Today in History and Celebrity Birthdays

Today in Music History for April 4: In 397, St. Ambrose, bishop of Milan, died. Known as the ``Father of Hymnody,'' he encouraged the singing of hymns, wrote several and codified the Ambrosian chant for the early church.

Celebrity Birthdays for April 3: Conservationist Dame Jane Goodall is 90. Actor William Gaunt is 87. Songwriter Jeff Barry is 86. Actor Eric Braeden is 83. Actress Marsha Mason is 82. Singer Wayne Newton is 82. Singer Tony Orlando is 80.

Today in Music History for April 3: In 1897, German pianist and composer Johannes Brahms died of liver cancer at age 63.

Today in History for April 3: In 1327, Marsilius of Padua and his copyist, John of Jandun, were forced to flee Paris for asylum in Bavaria after the pope issued a bull denouncing them as ``sons of perdition and fruits of malediction.

Today in Music History for April 2: In 1872, renowned Canadian soprano Emma Albani made her London debut, singing the role of ``Amina'' in ``La Sonambula.'' In 1939, Motown hitmaker Marvin Gaye was born in Washington, D.C.

Celebrity Birthdays for April 2: Actress Dame Penelope Keith is 84. Former world figure skating champion Donald Jackson is 84. Actress Linda Hunt is 79. Singer Emmylou Harris is 77. Social critic and author Camille Paglia is 77.

Today in History for April 2: In 742, Charlemagne, or Charles the Great, was born. Pope Leo III crowned him Emperor of the Romans on Christmas Day, 800.

Celebrity Birthdays for April 1: Actor Don Hastings (``As The World Turns'') is 90. Actress Ali MacGraw is 85. Reggae singer Jimmy Cliff is 80. British pop musician Robin Scott is 77. Keyboardist Billy Currie of Ultravox is 74.

Today in Music History for April 1: In 1917, Scott Joplin, the ``King of Ragtime,'' died in a mental institution in New York City. Joplin fell into a deep depression -- which eventually led to insanity -- after the failure of his opera ``Treemonisha.

Today in History for April 1: In 1548, England's Parliament ordered the publication of the ``Book of Common Prayer.'' In 1564, All Fools' Day is said to have originated when King Charles IX of France changed the calendar.