor of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. His first Prom at the Royal Albert Hall, conducting the London Sinfonietta, was, according to the BBC Proms Archive web-site, the programme included Harrison Birtwistles Meridian and Arnold Schoenbergs First Chamber Symphony. In 1977 he became assistant conductor of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and his time with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra from 1980 to 1998 drew him to the attention of critics and the public. In 1980, Simon Rattle became the CBSOs Principal Conductor and Artistic Adviser, Rattle increased both his profile and that of the orchestra over his tenure. One of his long-term concert projects was the series of concerts of 20th-century music titled Towards the Millennium. One other major achievement during his time was the move of the CBSO from its former venue, Birmingham Town Hall, to a newly built hall, Symphony Hall. The BBC commissioned film director Jaine Green to follow him in his year with the CBSO to make Simon Rattle—Moving On. Rattle was appointed a CBE in 1987 and made a Knight Bachelor in 1994, in 1992, Rattle was named a Principal Guest Conductor of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, along with Frans Brüggen. Rattle now has the title of Principal Artist with the OAE, in 2001, he conducted the OAE at Glyndebourne in their first production of Fidelio with a period-instrument orchestra
11.
Harrison Birtwistle
–
Sir Harrison Birtwistle is a British composer. Harrison Birtwistle was born in Accrington, a town in Lancashire some 20 miles north of Manchester. His interest in music was encouraged by his mother, who bought him a clarinet when he was seven, Birtwistle composed from around this time, later describing his early pieces as sub Vaughan Williams. In 1952 he entered the Royal Manchester College of Music in Manchester on a clarinet scholarship, while there he came in contact with a talented group of contemporaries including Peter Maxwell Davies, Alexander Goehr, John Ogdon and Elgar Howarth. In 1965 a Harkness Fellowship gave him the opportunity to continue his studies at Princeton University and this work, together with Verses for Ensembles and The Triumph of Time, established Birtwistle as an important voice in British music. In 1972 he wrote the music to The Offence starring Sean Connery which was his only film score. In 1975 Birtwistle became musical director of the newly established Royal National Theatre in London and he has been honoured with a knighthood and as a Companion of Honour. From 1994 to 2001 he was Henry Purcell Professor of Composition at Kings College London, Birtwistle was the 1987 recipient of the University of Louisville Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition. In 1995 he was awarded the Ernst von Siemens Music Prize, at the 2006 Ivor Novello Awards he criticised pop musicians at the event for performing too loudly and using too many clichés. Artist Adam Birtwistle is his son, photographer Cecil Birtwistle is his grandson. It is not easy to link Birtwistles music to any school or movement. For a time, he was described as belonging to the Manchester School, the phrase has since somewhat fallen out of use, since the three composers were united only by their early studies in Manchester, not by a common musical style. Birtwistles music is complex, written in a manner with a clear. His early work is evocative of Igor Stravinsky and Olivier Messiaen. His early pieces made frequent use of ostinati and often had a ritualistic feel and these have been toned down in recent decades as he has adapted and transformed the techniques into more subtle methods. With its strong emphasis on rhythm, the music is described as brutal or violent. The style is stark and uncompromising, Birtwistles favourite image for explaining how his pieces work is to compare them to taking a walk through a town—especially the sort of small town more common in continental Europe than Britain. Such a walk might start in the town square, having explored its main features, we would set off down one of the side streets
12.
Annie Lennox
–
Ann Annie Lennox, OBE is a Scottish singer, songwriter, political activist and philanthropist. With a total of eight Brit Awards, including Best British Female Artist six times and she has also been named the Brits Champion of Champions. Lennox embarked on a career in 1992 with her debut album, Diva. To date, she has released six studio albums and a compilation album. Aside from her eight Brit Awards, she has collected four Grammy Awards. In 2002, Lennox received a Billboard Century Award, the highest accolade from Billboard Magazine. In 2004, she won both the Golden Globe and the Academy Award for Best Original Song for Into the West, written for the soundtrack to the feature film The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King. In addition to her career as a musician, Lennox is also a political and social activist, notable for raising money and awareness for HIV/ AIDS as it affects women and children in Africa. In 2011, Lennox was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II for her tireless charity campaigns, on 4 June 2012 she performed at the Queens Diamond Jubilee Concert in front of Buckingham Palace. Lennox performed the song Little Bird during the 2012 Summer Olympics closing ceremony in London on 12 August 2012, Lennox has been named The Greatest White Soul Singer Alive by VH1 and one of The 100 Greatest Singers of All Time by Rolling Stone. In 2012, she was rated No.22 on VH1s 100 Greatest Women in Music and she has earned the distinction of most successful female British artist in UK music history due to her commercial success since the early 1980s. As of June 2008, including her work within Eurythmics, Lennox had sold over 80 million records worldwide, Annie Lennox was born on Christmas Day 1954 in Summerfield Maternity hospital, Aberdeen, the daughter of Dorothy and Thomas Allison Lennox. In the 1970s, Lennox won a place at the Royal Academy of Music in London and she lived on a student grant and worked at part-time jobs for extra money. Lennox was unhappy during her time at the Royal Academy and spent her time wondering what direction she could take. Lennoxs flute teachers final report stated, Ann has not always sure of where to direct her efforts. She is very, very able, however, two years later, Lennox reported to the Academy, I have had to work as a waitress, barmaid, and shop assistant to keep me when not in musical work. She also played and sang with a few bands, such as Windsong, during the period of her course, in 2006, the academy made her an honorary Fellow. Lennox also was made a Fellow of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music, in 1976, Lennox was flautist with a band called Dragons Playground, leaving before they appeared on TVs New Faces
13.
Antonio Stradivari
–
Antonio Stradivari Italian pronunciation, was an Italian luthier and a crafter of string instruments such as violins, cellos, guitars, violas and harps. Stradivari is generally considered the most significant and greatest artisan in this field, the Latinized form of his surname, Stradivarius, as well as the colloquial Strad are terms often used to refer to his instruments. The Hills Violin Shop estimate that Antonio produced 1,116 instruments and it is also estimated that around 650 of these instruments survive, including 450 to 512 violins. Antonio Stradivaris birthdate, presumably between 1644 and 1649, has been debated amongst historians due to the inconsistencies in the evidence of the latter. Stradivaris ancestry consisted of citizens of Cremona, dating back to at least the 12th or 13th century. The earliest mention of the name, or a variation upon it, is in a land grant dating from 1188. Antonios parents were Alessandro Stradivari, son of Giulio Cesare Stradivari and they married on 30 August 1622, and had at least three children between 1623 and 1628, Giuseppe Giulia Cesare, Carlo Felice, and Giovanni Battista. The baptismal records of the parish of S. Prospero then stop, the latter explanation is supported by the word Cremonensis on many of Stradivaris labels, which suggests that he was born in the city instead of merely moving back there to work. Antonio was born in 1644, a fact deducible from later violins, however, there are no records or information available on his early childhood, and the first evidence of his presence in Cremona is the label of his oldest surviving violin from 1666. Stradivari likely began an apprenticeship with Nicola Amati between the ages of 12 and 14, although a minor debate surrounds this fact, One of the few pieces of evidence supporting this is the label of his 1666 violin, which reads, Alumnus Nicolai Amati, faciebat anno 1666. However, Stradivari did not repeatedly put Amatis name on his labels, Stradivaris early violins actually bear less resemblance to those of Amati than his later instruments do. M. Chanot-Chardon, a well-known French luthier, asserted that his father had a label of Stradivaris stating, Made at the age of thirteen and this label has never been found or confirmed. Amati would also have been a choice for Antonios parents, as he represented an old family of violin makers in Cremona. An alternative theory is that Stradivari started out as a woodworker, the house he lived in from 1667 to 1680 was owned by Francesco Pescaroli, Stradivari may even have been employed to decorate some of Amatis instruments, without being a true apprentice. This theory is supported by some of Stradivaris later violins, which have elaborate decorations, assuming that Stradivari was a student of Amati, he would have begun his apprenticeship in 1656–58 and produced his first decent instruments in 1660, at the age of 16. His first labels were printed from 1660 to 1665, which indicates that his work had sufficient quality to be offered directly to his patrons, however, he probably stayed in Amatis workshop until about 1684, using his masters reputation as a launching point for his career. Stradivari married his first wife, Francesca Ferraboschi, on 4 July 1667, Francesca was the young widow of the burgher Giacomo Capra, with whom she had two children. Francescas brother had shot Giacomo with a crossbow on the Piazza Garibaldi in 1664 and he was later exiled, though allowed to return to Cremona many years later
14.
Giuseppe Guarneri
–
Bartolomeo Giuseppe Antonio Guarneri, del Gesù was an Italian luthier from the Guarneri family of Cremona. He rivals Antonio Stradivari with regard to the respect and reverence accorded his instruments, Instruments made by Guarneri are often referred to as Del Gesùs. Guarneri is known as del Gesù because his labels after 1731 incorporated the nomina sacra, I. H. S. and his instruments diverged significantly from family tradition, becoming uniquely his own style. They are considered equal in quality to those of Stradivari, Guarneris violins often have a darker, more robust, more sonorous tone than Stradivaris. Fewer than 200 of Guarneris instruments survive and they are all violins, although one cello bearing his fathers label, dated 1731, seems to have been completed by del Gesù. The quality and scarcity of his instruments have resulted in prices in excess of $10 million USD. An asteroid has been named 19185 Guarneri in his honour, the most illustrious member of the house of Guarneri, Bartolomeo was the son of Giuseppe Giovanni Battista, thus the grandson of Andrea Guarneri, both noted violin makers themselves. Andrea learned his trade as an apprentice of Nicolò Amati, to whom Stradivari was also apprenticed, undoubtedly, del Gesù learned the craft of violinmaking in his fathers shop. Del Gesùs unique style has been copied by luthiers since the 19th century. Guarneris career was short, from the late 1720s until his death in 1744, initially he was thought to be a man of restless creativity, judging by his constant experimentation with f-holes, arching, thicknesses of the top and back and other design details. From the 1720s until about 1737, Guarneris work is quick and accurate, however, from the late 1730s until his death, his work shows increasing haste and lack of patience with the time needed to achieve a high quality finish. Some of his violins from circa 1742 to 1744 have scrolls that can be crudely carved, the purfling hastily inserted. Nonetheless, many of these late violins, in spite of the seeming haste and carelessness of their construction, possess a glorious tone and have been much coveted by soloists. More recent data shows that business was so bad during the period of his life that he had to relegate violin-making to the sideline. While it is true that players, then as now, preferred old instruments, viotti, became an advocate of Stradivari instruments. Of course, Pugnanis advocacy is usually forgotten when Paganini became the most noted del Gesù player three generations later, virtuoso Niccolò Paganinis favorite violin, Il Cannone Guarnerius of 1743, and the Lord Wilton of 1742, once owned by Yehudi Menuhin, are del Gesù instruments. In addition, the Vieuxtemps Guarneri—once owned by Henri Vieuxtemps—was sold in 2013 close to its price of $18 million USD. Jascha Heifetz owned a c.1740 del Gesù from the 1920s until his death in 1987 and it was his favorite instrument, even though he owned several Stradivaris
15.
Henry Purcell
–
Henry Purcell was an English composer. Although incorporating Italian and French stylistic elements into his compositions, Purcells legacy was a uniquely English form of Baroque music, Purcell was born in St Anns Lane, Old Pye Street Westminster – the area of London later known as Devils Acre – in 1659. Henry Purcell Senior, whose older brother Thomas Purcell was also a musician, was a gentleman of the Chapel Royal, Henry the elder had three sons, Edward, Henry and Daniel. Daniel Purcell, the youngest of the brothers, was also a composer who wrote the music for much of the final act of The Indian Queen after Henry Purcells death. Henry Purcells family lived just a few hundred yards west of Westminster Abbey from 1659 onwards, after his fathers death in 1664, Purcell was placed under the guardianship of his uncle Thomas, who showed him great affection and kindness. Thomas was himself a gentleman of His Majestys Chapel, and arranged for Henry to be admitted as a chorister, Henry studied first under Captain Henry Cooke, Master of the Children, and afterwards under Pelham Humfrey, Cookes successor. Henry was a chorister in the Chapel Royal until his voice broke in 1673, when he became assistant to the organ-builder John Hingston, who held the post of keeper of wind instruments to the King. Purcell is said to have been composing at nine years old and it is assumed that the three-part song Sweet tyranness, I now resign was written by him as a child. After Humfreys death, Purcell continued his studies under Dr John Blow and he attended Westminster School and in 1676 was appointed copyist at Westminster Abbey. Henry Purcells earliest anthem Lord, who can tell was composed in 1678 and it is a psalm that is prescribed for Christmas Day and also to be read at morning prayer on the fourth day of the month. In 1679, he wrote songs for John Playfords Choice Ayres, Songs and Dialogues and an anthem, the dates of very few of these sacred compositions are known, perhaps the most notable example is the anthem They that go down to the sea in ships. The challenging work opens with a passage which traverses the full extent of Gostlings range, beginning on the upper D, in 1679, Blow, who had been appointed organist of Westminster Abbey in 1669, resigned his office in favour of his pupil. Purcell now devoted himself almost entirely to the composition of sacred music, between 1680 and 1688 Purcell wrote music for seven plays. It was written to a libretto furnished by Nahum Tate, and performed in 1689 in cooperation with Josias Priest, a dancing master, priests wife kept a boarding school for young gentlewomen, first in Leicester Fields and afterwards at Chelsea, where the opera was performed. Both works run to less than one hour, at the time, Dido and Aeneas never found its way to the theatre, though it appears to have been very popular in private circles. The composition of Dido and Aeneas gave Purcell his first chance to write a musical setting of a dramatic text. It was his opportunity to compose a work in which the music carried the entire drama. The story of Dido and Aeneas derives from the source in Virgils epic the Aeneid
16.
George Frideric Handel
–
George Frideric Handel was a German, later British baroque composer who spent the bulk of his career in London, becoming well known for his operas, oratorios, anthems, and organ concertos. Handel received important training in Halle and worked as a composer in Hamburg and Italy before settling in London in 1712 and he was strongly influenced both by the great composers of the Italian Baroque and by the middle-German polyphonic choral tradition. Within fifteen years, Handel had started three commercial opera companies to supply the English nobility with Italian opera, musicologist Winton Dean writes that his operas show that Handel was not only a great composer, he was a dramatic genius of the first order. As Alexanders Feast was well received, Handel made a transition to English choral works, after his success with Messiah he never composed an Italian opera again. Almost blind, and having lived in England for nearly fifty years, he died in 1759 and his funeral was given full state honours, and he was buried in Westminster Abbey in London. Handel was born in 1685 in Halle-on-Saal, Duchy of Magdeburg, to Georg Händel and his father,63 when George Frideric was born, was an eminent barber-surgeon who served the court of Saxe-Weissenfels and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. Georg Händel was the son of a coppersmith, Valentin Händel who had emigrated from Eisleben in 1608 with his first wife Anna Belching and they were Protestants and chose reliably Protestant Saxony over Silesia, a Hapsburg possession as religious tensions mounted in the years before the Thirty Years War. Halle was a prosperous city, home of a salt-mining industry. Even the smaller churches all had able organists and fair choirs, and humanities, the Thirty Years War brought extensive destruction to Halle, and by the 1680s it was impoverished. But since the middle of the war the city was under the administration of the Duke of Saxony, the arts and music, however, flourished only among the higher strata, which did not describe Handels family. Handel was the child of this marriage, the first son died still born. Two younger sisters were born after the birth of George Frideric, Dorthea Sophia, born 6 October 1687 and Johanna Christiana, born 10 January 1690. Early in his life Handel is reported to have attended the gymnasium in Halle, Mainwaring is the source for almost all information of Handels childhood, and much of that information came from J. C. Smith, Jr. Handels confidant and copyist. Whether they came from Smith or elsewhere, Mainwaring frequently relates misinformation and it is from Mainwaring that the portrait of Handels father as implacably opposed to any musical education comes. This did nothing to dampen young Handels inclination, in fact, Mainwaring tells the story of Handels secret attic spinnet, Handel found means to get a little clavichord privately conveyd to a room at the top of the house. To this room he constantly stole when the family was asleep, but Handel had to have had some experience with the keyboard to have made the impression in Weissenfels that resulted in his receiving formal musical training. Somehow Handel made his way to the organ, where he surprised everyone with his playing. Overhearing this performance and noting the youth of the performer caused the Duke to recommend to Georg Händel that Handel be given musical instruction, Handels father engaged the organist at the Halle parish church, the young Friedrich Wilhelm Zachow, to instruct Handel
17.
Ralph Vaughan Williams
–
Ralph Vaughan Williams OM was an English composer. His works include operas, ballets, chamber music, secular and religious pieces and orchestral compositions including nine symphonies. Strongly influenced by Tudor music and English folk-song, his output marked a break in British music from its German-dominated style of the 19th century. Vaughan Williams was born to a family with strong moral views. Throughout his life he sought to be of service to his fellow citizens and he wrote many works for amateur and student performance. He was musically a late developer, not finding his voice until his late thirties. Vaughan Williams is among the best-known British symphonists, noted for his wide range of moods, from stormy and impassioned to tranquil. Among the most familiar of his concert works are Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis. His vocal works include hymns, folk-song arrangements and large-scale choral pieces and he wrote eight works for stage performance between 1919 and 1951. Although none of his operas became popular repertoire pieces, his ballet Job, Two episodes made notably deep impressions in Vaughan Williamss personal life. The First World War, in which he served in the army, had an emotional effect. Twenty years later, though in his sixties and devotedly married, he was reinvigorated by an affair with a much younger woman. He went on composing through his seventies and eighties, producing his last symphony months before his death at the age of eighty-five. His works have continued to be a staple of the British concert repertoire, Vaughan Williams was born at Down Ampney, Gloucestershire, the third child and younger son of the vicar, the Reverend Arthur Vaughan Williams and his wife, Margaret, née Wedgwood. His paternal forebears were of mixed English and Welsh descent, many of them went into the law or the Church, the judges Sir Edward and Sir Roland Vaughan Williams were respectively Arthurs father and brother. Margaret Vaughan Williams was a great-granddaughter of Josiah Wedgwood and niece of Charles Darwin, Arthur Vaughan Williams died suddenly in February 1875, and his widow took the children to live in her family home, Leith Hill Place, Wotton, Surrey. The children were under the care of a nurse, Sara Wager, such views were consistent with the progressive-minded tradition of both sides of the family. When the young Vaughan Williams asked his mother about Darwins controversial book On the Origin of Species, she answered, great Uncle Charles thinks it took longer, but we need not worry about it, for it is equally wonderful either way
18.
Collegiate university
–
A collegiate university is a university in which governing authority and functions are divided between a central administration and a number of constituent colleges. Often, but not always, colleges within collegiate universities have their own students unions. Some colleges are part of loose federations that allow them to nearly complete self-governance. In the United Kingdom, the colleges of the University of London perform almost all the duties of a university with the exception of the awarding of degrees. In the United States, many state university systems consist of campuses that are almost independent, the University of the Philippines started as one campus but is now a similar system of constituent universities. The four constituent universities of the National University of Ireland are, for all essential purposes, over time, loosely federated schools may formally end their relations with the parent university to become degree-awarding universities. Examples include Cardiff University and Imperial College London, the University of Dundee and the University of Newcastle upon Tyne were colleges of the University of St Andrews and the University of Durham, respectively, before they became independent. A number of universities in South Africa were formerly colleges of the University of South Africa. At some universities the colleges enjoy a significant degree of independence, often the binding conditions of federation, affiliation or incorporation outline fixed responsibilities of individual colleges and the university. In some cases the university may own a share of the controlling entity. Independent colleges vary in the level of teaching that they provide and they also tend to play a large role in deciding admissions. Students become members of the University through membership in their college, and matriculation is often done through, or at the behest of. At the undergraduate level, independent colleges provide most, if not all accommodation. They often have their own halls for meals, libraries, sports teams and this fosters loyalty to the college among its students—an undergraduate might state the name of his or her college before the name of the university when asked where he or she studied. This spirit is often maintained through college-based alumni organizations, the two ancient universities of the Kingdom of England, Oxford and Cambridge, are federations of autonomous colleges. The University of Oxford has 38 colleges and 6 Permanent Private Halls, the university requires all teaching staff and students to be members of one of these institutions. The University of Cambridge has 31 colleges, which have a significant role in providing independent supplementary tuition and are governed autonomously, irelands only ancient university is the University of Dublin. Created during the reign of Elizabeth I, it is modelled on the universities of Cambridge
19.
Charitable organization
–
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization. It differs from types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals as well as social well-being. The legal definition of charitable organization varies according to the country, the regulation, tax treatment, and the way in which charity law affects charitable organizations also varies. Financial figures are important indicators to assess the sustainability of a charity. This information can impact a charitys reputation with donors and societies, and thus, Charitable organizations often depend partly on donations from for-profit-organizations. Such donations to charitable organizations represent a form of corporate philanthropy. Until the mid-18th century, charity was mainly distributed through parish relief, churches, almshouses, Charities were also responsible for education, health, housing and even prisons. It was in the Enlightenment era that charitable and philanthropic activity among voluntary associations, societies, gentlemans clubs, and mutual associations began to flourish in England and the upper-classes increasingly adopted a philanthropic attitude toward the disadvantaged. This new social activism was channeled into the establishment of charitable organizations and this emerging upper-class fashion for benevolence resulted in the incorporation of the first charitable organizations. This was the first such charity in the world and served as the precedent for incorporated associational charities everywhere. Jonas Hanway, another notable philanthropist of the era established The Marine Society in 1756 as the first seafarers charity, by 1763, the Society had recruited over 10,000 men and it was incorporated by an Act of Parliament in 1772. Hanway was also instrumental in establishing the Magdalen Hospital to rehabilitate prostitutes and these organizations were funded by subscription and run as voluntary associations. Charities also began to adopt campaigning roles, where they would champion a cause, the process was however a lengthy one being finally concluded when Saudi Arabia abolished slavery in 1962. This period also saw growing philosophical debate between those who championed state intervention and those who believed that private charities should provide welfare, thomas Malthus, the political economist, criticized poor relief for paupers on economic and moral grounds and proposed leaving charity entirely to the private sector. His views were influential and informed the Victorian laissez-faire attitude toward state intervention for the poor. During the 19th century, a profusion of charitable organizations were set up to alleviate the conditions of the working class in the slums. The Labourers Friend Society, chaired by Lord Shaftesbury in the United Kingdom in 1830, was set up to working class conditions. This included the promotion of allotment of land to labourers for cottage husbandry that later became the allotment movement and this was one of the first housing associations, a philanthropic endeavour that flourished in the second half of the nineteenth century brought about by the growth of the middle class
20.
Fencing
–
Fencing, also called Olympic fencing, is a sport in which two competitors fight using rapier-style swords, winning points by making contact with their opponent. Fencing was one of the first sports to be played in the Olympics, there are three forms of modern fencing, each using a different style of weapon and different rules, and as such the sport is divided into three competitive scenes, foil, épée, and sabre. Most competitive fencers choose to specialise in one weapon. Competitive fencing is one of five activities which have featured in every one of the modern Olympic Games, the other four being athletics, cycling, swimming. Fencing is governed by Fédération Internationale dEscrime, today, its head office is in Lausanne, Switzerland. The FIE is composed of 145 national federations, each of which is recognised by its countrys Olympic Committee as the representative of Olympic-style fencing in that country. The FIE maintains the current rules used for FIE sanctioned international events, including cups, world championships. The FIE handles proposals to change the rules the first year after an Olympic year in the annual congress, the US Fencing Association has slightly different rules, but usually adhere to FIE standards. Fencing traces its roots to the development of swordsmanship for duels, the ancestor of modern fencing originated in Spain, where several books on fencing were written. In conquest, the Spanish forces carried fencing around the world, particularly southern Italy, Fencing was mentioned in the play The Merry Wives of Windsor written sometime prior to 1602. The mechanics of modern fencing originated in the 18th century in an Italian school of fencing of the Renaissance, the Spanish school of fencing stagnated and was replaced by the Italian and French schools. There, he taught the aristocracy the fashionable art of swordsmanship and his school was run by three generations of his family and dominated the art of European fencing for almost a century. He established the rules of posture and footwork that still govern modern sport fencing. The first regularized fencing competition was held at the inaugural Grand Military Tournament and Assault at Arms in 1880, held at the Royal Agricultural Hall, the Tournament featured a series of competitions between army officers and soldiers. Each bout was fought for five hits and the foils were pointed with black to aid the judges, the Amateur Gymnastic & Fencing Association drew up an official set of fencing regulations in 1896. Fencing was part of the Olympics Games in the summer of 1896, starting with épée in 1933, side judges were replaced by the Laurent-Pagan electrical scoring apparatus, with an audible tone and a red or green light indicating when a touch landed. Foil was automated in 1956, sabre in 1988, the scoring box reduced the bias in judging, and permitted more accurate scoring of faster actions, lighter touches, and more touches to the back and flank than before. There are three weapons in modern fencing, foil, épée, and sabre, each weapon has its own rules and strategies
21.
Nicolas Bochsa
–
Robert Nicolas-Charles Bochsa was a musician and composer. The son of a Bohemia-born musician Karl Bochsa, Nicolas-Charles Bochsa was able to play the flute, in 1807 he went to study at the Paris Conservatoire. He was appointed harpist to the Imperial Orchestra in 1813, however, in 1817 he became entangled in counterfeiting, fraud, and forgery, and fled to London to avoid prosecution. He was convicted in absentia, and sentenced to twelve years hard labour, safe from French law in London, he helped found the Royal Academy of Music in 1821, and became its secretary. He taught there, amongst others, the British harp virtuoso Elias Parish Alvars, when his criminal conviction was revealed in 1826 he was forced to resign. He then became Musical Director of the Kings Theatre in London, in 1839 he became involved in another scandal when he ran off with the opera singer Anna Bishop, wife of the composer Henry Bishop. They performed together in North America and throughout Europe, in Naples Bochsa was appointed Director of the Regio Teatro San Carlo, and stayed there for two years. Bochsa arrived with Anna Bishop in Sydney, at the time of the rush in December 1855. Bishop was heartbroken, and commissioned a tomb for him in Camperdown Cemetery
22.
George IV of the United Kingdom
–
George IV was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of Hanover following the death of his father, George III, on 29 January 1820, until his own death ten years later. From 1811 until his accession, he served as Prince Regent during his fathers mental illness. George IV led an extravagant lifestyle that contributed to the fashions of the Regency era and he was a patron of new forms of leisure, style and taste. He commissioned John Nash to build the Royal Pavilion in Brighton and remodel Buckingham Palace and he even forbade Caroline to attend his coronation and asked the government to introduce the unpopular Pains and Penalties Bill in a desperate, unsuccessful attempt to divorce her. For most of Georges regency and reign, Lord Liverpool controlled the government as Prime Minister and his ministers found his behaviour selfish, unreliable and irresponsible. At all times he was much under the influence of favourites, taxpayers were angry at his wasteful spending at a time when Britons were fighting in the Napoleonic Wars. He did not provide leadership in time of crisis, nor act as a role model for his people. Liverpools government presided over Britains ultimate victory, negotiated the peace settlement, after Liverpools retirement, George was forced to accept Catholic emancipation despite opposing it. His only child, Princess Charlotte, died before him in 1817 and so he was succeeded by his younger brother, George was born at St Jamess Palace, London, on 12 August 1762, the first child of King George III of the United Kingdom and Queen Charlotte. As the eldest son of a British sovereign, he automatically became Duke of Cornwall and Duke of Rothesay at birth, he was created Prince of Wales, on 18 September of the same year, he was baptised by Thomas Secker, Archbishop of Canterbury. His godparents were the Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the Duke of Cumberland, George was a talented student, and quickly learned to speak French, German and Italian, in addition to his native English. He was a witty conversationalist, drunk or sober, and showed good, the Prince of Wales turned 21 in 1783, and obtained a grant of £60,000 from Parliament and an annual income of £50,000 from his father. It was far too little for his needs – the stables alone cost £31,000 a year and he then established his residence in Carlton House, where he lived a profligate life. Animosity developed between the prince and his father, who desired more frugal behaviour on the part of the heir apparent, the King, a political conservative, was also alienated by the princes adherence to Charles James Fox and other radically inclined politicians. Soon after he reached the age of 21, the prince became infatuated with Maria Fitzherbert and she was a commoner, six years his elder, twice widowed, and a Roman Catholic. Despite her complete unsuitability, the prince was determined to marry her, nevertheless, the couple went through a marriage ceremony on 15 December 1785 at her house in Park Street, Mayfair. Legally the union was void, as the Kings consent was not granted, however, Fitzherbert believed that she was the princes canonical and true wife, holding the law of the Church to be superior to the law of the State. For political reasons, the union remained secret and Fitzherbert promised not to reveal it, the prince was plunged into debt by his exorbitant lifestyle
23.
William Sterndale Bennett
–
Sir William Sterndale Bennett was an English composer, pianist, conductor and music educator. At the age of ten Bennett was admitted to the London Royal Academy of Music, by the age of twenty, he had begun to make a reputation as a concert pianist, and his compositions received high praise. Among those impressed by Bennett was the German composer Felix Mendelssohn, there Bennett became friendly with Robert Schumann, who shared Mendelssohns admiration for his compositions. Bennett spent three winters composing and performing in Leipzig, in 1837 Bennett began to teach at the RAM, with which he was associated for most of the rest of his life. For twenty years he taught there, later teaching at Queens College. Amongst his pupils during this period were Arthur Sullivan, Hubert Parry, throughout the 1840s and 1850s he composed little, although he performed as a pianist and directed the Philharmonic Society for ten years. He also actively promoted concerts of chamber music, from 1848 onwards his career was punctuated by antagonism between himself and the conductor Michael Costa. In 1858 Bennett returned to composition, but his works, though popular, were considered old-fashioned. He was Professor of Music at the University of Cambridge from 1856 to 1866, in that year he became Principal of the RAM, rescuing it from closure, and remained in this position until his death. He died in London in 1875 and was buried in Westminster Abbey, in his bicentenary year of 2016, several concerts of his music have been planned. Bennett was born in Sheffield, Yorkshire, the child and only son of Robert Bennett, the organist of Sheffield parish church. His mother died in 1818, aged 27, and his father, after remarrying, thus orphaned at the age of three, Bennett was brought up in Cambridge by his paternal grandfather, John Bennett, from whom he received his first musical education. John Bennett was a bass, who sang as a lay clerk in the choir of Kings, St Johns. The young Bennett had an alto voice and entered the choir of Kings College Chapel in February 1824. In 1826, at the age of ten, he was accepted into the Royal Academy of Music, the examiners were so impressed by the childs talent that they waived all fees for his tuition and board. Bennett was a pupil at the RAM for the ten years. At his grandfathers wish his principal studies were at first as a violinist, under Paolo Spagnoletti. He also studied the piano under W. H. Holmes, amongst the friends Bennett made at the Academy was the future music critic J. W. Davison
24.
Hanover Square, Westminster
–
Hanover Square is a square in Mayfair, Westminster, situated to the south west of Oxford Circus, the major junction where Oxford Street meets Regent Street. The streets which converge at Hanover Square are, Brook Street, Dering Street, Hanover Street, Harewood Place and Princes Street. Hanover Square was developed from 1713 as a residential address by Richard Lumley, 1st Earl of Scarbrough. Like Scarbrough, most of the residents were staunch supporters of the Hanoverian succession of 1714. Early Hanover Square was decidedly Whig and most decidedly military, commented the architectural historian Sir John Summerson, early residents included Generals Earl Cadogan, Sir Charles Wills, Stewart, Evans, Lord Carpenter and John Pepper, names conspicuously associated with episodes in Marlborough’s war and the Fifteen. While a few of the 18th-century houses remain intact, most of the square has been reconstructed in a variety of periods. The parish church of St Georges, Hanover Square, is a distance to the south of the square at the junction of St George Street and Maddox Street. In 1759 James Abercrombie, commander-in-chief of British forces in North America during the French and Indian War, bibliography Sir John Summerson, Georgian London, London, Penguin,1969 Edward Walford, Hanover Square and neighbourhood, Old and New London, Volume 4, pp. 314–326
25.
Ernest George
–
Sir Ernest George RA was an English architect, landscape and architectural watercolour painter, and etcher. Born in London in 1839, Ernest George began his training in 1856, under Samuel Hewitt. After a short period in the office of Allen Boulnois, he went on a tour of France and Germany. On his return to London, he set up a practice in 1861 with Thomas Vaughan. They had their breakthrough in 1869, when Ernest George was contacted by the tea and he was about to buy the village of Rousdon in Devon, and wanted George to build him a large mansion house south of the village, plus several other buildings. This complex became known as the Rousdon Estate, and from 1930 to 1998 the George designed mansion house served as the private boarding school Allhallows College. Vaughn suddenly died in 1869, forcing George to find another partner and he chose the young Harold Peto, mainly because of the Peto familys vast contact network in the building industry. During this partnership, George designed houses in London for the Cadogan Estate in Chelsea, in 1881 they designed Stoodleigh Court at Tiverton for Thomas Carew. In 1891 they designed an extension to West Dean House for William James, creating the Oak Room, in New Zealand, which he never visited, he designed the Theomin family house Olveston in Dunedin which was built 1904-07. He was also responsible for the current Southwark Bridge, and the Memorial to Heroic Self Sacrifice in Londons Postmans Park and he served as president of the Royal Institute of British Architects from 1908 to 1910. Ernest Georges London office was nicknamed The Eton of architects, Ethel Charles was the first woman to be elected a member of the Royal Institute of British Architects. Georges residence at 17 Bartholomew St, London Borough of Southwark is commemorated with a Southwark Council blue plaque, an album with pencil-sketches of townscapes in Ostend is kept in the Kunstmuseum aan Zee there. H. Grainger, The Architecture of Sir Ernest George and his partners N. Hostyn, Een uitzonderlijk iconografisch document voor Oostende. The Lychgate, West Wickham Church Ghent, Canal Scene San Gimignano The Rousdon Estate website
26.
John Nash (architect)
–
John Nash was a British architect responsible for much of the layout of Regency London under the patronage of the Prince Regent, and during his reign as George IV. Nash was also a pioneer in the use of the Picturesque in architecture and his best-known buildings are the Royal Pavilion, Brighton, and Buckingham Palace. Many of his buildings were built by the property developer James Burton, in return, Nash promoted the career of Burtons son, Decimus Burton, who assisted him with several of his designs and later became a famous architect in his own right. Nash was born during 1752 in Lambeth, south London, the son of a Welsh millwright also called John, from 1766 or 67, John Nash trained with the architect Sir Robert Taylor, the apprenticeship was completed in 1775 or 1776. On 28 April 1775, at the now demolished church of St Mary Newington, Nash married his first wife Jane Elizabeth Kerr, initially he seems to have pursued a career as a surveyor, builder and carpenter. This gave him an income of around £300 a year, the couple set up home at Royal Row Lambeth. He established his own practice in 1777 as well as being in partnership with a timber merchant. The couple had two children, both were baptised at St Mary-at-Lambeth, John on 9 June 1776 and Hugh on 28 April 1778. The claim that Jane had faked her pregnancies and then passed babies she had acquired off as her own was brought before the Consistory court of the Bishop of London. His wife was sent to Aberavon to lodge with Nashs cousin Ann Morgan, in an attempt at reconciliation Jane returned to London in June 1779, but she continued to act extravagantly so he sent her to another cousin, Thomas Edwards of Neath. She gave birth just after Christmas, and acknowledged Charles Charles as the father, in 1781 Nash instigated action against Jane for separation on grounds of adultery. The case was tried at Hereford in 1782, Charles who was guilty was unable to pay the damages of £76. The divorce was finally read 26 January 1787 and his career was initially unsuccessful and short-lived. After inheriting £1000 in 1778 from his uncle Thomas, he invested the money in building his first known independent works, 15–17 Bloomsbury Square, but the property failed to let and he was declared bankrupt on 30 September 1783. His debts were £5000, including £2000 he had been lent by Robert Adam, a blue plaque commemorating Nash was placed on 66 Great Russell Street by English Heritage in 2013. Nash left London in 1784 to live in Carmarthen, to where his mother had retired, in 1785 he and a local man Samuel Simon Saxon re-roofed the towns church for 600 Guineas. Nash and Saxon seem to have worked as building contractors and suppliers of building materials, Nashs London buildings had been standard Georgian terrace houses, and it was in Wales that he matured as an architect. He went on to design the prisons at Cardigan and Hereford and it was at Hereford that Nash met Richard Payne Knight, whose theories on the picturesque as applies to architecture and landscape would influence Nash
27.
Royal Academy of Music Museum
–
The Royal Academy of Music Museum is a museum of musical instruments and artefacts and research centre of the Royal Academy of Music in London. The building was designed in 1822 as part of the entrance to Regent’s Park. The interior of York Gate was largely destroyed by damage in the 1940s. The Royal Academy of Music moved to Marylebone Road in 1911, a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund enabled the Academy to acquire and refurbish the building to house studios and practice rooms and a museum. The Museum has three permanent galleries, alongside changing displays and exhibitions. Together they cover an array of eras, instruments and subjects, the galleries act as a showcase for the work of performers, composers, instrument makers and scholars from a wide range of musical and other relevant disciplines. The Ground floor gallery also houses regularly changing temporary exhibitions, a selection of Cremonese instruments is on display in the Strings gallery. The exhibition features examples of instruments by makers Stradivari and Amati, as well as information, prints. The exhibition includes the ‘Viotti ex-Bruce’ violin by Stradivari which was saved for the nation in 2005, the instruments on display form part of the Royal Academy of Music’s fine collection of over 250 stringed instruments from the violin family. The collection includes examples of the work of the finest and most influential makers and these instruments are frequently played in concerts and recordings but are normally kept in the Academy. The present form of the collection can be said to date from 1890 when John Rutson gave an important group of instruments to the Academy. The exhibition features pianos placed on loan by Kenneth and Mary Mobbs, Oswald de Sybel, Andrew Hunter-Johnston, the Beare family, and the Stodart grand piano bequeathed by Frank Brown. Since its foundation in 1822 the Academy has acquired important collections of instruments, manuscripts, letters, performance editions, artworks, teaching materials, memorabilia and other objects. The collections also include items concerning the history of the such as student registers, programmes, prizeboards, certificates, medals. The Academy houses original manuscripts by Purcell, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Liszt, Brahms, Sullivan and Vaughan Williams, musical memorabilia, the Academy holds a collection of more than 200 stringed instruments from the violin family. These have been acquired for the benefit of students and recent leavers, the collections include several instruments of the Stradivarius family, including the Rutson, Kustendyke, Viotti-ex-bruce, Maurin, and the Habeneck, violas Archinto, cello Marquis de Corberon-ex-Loeb. Other instruments include Nicolo Amati violin, Girolamo II violin and violin, violin by Antonio and Girolamo Amati, in 2005 the Academy acquired the famous Viotti ex-Bruce violin, made by Stradivarius in 1709, on behalf of the nation. Other collections include the Foyle Menuhin archive, Jenny Lind Collection, David Munrow Collection, Royal Academy of Music museum website
28.
Central London
–
Central London is the innermost part of London, UK. Over time a number of definitions have been used to define the scope of central London for statistics, urban planning and local government. From 2004 to 2008, the London Plan included a sub-region called Central London comprising Camden, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Lambeth, Southwark, Wandsworth and it had a 2001 population of 1,525,000. The sub-region was replaced in 2008 with a new structure which amalgamated inner and outer boroughs together and this was altered in 2011 when a new Central London sub region was created, now including the City of London and excluding Wandsworth. However, districts at the edge of this subregion such as Streatham, Dulwich. During the Herbert Commission and the subsequent passage of the London Government Bill, the first two were detailed in the 1959 Memorandum of Evidence of the Greater London Group of the London School of Economics. It had an population of 350,000 and occupied 7,000 acres. The area had an population of 400,000 and occupied 8,000 acres. During the passage of the London Government Bill an amendment was put forward to create a central borough corresponding to the used at the 1961 census. The population was estimated to be 270,000
29.
Regent's Park
–
Regents Park is one of the Royal Parks of London. It lies within north-west London, partly in the City of Westminster, the population of the Camden ward at the 2011 Census was 13,528. It contains Regents University London and the London Zoo, the park is Grade I listed on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens. The park has a ring road called the Outer Circle and an inner ring road called the Inner Circle. Apart from two roads between these two, the park is reserved for pedestrians. The south, east and most of the west side of the park are lined with elegant white stucco terraces of houses designed by John Nash, Running through the northern end of the park is Regents Canal, which connects the Grand Union Canal to the former London docks. The northern side of the park is the home of London Zoo, winfield House, the official residence of the U. S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom, stands in private grounds in the western section of the park. Nearby is the domed London Central Mosque, better known as Regents Park mosque, located to the south of the Inner Circle is Regents University London, home of the European Business School London, Regents American College London and Webster Graduate School among others. Primrose Hill is also the given to the immediately surrounding district. The public areas of Regents Park are managed by The Royal Parks, the Crown Estate Paving Commission is responsible for managing certain aspects of the built environment of Regents Park. The park lies within the boundaries of the City of Westminster and the London Borough of Camden, the Crown Estate owns the freehold of Regents Park. In the Middle Ages the land was part of the manor of Tyburn, in the Dissolution of the Monasteries, Henry VIII appropriated the land, and it has been Crown property ever since, except for the period between 1649 and 1660. It was set aside as a park, known as Marylebone Park. It was then let out in small holdings for hay and dairy produce, when the leases expired in 1811 the Prince Regent commissioned architect John Nash to create a masterplan for the area. However, most of the terraces of houses around the fringes of the park were built. Nash did not complete all the detailed designs himself, in some instances, the scheme is considered one of the first examples of a garden suburb, and continues to influence the design of suburbs. The park was first opened to the public in 1835. On 15 January 1867, forty people died when the ice cover on the lake collapsed
30.
Doctor of Philosophy
–
A Doctor of Philosophy is a type of doctoral degree awarded by universities in many countries. Ph. D. s are awarded for a range of programs in the sciences, engineering. The Ph. D. is a degree in many fields. The completion of a Ph. D. is often a requirement for employment as a university professor, researcher, individuals with an earned doctorate can use the title of Doctor with their name and use the post-nominal letters Ph. D. The requirements to earn a Ph. D. degree vary considerably according to the country, institution, a person who attains a doctorate of philosophy is automatically awarded the academic title of doctor. A student attaining this level may be granted a Candidate of Philosophy degree at some institutions. A Ph. D. candidate must submit a project, thesis or dissertation often consisting of a body of academic research. In many countries, a candidate must defend this work before a panel of examiners appointed by the university. Universities award other types of doctorates besides the Ph. D. such as the Doctor of Musical Arts, a degree for music performers and the Doctor of Education, in 2016, ELIA launched The Florence Principles on the Doctorate in the Arts. The Florence Principles have been endorsed are supported also by AEC, CILECT, CUMULUS, the degree is abbreviated PhD, from the Latin Philosophiae Doctor, pronounced as three separate letters. In the universities of Medieval Europe, study was organized in four faculties, the faculty of arts. All of these faculties awarded intermediate degrees and final degrees, the doctorates in the higher faculties were quite different from the current Ph. D. degree in that they were awarded for advanced scholarship, not original research. No dissertation or original work was required, only lengthy residency requirements, besides these degrees, there was the licentiate. According to Keith Allan Noble, the first doctoral degree was awarded in medieval Paris around 1150, the doctorate of philosophy developed in Germany as the terminal Teachers credential in the 17th century. Typically, upon completion, the candidate undergoes an oral examination, always public, starting in 2016, in Ukraine Doctor of Philosophy is the highest education level and the first science degree. PhD is awarded in recognition of a contribution to scientific knowledge. A PhD degree is a prerequisite for heading a university department in Ukraine, upon completion of a PhD, a PhD holder can elect to continue his studies and get a post-doctoral degree called Doctor of Sciences, which is the second and the highest science degree in Ukraine. Scandinavian countries were among the early adopters of a known as a doctorate of philosophy
31.
Socrates programme
–
The SOCRATES programme was an educational initiative of the European Commission,31 countries took part. The initial Socrates programme ran from 1994 until 31 December 1999 when it was replaced by the Socrates II programme on 24 January 2000 and this, in turn, was replaced by the Lifelong Learning Programme 2007–2013. The countries participating in the programme were the then 25 European Union countries, the programme is named after the Greek philosopher Socrates. The Erasmus programme – relating to higher, the Grundtvig programme – relating to adult education. The Lingua programme – relating to education in European languages, the Minerva programme – relating to information and communication technology in education. Below is a short list of funded projects, ARGuing for Multilingual Motivation in Web 2.0. Autonomous Language Learning The Autonomous Language Learning project, is building Blended Learning language courses in four European languages, chain Stories project Young students, in their first year of language learning, can complete creative writing in their mother tongue. They then pass on their story to other schools, within a chain, Tool Project Tool for Online and Offline Language Learning project is building Blended Learning language courses in five European languages. Dont Give Up Motivating adult language learners to complete language courses, lullabies of Europe Collecting the lullabies of Europe to use as a very early learning language resource. Grammar Explorer Main page at europa. eu FAQ
32.
King's College London
–
Kings College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom, and a founding constituent college of the federal University of London. Kings was established in 1829 by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington, in 1836, Kings became one of the two founding colleges of the University of London. It is a member of organisations such as the Association of Commonwealth Universities, the European University Association. Kings has five campuses, its main campus on the Strand in central London. In 2015/16, Kings had an income of £738.4 million, of which £193.2 million was from research grants and contracts and as of 2014/15. It has the fifth largest endowment of any university in the United Kingdom, and its academic activities are organised into nine faculties which are subdivided into numerous departments, centres and research divisions. Kings is home to six Medical Research Council centres and is a member of the Kings Health Partners academic health sciences centre, Francis Crick Institute. Kings College London, so named to indicate the patronage of King George IV, was founded in 1829 in response to the controversy surrounding the founding of London University in 1826. The need for such an institution was a result of the religious and social nature of the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, which then educated solely the sons of wealthy Anglicans. The secular nature of London University was disapproved by The Establishment, indeed, thus, the creation of a rival institution represented a Tory response to reassert the educational values of The Establishment. Winchilsea and about 150 other contributors withdrew their support of Kings College London in response to Wellingtons support of Catholic emancipation. In a letter to Wellington he accused the Duke to have in mind insidious designs for the infringement of our liberty, the letter provoked a furious exchange of correspondence and Wellington accused Winchilsea of imputing him with disgraceful and criminal motives in setting up Kings College London. The result was a duel in Battersea Fields on 21 March 1829, Winchilsea did not fire, a plan he and his second almost certainly decided upon before the duel, Wellington took aim and fired wide to the right. Accounts differ as to whether Wellington missed on purpose, Wellington, noted for his poor aim, claimed he did, other reports more sympathetic to Winchilsea claimed he had aimed to kill. Honour was saved and Winchilsea wrote Wellington an apology, duel Day is still celebrated on the first Thursday after 21 March every year, marked by various events throughout Kings, including reenactments. Kings opened in October 1831 with the cleric William Otter appointed as first principal, despite the attempts to make Kings Anglican-only, the initial prospectus permitted, nonconformists of all sorts to enter the college freely. William Howley, the governors and the professors, except the linguists, had to be members of the Church of England but the students did not, though attendance at chapel was compulsory. Kings was divided into a department and a junior department, also known as Kings College School
33.
Humanities
–
Humanities are academic disciplines that study aspects of human culture. In the Middle Ages, the term contrasted with divinity and referred to what is now called classics, today, the humanities are more frequently contrasted with natural, and sometimes social, sciences as well as professional training. The humanities include ancient and modern languages, literature, philosophy, religion, art, scholars in the humanities are humanity scholars or humanists. The term humanist also describes the position of humanism, which some antihumanist scholars in the humanities refuse. The Renaissance scholars and artists were also called humanists, some secondary schools offer humanities classes usually consisting of English literature, global studies and art. Human disciplines like history and cultural anthropology study subject matters that the method does not apply to—and instead mainly use the comparative method. Anthropology is the science of humans, a science of the totality of human existence. The discipline deals with the integration of different aspects of the sciences, humanities. In the twentieth century, academic disciplines have often been divided into three broad domains. The natural sciences seek to derive general laws through reproducible and verifiable experiments, the humanities generally study local traditions, through their history, literature, music, and arts, with an emphasis on understanding particular individuals, events, or eras. Anthropology does not easily fit into one of these categories, within the United States, anthropology is divided into four sub-fields, archaeology, physical or biological anthropology, anthropological linguistics, and cultural anthropology. It is an area that is offered at most undergraduate institutions, the word anthropos is from the Greek for human being or person. Eric Wolf described sociocultural anthropology as the most scientific of the humanities, the goal of anthropology is to provide a holistic account of humans and human nature. This means that, though anthropologists generally specialize in only one sub-field, they keep in mind the biological, linguistic, historic. The quest for holism leads most anthropologists to study a people in detail, using biogenetic, archaeological and it is possible to view all human cultures as part of one large, evolving global culture. Archaeology is the study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture, the archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, and cultural landscapes. Archaeology can be considered both a science and a branch of the humanities. It has various goals, which range from understanding culture history to reconstructing past lifeways to documenting and explaining changes in human societies through time
34.
Musicology
–
Musicology is the scholarly analysis and research-based study of music. Musicology is part of the humanities, a scholar who participates in musical research is a musicologist. Traditionally, historical musicology has been the most prominent sub-discipline of musicology, in the 2010s, historical musicology is one of several large musicology sub-disciplines. Historical musicology, ethnomusicology, and systematic musicology are approximately equal in size, Ethnomusicology is the study of music in its cultural context. Cognitive musicology is the set of surrounding the computational modeling of music. Musical knowledge is applied in medicine, education, and music therapy—which, Music history or historical musicology is concerned with the composition, performance, reception, and criticism of music over time. Like the comparable field of art history, different branches and schools of historical musicology emphasize different types of musical works, there are also national differences in various definitions of historical musicology. In theory, music history could refer to the study of the history of any type or genre of music, in practice, these research topics are more often considered within ethnomusicology and historical musicology is typically assumed to imply Western Art music of the European tradition. The methods of historical musicology include source studies, paleography, philology, style criticism, historiography, musical analysis, Music historians may examine issues in a close focus, as in the case of scholars who examine the relationship between words and music for a given composers art songs. New musicology is a term applied since the late 1980s to a body of work emphasizing cultural study, analysis. Such work may be based on feminist, gender studies, queer theory, or postcolonial theory, or the work of Theodor Adorno. Charles Rosen, however, retorts that McClary, sets up, like so many of the new musicologists, a man to knock down, the dogma that music has no meaning. Ethnomusicology, formerly comparative musicology, is the study of music in its cultural context and it is often considered the anthropology or ethnography of music. Jeff Todd Titon has called it the study of making music. Some ethnomusicologists primarily conduct historical studies, but the majority are involved in long-term participant observation, or combine ethnographic, therefore, ethnomusiological scholarship can be characterized as featuring a substantial, intensive fieldwork component, often involving long-term residence within the community studied. Closely related to ethnomusiology is the branch of sociomusicology. For instance, Ko proposed the hypothesis of Biliterate and Trimusical in Hong Kong sociomusicology, the first journal focusing on popular music studies was Popular Music, which began publication in 1981. The same year an academic society devoted to the topic was formed
35.
Arthur Sullivan
–
Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan MVO was an English composer. He is best known for his series of 14 operatic collaborations with the dramatist W. S. Gilbert, Pinafore, The Pirates of Penzance and The Mikado. The best known of his hymns and songs include Onward Christian Soldiers, the son of a military bandmaster, Sullivan composed his first anthem at age eight. He was selected as soloist in the choir of the Chapel Royal. His graduation piece was a suite of music to Shakespeares The Tempest. When it was performed in London in 1862, it was an immediate sensation, Sullivan began his composing career with a series of ambitious works, interspersed with hymns, parlour ballads and other light pieces. Among his best received early pieces were a ballet, LÎle Enchantée, from 1861 to 1872, he supplemented his income by working as a church organist and music teacher, and writing hymns and songs. In 1866, Sullivan composed a comic opera, Cox and Box. His most successful work, the Overture di Ballo, premiered in 1870. Sullivans talent and native charm earned him friends in musical and social circles, including Queen Victorias son Alfred. In 1871, Sullivan wrote his first opera with W. S. Gilbert, Sullivan then produced his Festival Te Deum, an oratorio, The Light of the World, and incidental music for West End productions of several Shakespeare plays. He also had conducting and academic appointments, in 1875, producer Richard DOyly Carte reunited Gilbert and Sullivan to create a one-act piece, Trial by Jury, which was a surprise hit. Pinafore became a sensation, as did The Pirates of Penzance and Patience. Sullivan never married but had a love affair with an American socialite. After the death of his brother Fred in 1877, Sullivan supported Freds large family financially for the rest of his life, effectively adopting his nephew Bertie. Carte used his profits from the Gilbert and Sullivan partnership to build the Savoy Theatre in 1881, later hits in the series were Iolanthe, The Mikado, The Yeomen of the Guard and The Gondoliers. Sullivan was knighted for his contributions to music in 1883 and his infrequent serious pieces during the 1880s included two cantatas, The Martyr of Antioch and The Golden Legend, his most popular choral work. Sullivans only serious opera, Ivanhoe, though successful in 1891, was little-heard after that
36.
Henry Wood
–
Sir Henry Joseph Wood CH was an English conductor best known for his association with Londons annual series of promenade concerts, known as the Proms. He conducted them for half a century, introducing hundreds of new works to British audiences. After his death, the concerts were renamed in his honour as the Henry Wood Promenade Concerts. Born in modest circumstances to parents who encouraged his musical talent, during his studies at the Royal Academy of Music, he came under the influence of the voice teacher Manuel Garcia and became his accompanist. After similar work for Richard DOyly Cartes opera companies on the works of Arthur Sullivan and others and he was soon engaged by the larger Carl Rosa Opera Company. One notable event in his career was conducting the British premiere of Tchaikovskys Eugene Onegin in 1892. From the mid-1890s until his death, Wood focused on concert conducting and he was engaged by the impresario Robert Newman to conduct a series of promenade concerts at the Queens Hall, offering a mixture of classical and popular music at low prices. The series was successful, and Wood conducted annual promenade series until his death in 1944, by the 1920s, Wood had steered the repertoire entirely to classical music. When the Queens Hall was destroyed by bombing in 1941, the Proms moved to the Royal Albert Hall, Wood declined the chief conductorships of the New York Philharmonic and Boston Symphony Orchestras, believing it his duty to serve music in the United Kingdom. In addition to the Proms, he conducted concerts and festivals throughout the country, Wood was born in Oxford Street, London, the only child of Henry Joseph Wood and his wife Martha, née Morris. It was a household, Wood senior was an amateur cellist and sang as principal tenor in the choir of St Sepulchre-without-Newgate. His wife played the piano and sang songs from her native Wales and they encouraged their sons interest in music, buying him a Broadwood piano, on which his mother gave him lessons. The young Wood also learned to play the violin and viola, cooper died when Wood was seven, and the boy took further lessons from Coopers successor, Edwin M. Lott, for whom Wood had much less regard. At the age of ten, through the influence of one of his uncles, Wood made his first paid appearance as an organist at St Mary Aldermanbury, being paid half a crown. At this time in his life, painting was nearly as strong an interest as music and he remained a life-long amateur painter. It is not clear whether he was a member of Manuel Garcias singing class, Wood also accompanied the opera class, taught by Garcias son Gustave. Woods ambition at the time was to become a teacher of singing and he attended the classes of as many singing teachers as he could, although by his own account, I possess a terrible voice. Garcia said it would go through a brick wall, in fact, a real conductors voice
37.
The Fairy-Queen
–
The Fairy-Queen is a masque or semi-opera by Henry Purcell, a Restoration spectacular. The libretto is an adaptation of William Shakespeares wedding comedy A Midsummer Nights Dream. First performed in 1692, The Fairy-Queen was composed three years before Purcells death at the age of 35, following his death, the score was lost and only rediscovered early in the twentieth century. Purcell did not set any of Shakespeares text to music, instead he composed music for short masques in every act, the play itself was also slightly modernised in keeping with seventeenth-century dramatic conventions, but in the main the spoken text is as Shakespeare wrote it. The masques are related to the play metaphorically, rather than literally, growing interest in Baroque music and the rise of the countertenor contributed to the works re-entry into the repertoire. The opera received several recordings in the latter part of the 20th century and several of its arias. The Fairy-Queen was first performed on 2 May 1692 at the Queens Theatre, the author or at least co-author of the libretto was presumably Thomas Betterton, the manager of Dorset Garden Theatre, with whom Purcell worked regularly. This belief is based on an analysis of Bettertons stage directions, a collaboration between several playwrights is also feasible. Choreography for the dances was provided by Josias Priest, who also worked on Dioclesian and King Arthur. A letter describing the performance shows that the parts of Titania. Presumably other fairies were also played by children, this affects our perspective on the staging, following the huge success of his operas Dioclesian and King Arthur, Purcell composed The Fairy-Queen in 1692. Purcells First and Second Music were played while the audience were taking their seats, the Act Tunes are played between acts, as the curtain was normally raised at the beginning of a performance and not lowered until the end. After Act I, each act commences with a short symphony, All the masques in The Fairy-Queen are presented by Titania or Oberon. As noted above, each masque is subtly related to the action in the play during that particular act in a metaphorical way, to usher in a night of enchantment. The masque for Bottom in Act III includes metamorphoses, songs of real and feigned love, and beings who are not what they seem. The Reconciliation masque between Oberon and Titania at the end of Act IV prefigures the final masque, the scene changes to a Garden of Fountains, denoting King Williams hobby, just after Oberon says bless these Lovers Nuptial Day. The Four Seasons tell us that the marriage here celebrated is a one all year round. The kings of England were traditionally likened to the sun, the Chinese scene in the final masque is in homage to Queen Marys famous collection of china
38.
The Mikado
–
The Mikado, or, The Town of Titipu is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert, their ninth of fourteen operatic collaborations. Before the end of 1885, it was estimated that, in Europe and America, the Mikado remains the most frequently performed Savoy Opera, and it is especially popular with amateur and school productions. The work has translated into numerous languages and is one of the most frequently played musical theatre pieces in history. Setting the opera in Japan, a locale far away from Britain, allowed Gilbert to satirise British politics. Gilbert and Sullivans opera immediately preceding The Mikado was Princess Ida, which ran for nine months, on 22 March 1884, Carte gave Gilbert and Sullivan contractual notice that a new opera would be required within six months. Sullivans close friend, the conductor Frederic Clay, had suffered a stroke in December 1883 that effectively ended his career. Gilbert, who had started work on a new libretto in which people fall in love against their wills after taking a magic lozenge, was surprised to hear of Sullivans hesitation. Gilbert was much hurt, but Sullivan insisted that he could not set the lozenge plot, in addition to the improbability of it, it was too similar to the plot of their 1877 opera, The Sorcerer. Sullivan returned to London, and, as April wore on, Gilbert tried to rewrite his plot, but he could not satisfy Sullivan. However, by 8 May 1884, Gilbert was ready to back down, writing, am I to understand that if I construct another plot in which no element occurs. A consistent plot, free from anachronisms, constructed in perfect good faith & to the best of my ability, the stalemate was broken, and on 20 May, Gilbert sent Sullivan a sketch of the plot to The Mikado. It would take ten months for The Mikado to reach the stage. A revised version of their 1877 work, The Sorcerer, coupled with their one-act piece Trial by Jury, played at the Savoy while Carte, Gilbert eventually found a place for his lozenge plot in The Mountebanks, written with Alfred Cellier in 1892. A trifling accident inspired him with an idea, One day an old Japanese sword that, for years, had been hanging on the wall of his study, fell from its place. This incident directed his attention to Japan, Just at that time a company of Japanese had arrived in England and set up a little village of their own in Knightsbridge. The story is an one, but it is largely fictional. Gilbert was interviewed twice about his inspiration for The Mikado, in both interviews the sword was mentioned, and in one of them he said it was the inspiration for the opera, although he never said that the sword had fallen. Gilbert scholar Brian Jones, in his article The Sword that Never Fell, notes that the further removed in time the writer is from the incident and it suggested the broad idea, as he said later
39.
Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis
–
Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, also known as the Tallis Fantasia, is a work for string orchestra by the British composer Ralph Vaughan Williams. It was composed in 1910 and performed for the first time on September 10 of that year at Gloucester Cathedral for the Three Choirs Festival, Vaughan Williams himself conducted, and the composition proved to be a major success. He revised the work twice, in 1913 and 1919, performances generally run between 14 and 16 minutes. The work takes its name from the composer of the melody. Many of Vaughan Williams works are associated with or inspired by the music of the English Renaissance. In 1906 Vaughan Williams included Talliss Third Mode Melody in the English Hymnal, the tune is in Double Common Meter. The work is scored for a string orchestra divided into three parts, orchestra I, a full-sized string orchestra, orchestra II, a single desk from each section. Vaughan Williams made this configuration resemble an organ in sound, with the representing the swell division, orchestra II the choir division. The score specifies that the orchestra should be placed apart from the first. This spacing emphasizes the way that the orchestra several times echoes the first orchestra. In structure this piece resembles the Elizabethan-age fantasy, the theme is heard in its entirety three times during the course of the work, but the music grows from the themes constituent motives or fragments, with variations upon them. A secondary melody, based on the original, is first heard on the solo viola about a third of the way into the Fantasia, and this theme forms the climax of the work about five minutes before the end. Talliss original tune is in the Phrygian mode and was one of the nine he contributed to the Psalter of 1567 for the Archbishop of Canterbury, when Vaughan Williams edited the English Hymnal of 1906, he also included this melody. Parkers original words were, Why fumeth in fight, The Gentils spite, why taketh in hond, The people fond, Vayne thinges to bring about. The kinges arise, The lordes devise, In counsayles mett thereto, Agaynst the Lord, With false accord, the piece was used, in part, in the 2003 film Master and Commander, The Far Side of the World directed by Peter Weir. The rising, organ-like melody is used to effect in a concluding scene
