Today in History and Celebrity Birthdays

Today in Music History for May 21: In 1738, Charles Wesley was converted to evangelical Christianity, becoming a co-founder of Methodism. He wrote hundreds of hymns such as "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.

Today in Music History for May 22: In 1813, composer Richard Wagner was born in Leipzig, Germany. In 1836, Felix Mendelssohn's oratorio "St. Paul (Paulus)" was first performed in Dusseldorf at the Lower Rhine Festival to great enthusiasm.

Today in Music History for May 19: In 1866, "When You and I Were Young, Maggie," which became one of the most popular ballads in North America, was published in Indianapolis, Ind., by James A. Butterfield. The song was based on a poem written by G.W.

Today in History for May 24: In 1543, astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus died in Frombork, Poland. He proposed the heliocentric, or sun-centred, system whereby the planets orbit around the sun. He was born Feb. 19, 1473, in Torum, Poland.

Today in History for May 20: In 325, the first Christian ecumenical council opened at Nicea in Asia Minor. The doctrine of Jesus Christ's divinity was formally affirmed for the first time by the council.

Today in Music History for May 24: In 1859, the song "Ave Maria," featuring a melody by French composer Charles Gounod superimposed on a theme from Bach's "Well-Tempered Clavier," was first performed in Paris by opera singer Marie Caroline Miolan-Car

Today in History for May 18: In 1096, the Jews of Worms, in present-day Germany, were massacred by Christian Crusaders on their way to the Holy Land.

Today in Music History for May 23: In 1889, Mary Susanne Edgar, a Canadian YWCA leader who wrote a number of hymns during her years of leading a Christian camping ministry with girls, was born.

Celebrity Birthdays for May 9: Actor-writer Alan Bennett is 91. Guitarist Sonny Curtis of Buddy Holly and The Crickets is 88. Composer Bruce Mather is 86. Producer-director James L. Brooks is 85.

Today in Music History for May 9: In 1909, fiddler Don Messer, Canada's foremost exponent of old-time music, was born in Tweedside, N.B. "Don Messer and His Islanders" were a fixture on Canadian radio and television for more than 30 years.