one of the top English chess players of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Sarratt was renowned as a player and author and adopted the title "Professor of Chess". He was the first professional player to teach chess in England. He introduced into England the chess rule that a stalemate is a draw, which was commonly used on the continent of Europe. He coi...

one of the top English chess players of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Sarratt was renowned as a player and author and adopted the title "Professor of Chess". He was the first professional player to teach chess in England. He introduced into England the chess rule that a stalemate is a draw, which was commonly used on the continent of Europe. He coined with his works of 1813 and 1821 the term Muzio Gambit. He was a pupil of Verdoni and later the teacher of William Lewis and Peter Unger Williams. In 1803 he met Camilla Dufour who was a singer who was writing for the same publisher as he was. where she met her future husband. He and Dufour married at St. Leonard's, church in Shoreditch at the end of 1804.

an English singer and composer. Sheppard wrote a large body of polyphony for the Sarum Office. Sheppard also composed alternatim hymns, with the even-numbered verses sung to polyphony with chant cantus firmus and the odd-numbered verses left to be chanted. Sheppard's music for the new Protestant rite, which has suffered seriously from the loss of manuscript ...

an English singer and composer. Sheppard wrote a large body of polyphony for the Sarum Office. Sheppard also composed alternatim hymns, with the even-numbered verses sung to polyphony with chant cantus firmus and the odd-numbered verses left to be chanted. Sheppard's music for the new Protestant rite, which has suffered seriously from the loss of manuscript sources, was presumably composed during the reign of Edward VI.

an Italian composer, violinist, and later unsuccessful singer. In 1771, she debuted her "Concerto on the Violin" in London, met by rave reviews and lavish support. Her compositions displayed the violin in all its virtuosic brilliance in the dynamic yet restrained early Classical tradition. Although her career withered and faded in its final years, she is rem...

an Italian composer, violinist, and later unsuccessful singer. In 1771, she debuted her "Concerto on the Violin" in London, met by rave reviews and lavish support. Her compositions displayed the violin in all its virtuosic brilliance in the dynamic yet restrained early Classical tradition. Although her career withered and faded in its final years, she is remembered as a dynamic inventor and brilliant performer in 18th-century classical music.

a famous Shakespearean actress, who is best known as the first wife and muse of Hector Berlioz. On May 27, 1814, Smithson made her first stage appearance at the Theatre Royal (Dublin), as Albina Mandevill in Frederick Reynolds's The Will. Her performance was well...

a famous Shakespearean actress, who is best known as the first wife and muse of Hector Berlioz. On May 27, 1814, Smithson made her first stage appearance at the Theatre Royal (Dublin), as Albina Mandevill in Frederick Reynolds's The Will. Her performance was well received, and the Freeman's Journal gave her a positive review. In 1815, Harriet Smithson took her parents' place in Montague Talbot's company in Belfast after they returned to Dublin. The season opened on January 1, 1816, where she extended her range in roles, performing in multiple comedies.

the best-known court jester of Henry VIII of England. Born in Shropshire, Sommers came to the attention of Richard Fermor, a merchant of the Staple at Calais, who brought him to Greenwich in 1525 to present to the King. Impressed by his sense of humor, Henry promptly offered Sommers a place at court. He was soon in high favor with the King, whose generosity ...

the best-known court jester of Henry VIII of England. Born in Shropshire, Sommers came to the attention of Richard Fermor, a merchant of the Staple at Calais, who brought him to Greenwich in 1525 to present to the King. Impressed by his sense of humor, Henry promptly offered Sommers a place at court. He was soon in high favor with the King, whose generosity to him is attested by the accounts of the royal household. Sommers remained in service to the King for the rest of Henry's life. In the King's later years, when he was troubled by a painful leg condition, it was said that only Sommers could lift his spirits.

a Polish opera singer, actor and harpist. She was among the great talents of the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm during the reign of King Gustav III of Sweden. She was married to the opera singer Christoffer Christian Karsten and was also the maternal grandmother of the world-famous ballet dancer more

a Polish opera singer, actor and harpist. She was among the great talents of the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm during the reign of King Gustav III of Sweden. She was married to the opera singer Christoffer Christian Karsten and was also the maternal grandmother of the world-famous ballet dancer Marie Taglioni. She was also active as a musician. In March, 1795, she participated in a public concert in Stockholm arranged by Karsten where she played the harp, while her husband and Marie Louise Marcadet sang; first, each three of them performed in their fields by themselves, then jointly.

a Swedish opera singer, composer and theatre director. He belonged to the pioneer generation of the Royal Swedish Opera and was regarded as one of the leading opera singers of the Gustavian era. He was a hovsångare and a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music. He received a good education, debuted as a concert singer in Riddarhuset in 1766 and was app...

a Swedish opera singer, composer and theatre director. He belonged to the pioneer generation of the Royal Swedish Opera and was regarded as one of the leading opera singers of the Gustavian era. He was a hovsångare and a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music. He received a good education, debuted as a concert singer in Riddarhuset in 1766 and was appointed councillor at the Royal Court of Sweden in 1767. This was considered unusual, since his father was not of wealthy means. Carl's mother had been the housekeeper of the nobleman and statesman Adam Horn.

an Italian Baroque singer and composer. Strozzi was said to be "the most prolific composer - man or woman - of printed secular vocal music in Venice in the Middle of the century." Her output is also unique in that it only contains secular vocal music, with the exception of one volume of sacred songs. She was renowned for her poetic ability as well as her com...

an Italian Baroque singer and composer. Strozzi was said to be "the most prolific composer - man or woman - of printed secular vocal music in Venice in the Middle of the century." Her output is also unique in that it only contains secular vocal music, with the exception of one volume of sacred songs. She was renowned for her poetic ability as well as her compositional talent. Her lyrics were often poetic and well-articulated.