| Ama`lia Rodrigues | Ludwig Van Beethoven |
| Rigas Fereos | Benjamin Franklin |
|
One
of the most important artists of our time, Amália Rodrigues has performed
throughout the world for more than 50 years. Amália sings many types of
music but she is mostly known for the "Fado", the music of
Portugal.
Diogo
M. 6ºA
|
|
Ludwig
van Beethoven: the Most Amazing Composer By: Peixuan G Ludwig
van Beethoven was born in 1770 in Bonn, Germany. No one is sure of the
exact date he was born, but many people say it’s December 16th.
Beethoven is a very famous music composer. He wrote mostly piano musics
such as “Fur Elise”. His Symphony No. 9 in D minor, which is also
known as “Choral”, was probably his best masterpiece. Beethoven
had a though childhood, and his mother died when he was only 18, and his
dad being so addicted to alcohol made it even worse. When he was 22, he
traveled to Vienna, Austria to study music with composer Joseph Haydn and
settled there. At
the age of 28, he composed a sonata called “Pathétique”. A sonata is
a kind of music that is being played by four instruments. One of the four
must be a keyboard instrument. The instruments other than the keyboard
instrument must take turns doing a solo with the keyboard instrument.
After each instrument other that the keyboard instrument has played a solo
then all the instruments play together and end the sonata. Then in 1801,
he composed another sonata called “Moonlight”. In 1804, he composed
Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major called “Eroica”. A symphony is usually
played by a band or it can be solo. It contains four sections or
movements. Then again in 1808 Beethoven composed another symphony called
Symphony No. 5 in C minor. Before that he composed a sonata called ”Appassionata”.
In
1810, Beethoven fell in love with his doctor’s daughter, Therese
Malfatti. He proposed to her, but Therese said “no”. Beethoven was
already 40, but still hasn’t got married. He never did. He once wrote a
love letter, but did not sent it to this woman who he called “immortal
beloved”. In
the year of 1810, Beethoven found out that his sense of hearing is
starting to fall apart, and by 1815, Beethoven was already half deaf, but
that didn’t stop him from composing more music. In 1818, he composed
another sonata called “Hammerklavier”.
One morning in 1819, Beethoven found himself completely deaf.
However, being deaf did not make his li Sadly, Beethoven died in 1827. |
|
My Hero - Essay Winner! By: Christin, Greece Greece
is a country that has many heroes. It is hard to choose among the heroes.
But I admire Rigas Fereos and I am going to talk to you about him.
Rigas Fereos was born in 1757 in Velestino of Thessalia and that is why he
is also called Velestinlis. This hero could not accept the Turkish
occupation of Greece at the time and as soon as he finished his studies at
the age of 20 years old he left Thessalia (in central Greece) and went to
Mount Olympos to live as ‘amartolos’ (guerilla).
Later he left Greece and lived in Konstantinoupoli (Istanbul) at first,
and then in Wienna, where he was trying to help the enslaved Greeks from
far away. He used to send many parcels with declarations and books in
favor for resistance so that he could encourage the Greeks to rebel
against the Turkish Sultan. When the Turks found out about his operations,
they killed him and threw him in the river Danube. Rigas Fereos left many important works that talked about the freedom of our country. The most important one is ‘Thourios’. That is why I have chosen Rigas Fereos as with his life and work he has taught us the resistance against every kind of slavery. |
|
My Hero - Essay Winner! By:
Peixuan There
are many people in my country who have done great things. For example,
Alexander Graham Bell was able to invent the telephone, which made
today’s communication easier. George Washington also made our world
better by defeating the British and made the USA an independent country.
My favorite “hero” is Benjamin Franklin. Who is he anyways? If you
think he was a writer, you’re right. If you think he’s an inventor,
you’re also correct. If you think he’s a founder, you’re not
mistaken either. If you think he’s a political figure, you’re still
not wrong. Ben was all four of these. He was a writer, an inventor, a
founder as well as a political figure. As
a writer, Franklin started out as only a “helper” in his brother,
James’ newspaper business. Back then, young Franklin was only fifteen
years old. He delivered the New England Courant, which was the name
of the newspaper, at day, and he wrote articles for it at night. However,
James Franklin was accused of offending people in his New England
Courant and he was put to jail for a month and banned from returning
to his newspaper business. Ben Franklin at an age of 16 wrote all the
articles under his name. He later found his own newspaper business in
Philadelphia, and quit working for the New England Courant. Under
Franklin’s hands, the poor written Pennsylvania Gazette became
interesting and well edited. As a writer, Franklin also wrote Poor
Richard’s Almanac, which quickly became a best seller along with the
bible. Franklin also wrote many political documents. He helped draft the
Declaration of Independence along with Thomas Jefferson. Ben
was also well known as an inventor. He invented many things in his life.
He invented a wooden stove known as the Franklin Stove, hot-air balloon,
swim fins, bifocals, which are eyeglasses with one eyepiece for
near-sighted eyes and another piece for far-sighted eyes, a glass armonica,
which is an early musical instrument, and an odometer. However, he was
best known for inventing the lightening rod. The lightning rod is a metal
appliance that is put on the roof of a house. This is used when there is a
thunderstorm. The lightning will strike the lightning rod instead of the
house, which will secure the house in a thunderstorm. Along with his
inventions, Ben also found electricity. If he didn’t exist, we would not
have electricity today. We would not be using computers, radios, or even a
light bulb. Franklin
also found many organizations. He was the founder of the first public
library in US, the first public hospital in Pennsylvania, the first fire
department, and much more. In the year 1731, Ben thought of how only rich
people could purchase and read books, and the poor families would have to
suffer with nothing but a bible. This encouraged him to become the founder
of the first known public library in the United States of America. It was
named the Philadelphia Library after where Ben organized it and where it
is. In 1936, Ben established the first fire department. He also was the
organizer of the first public hospital. Benjamin
Franklin has also been a political figure. He first became part of the
Pennsylvania assembly in 1750. He served as a delegate all the way to
1764. In 1753 and 1754, he was also the deputy postmaster general. He has
also been an agent for Pennsylvania to visit Great Britain. He was a
member of the Second Continental Congress, too. Later he had become the
postmaster general. He held it for just a year. Ben was also part of the
Declaration of Independence committee and he helped draft it. In 1776-1785
Ben was an ambassador in France. In the year 1785, he was the president of
the executive council of Pennsylvania. Ben was also a member of the
Constitutional Convention, and he helped to set up a new federal
government. Benjamin
Franklin is far more famous than most people for he contributed a lot.
Without him we would not have electricity today, we would not have public
libraries, we would not fire departments, and our lives would be very
different today. Benjamin Franklin, the writer, the inventor, the founder,
and the political figure, is truly my hero. |
