September 24

Born in 1667, Jean-Louis Lully was the youngest son of the famed composer Jean-Baptiste Lully. He carved his own path at the court of Louis XIV, composing operas and ballets for the king’s entertainments. His works embodied the elegance and dramatic flair of the French Baroque. He collaborated with leading librettists of his day and contributed to the Lully family’s lasting musical legacy. Although his promising career ended with his early death at age 21, his surviving scores reflect the grandeur of his musical heritage.

Born in 1761 in Darmstadt, F.L.Æ. Kunzen became a leading composer and conductor in late 18th century Europe. He was appointed music director of the Royal Danish Theatre in Copenhagen, introducing works by Mozart and Haydn. His own operas, including Holger Danske, reflected classical elegance and dramatic depth. Kunzen’s refined orchestration and leadership shaped the early Danish operatic repertoire. As a teacher and mentor, he influenced the next generation of Nordic composers before his death in 1817.

Born in 1796, Antoine-Louis Barye rose from humble beginnings to become France’s preeminent animal sculptor. His dynamic bronzes captured the power and grace of wildlife, earning him renown at the Paris Salon. A devoted educator, he taught at the École des Beaux-Arts and wrote on anatomy and modeling techniques. His works bridged Romantic expressiveness with scientific observation of animal forms. Barye’s legacy laid the foundation for the animalier movement in 19th century sculpture.

Born in 1859 in Leipzig, Julius Klengel rose to prominence as a virtuoso cellist. As principal cellist of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, he dazzled audiences with his technical brilliance. Klengel served as a professor at the Leipzig Conservatory, mentoring many future cello stars. He composed a valuable body of works including études, concert studies, and concertos that remain staples of the cello repertoire. His innovative compositions expanded the instrument's technical possibilities. Klengel's contributions as performer, teacher, and composer left a lasting mark on cello music.

Born in 1873 in Havana, María de las Mercedes Adam de Aróstegui studied piano under prominent European masters. After performing across Europe, she returned to Cuba to teach at the National Conservatory. Adam de Aróstegui composed a diverse repertoire, including salon piano works and songs infused with Cuban folk elements. She championed the fusion of European classical forms with Afro-Cuban rhythms, forging a unique musical voice. Her students and compositions contributed to the development of Cuba's national musical identity. Remembered as a pioneering figure, her legacy endures in Cuban concert music.

Artur Lemba studied at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory, where he was recognized for his exceptional piano talent. He won the prestigious Rubinstein Prize in 1907, establishing his reputation as a concert pianist. As a composer, he created symphonies, piano concertos, and chamber works infused with Baltic folk themes. After returning to Estonia, Lemba taught at the Tallinn Conservatory, mentoring the next generation of musicians. His compositions and pedagogical efforts laid the foundation for Estonia’s thriving classical music scene.

Born in Coutchman, Texas, Jefferson was born blind and taught himself guitar as a child. His high-pitched voice and intricate guitar playing defined the Texas blues style in the 1920s. He recorded hits like 'Black Snake Moan' and 'Matchbox Blues' that influenced generations of blues and rock musicians. Jefferson's solo performances and unique style brought rural blues to urban audiences. Despite his brief career, his recordings sold widely, cementing his legacy as a foundational blues figure.

Born in Newcastle, New South Wales, Dobell studied at the Julian Ashton Art School. He gained acclaim for portraits like 'Sir William Dobell' and won the Archibald Prize multiple times. Dobell's style merged realism with expressive brushwork, influencing Australian art in the mid-20th century. He painted landscapes and figurative works, leaving a diverse and impactful body of work. Dobell's innovative techniques and vision helped shape the course of Australian modernism.

Born in 1900, Ham Fisher began his career as a sports cartoonist before launching Joe Palooka in 1930. The boxing-themed strip became one of the most successful of its era, appearing in hundreds of newspapers worldwide. Fisher's portrayal of the gentle giant boxer and his companions captured the public's imagination through radio programs, films, and merchandise. He received the Reuben Award for cartooning excellence and influenced a generation of comic artists. Despite later controversies over creator credits, Joe Palooka remains his enduring legacy. Fisher continued to draw until his death in 1955.

Ben Oakland was born in New York City in 1907 and made his mark as a pianist and composer for Broadway and Hollywood. He collaborated with lyricists such as Oscar Hammerstein II and Milton Drake, producing hits like 'I Don't Know Why (I Just Do)' and 'If I Love Again'. His music was featured in films and became jazz standards performed by leading artists. Oakland's melodic style and harmonic sophistication influenced popular music in the 1930s and 1940s. He continued to write and arrange music until the 1950s. He died in 1979, leaving a catalog of songs still performed today.

Herb Jeffries rose to fame in the 1940s as a jazz and blues vocalist with a smooth baritone voice. He broke barriers as one of the first African-American stars in Hollywood Westerns, earning the nickname "the Bronze Buckaroo." Jeffries recorded hit songs and toured with the Duke Ellington Orchestra before transitioning to film, where he headlined a series of successful B-Westerns. His contributions to music and cinema opened doors for future generations of Black performers, and he continued performing into his nineties.

Born in Warsaw, Andrzej Panufnik studied at the Warsaw Conservatory before serving in World War II. In 1954 he defected to the West, settling in the United Kingdom where he became an influential composer and conductor. Panufnik's music blended modernist techniques with folk-inspired melodies, producing works like the "Sinfonia Sacra" and his acclaimed Cello Concerto. He led the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra as principal conductor and received numerous honors for his contributions to 20th-century music, leaving a legacy of poetic and structurally inventive compositions.