January 15

Born in Milan in 1700, Giovanni Battista Sammartini became a leading musical figure at the Bavarian court in Munich. He composed numerous symphonies, chamber works, and sacred music, helping to shape the development of the classical style. Sammartini’s innovative use of form and orchestration influenced later composers such as Haydn and Mozart. He also served as a respected teacher and organist, contributing to musical life in northern Italy. His works are celebrated today for their melodic charm and structural clarity.

Isaac Nathan (1792–1864) was an English-born composer who emigrated to Australia in 1841. He composed Don John of Austria, staged in 1847, considered Australia's first opera. Nathan also set Lord Byron's Hebrew Melodies to music, enriching Jewish liturgical repertoire. In addition to composing, he wrote articles on music for colonial newspapers in Sydney. He advocated for formal music education in the young colony and organized public concerts. His published collections of songs influenced subsequent generations of Australian musicians. Nathan's blend of European classical traditions with colonial themes earned him the title 'father of Australian music'.

Massimo d'Azeglio (1798–1866) was an Italian statesman, novelist, and painter from Turin. As an artist, he studied under Pelagio Palagi and exhibited Romantic-style paintings across Europe. His historical novel Ettore Fieramosca (1833) stirred nationalist sentiment during the Risorgimento. After the Revolutions of 1848, he served as Prime Minister of Piedmont from 1849 to 1852. D'Azeglio worked to modernize the administration, promote civil liberties, and advance Italian unification. He also governed Lombardy as viceroy and authored political essays advocating moderate liberal reforms. Remembered as a cultured polymath, he helped lay the foundations for a united Italy.

Mathew Brady (1822–1896) was an American pioneer photographer renowned for his Civil War images. Born in New York, he opened a studio in Washington, D.C., photographing political figures of his day. During the American Civil War, he and his team documented battlefields and soldiers, creating a visual record of the conflict. Brady's large-scale exhibitions of war photographs brought the realities of battle to the public. Though financial struggles plagued his later years, his work laid the foundation for photojournalism. His iconic images remain a vital source for historians and continue to shape perceptions of the Civil War.

Born in Florence in 1883, Enrico Toselli showed prodigious talent on the piano from an early age. He studied composition and piano performance at the Milan Conservatory under renowned teachers. Toselli gained fame for his charming salon works, particularly the popular 'Serenata', which remains a staple of piano repertoire. He toured extensively across Europe, delighting audiences with his lyrical style and technical finesse. Beyond performance, he composed operettas and songs, contributing to Italy’s musical life before his untimely death in 1926.

George Cope was born in 1855 in Media, Pennsylvania, and developed a passion for painting natural scenes. He studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and exhibited alongside the nation’s leading artists of his time. Cope specialized in landscapes capturing the light and mood of the American countryside with impressionistic influence. His works were displayed at major exhibitions, including the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Cope’s paintings remain valued for their serene beauty and contribution to late 19th-century American art; he died in 1929.

Yves Tanguy (January 5, 1900 – January 15, 1955) was a leading figure of the Surrealist movement in the 20th century. Born in Paris, he developed a unique style characterized by infinite, biomorphic forms set in vast, enigmatic spaces. Tanguy’s works were exhibited alongside those of Salvador Dalí and René Magritte, earning international acclaim. He moved to the United States in 1939 and influenced American abstraction through teaching and exhibitions. His paintings, such as "Mama, Papa is Wounded!" and "Indefinite Divisibility," are celebrated for their meticulous detail and psychological depth. Tanguy’s visionary compositions continue to inspire contemporary artists and collectors around the world.

Walter "Jack" Teagarden (August 20, 1905 – January 15, 1964) was one of the foremost jazz trombonists of the 20th century. His warm, expressive tone and inventive solos set a new standard for the instrument. Teagarden worked with legends such as Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, and Benny Goodman, and led his own bands from the 1930s onward. He was also a gifted singer and songwriter, known for his relaxed vocal style on recordings like "Basin Street Blues." Throughout his career, he recorded extensively and appeared in films and television, bringing jazz to wider audiences. Teagarden’s influence on both musicians and fans endures, celebrated with annual festivals and tributes worldwide.

David Burliuk (July 21, 1882 – January 15, 1967) was a pioneering figure in the Russian and Ukrainian Futurist movements. Born in the Kharkiv region, he studied art in Kiev, Moscow, and Munich before co-founding the avant-garde Hylaea group. Burliuk’s experimental poetry and manifestos challenged traditional aesthetics and celebrated urban modernity. As an illustrator, his bold use of color and form adorned books, posters, and magazines across Europe. He emigrated to the United States in the 1920s and continued writing, painting, and teaching until his death in New York City. Burliuk’s multidisciplinary work bridged literature and visual art, influencing generations of modernists.

Born in 1904 in Boston, Massachusetts, Ray Bolger began performing in vaudeville as a child. He became a Broadway star with musicals such as Where's Charley? showcasing his unique dance style blending comedy and acrobatics. In 1939, Bolger immortalized his career as the Scarecrow in MGM's The Wizard of Oz, captivating audiences worldwide. His rubber-limbed performance and charismatic stage presence set a standard for musical theatre and film. Across decades, he starred in numerous films, television specials, and live productions, earning acclaim and admiration. Honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Bolger's legacy endures through his timeless contributions to entertainment.

Born in 1913 in The Bronx, New York, Sammy Cahn began his career writing for radio and vaudeville. He rose to prominence as a Hollywood lyricist, collaborating with composers such as Jule Styne and Jimmy Van Heusen. Cahn earned four Academy Awards for Best Original Song, penning hits like Three Coins in the Fountain. His festive anthem Let It Snow! remains a perennial holiday favorite. He supplied standards to vocal legends including Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. Cahn passed away on January 15, 1993, leaving behind a timeless catalog of songs cherished worldwide.

Born in 1921 in Budapest, Hungary, Georges Cziffra showed prodigious talent, making his debut at age nine. He gained international acclaim for his electrifying interpretations of Liszt and other Romantic repertoire. After defecting to France following the 1956 Hungarian uprising, he embarked on a celebrated global concert career. Cziffra founded the Festival de Gévaudan to support young musicians and taught at the Paris Conservatoire. His dazzling technique and improvisational flair set new standards for piano performance. He died on January 15, 1994, remembered as one of the twentieth century’s greatest pianists.