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Play the "Berceuse" from Dolly

The piano music of Gabriel Fauré is among his best known work. Written between the 1860s and the 1920s, Fauré's major sets of piano works are thirteen nocturnes, thirteen barcarolles, six impromptus and four valses-caprices. These sets display the change in his style, over the decades, from uncomplicated youthful charm to a final enigmatic but sometimes fiery introspection, by way of a turbulent period in his middle years. His other notable piano pieces, including shorter works, or collections composed or published as a set, are Romances sans paroles, Ballade in F♯ major, Mazurka in B♭ major, Thème et variations in C♯ major, and Huit pièces brèves. For piano duet, Fauré composed the Dolly Suite and, together with his friend and former pupil André Messager, an exuberant parody of Wagner in the short suite Souvenirs de Bayreuth. Much of the ambidextrous Fauré's piano music is difficult to play, but it is rarely virtuoso in style. The composer disliked showy display, and the predominant characteristic of his piano music is a classical restraint and understatement. (more...)

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Parliament of Greece passes austerity measures by Lucas Papademos' caretaker government amid protests. Adele wins six Grammys including Record of the Year and Album of the Year at the 54th Grammy Awards. In football, Zambia wins the Africa Cup of Nations by defeating Côte d'Ivoire. The Artist wins seven awards, including Best Film, at the 65th British Academy Film Awards. American singer Whitney Houston (pictured) dies at the age of 48. Spanish judge Baltasar Garzón is banned from the legal profession for 11 years after being convicted of illegal wiretapping. Wikinews – Recent deaths – More current events...
On this day...
February 13 1542 – Catherine Howard (pictured), the fifth wife of Henry VIII of England, was executed for adultery. 1867 – Work began on the covering of the Senne, burying the polluted main waterway in Brussels to allow urban renewal in the centre of the city. 1880 – American inventor Thomas Edison observed the Edison effect, which later formed the basis of vacuum tube diodes designed by English electrical engineer John Ambrose Fleming. 1970 – The English rock band Black Sabbath released their eponymous debut album, which is recognised as the first major album to be credited with the development of the heavy metal genre. 1981 – Sewer explosions caused by the ignition of hexane vapors destroyed more than two miles (3 km) of streets in Louisville, Kentucky, US. 2010 – A terrorist bombing at a bakery popular among foreigners in Pune, India, killed 17 people and injured 60 more. More anniversaries: February 12 – February 13 – February 14 Archive – By email – List of historical anniversaries It is now February 13, 2012 (UTC) – Refresh this page

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The title of Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel Club has been awarded 104 times since 1907. If a dog wins the title on five occasions, the James Mortimer Memorial Silver Trophy is awarded permanently; otherwise, the winner receives a silver-plated replica. The most successful dog was the first to win the title, a Smooth Fox Terrier named Ch. Warren Remedy, who won it on three occasions. The Terrier Group has continued to be the most successful breed group, with terriers winning the title 45 times. Competition at Westminster was restricted to Champions only in 1992; before this, two dogs had won the title in their first American shows. The most recent winner is GCH Foxcliffe Hickory Wind in 2011, the first Scottish Deerhound to take the title and only the fifth member of the Hound Group. (more...)

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The Common Brushtail Possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) is the largest possum species and is perhaps the most widespread mammal in Australia. It grows to about 32–58 cm (13–23 in) in length, with an additional 24–40 cm (9–16 in) for its prehensile tail (seen here hanging below the branch). It is mainly a folivore, but has been known to eat small mammals such as rats. It is common in cities, having adapted well to human habitation.

Photo: JJ Harrison

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