{"id":2641,"date":"2013-08-25T20:41:21","date_gmt":"2013-08-25T20:41:21","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2013-08-25T20:41:21","modified_gmt":"2013-08-25T20:41:21","slug":"leonard-bernstein-and-others","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/franklycurious.com\/wp\/2013\/08\/25\/leonard-bernstein-and-others\/","title":{"rendered":"Leonard Bernstein and Others"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"LeonardYou know it is a good day when it is exactly 483 years since the birth of Ivan the Terrible<\/a>. Was he really so terrible? Overall, he seems to have been good for Russia. Of course, in a fit of rage, he did kill his brilliant son (and heir apparent), leaving the throne to his mentally retarded son. So it’s a mixed bag, especially if you are (1) brilliant and (2) a son.<\/p>\n

Dutch astronomer Philippe van Lansberge<\/a> who just couldn’t accept that the planets moved in ellipses was born in 1561. The great English horse painter George Stubbs<\/a> was born in 1724. Recently, one of this paintings<\/a> sold for $36 million. I don’t think much of him generally and I really don’t think much of that particular painting. Pioneer writer Bret Harte<\/a> was born in 1836. Mathematician Helmut Hasse<\/a> was born in 1898.<\/p>\n

Modern composer Stefan Wolpe<\/a> was born in 1902. Oh, yes: I could provide you with an example of his work. But would you click? Would you perform even that small act of clicking the play button to hear the music? I’m sure you wouldn’t after I told you that his music is “difficult” and “ugly” and “something that makes twelve tone composition sound like Tchaikovsky.” So I won’t even try. Just go look him up yourself you ungrateful readers! (No, seriously: you won’t like his work. I guarantee it!)<\/p>\n

Michael Rennie<\/a> was there The Day the Earth Stood Still<\/a><\/i>. Am I right?! Based upon that, it must have been after this day in 1909, because that was when he was born. I’m not a fan. But I do love this song:<\/p>\n