Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Lang Lang

(Encyclopedia)Lang Lang, 1982–, Chinese virtuoso pianist. A child prodigy, he studied at the Central Music Conservatory, Beijing, and the Curtis Institute, Philadelphia. Noted for the romantic, emotive nature of ...

symphonic poem

(Encyclopedia)symphonic poem, type of orchestral composition created by Liszt, also called tone poem. Discarding classical principles of form, it begins with a poetic or other literary inspiration. Although it is u...

Peter, epistles of the New Testament

(Encyclopedia)Peter, two letters of the New Testament, classified among the Catholic (or General) Epistles. Each opens with a statement of authorship by the apostle St. Peter. First Peter, the longer book, is addre...

Lefort, François

(Encyclopedia)Lefort, François fräNswäˈ ləfôrˈ [key], 1656–99, Swiss soldier of fortune in Russian service, b. Geneva. He was one of the early boon companions of Peter I (Peter the Great) and remained Pete...

Hoffmann, Ernst Theodor Amadeus

(Encyclopedia)Hoffmann, Ernst Theodor Amadeus ĕrnst tāˈōdōr ämädāˈo͝os hôfˈmän [key], 1776–1822, German romantic novelist and composer, a lawyer. At one time an opera composer and musical director at...

Alexis, Russian czarevich

(Encyclopedia)Alexis (Aleksey Petrovich) əlyĭksyāˈ pētrôˈvĭch [key], 1690–1718, Russian czarevich; son of Peter I (Peter the Great) by his first wife, and father of Peter II. Opposing his father's anticle...

Catherine I

(Encyclopedia)Catherine I, 1683?–1727, czarina of Russia (1725–27). Of Livonian peasant origin, Martha Skavronskaya was a domestic when she was captured (1702) by Russian soldiers. As mistress of Aleksandr D. M...

Voigt, Deborah Joy

(Encyclopedia)Voigt, Deborah Joy voit [key], 1960–, American dramatic soprano, b. Des Plaines, Ill., grad. California Staate Univ., Fullerton (1978). She is particularly known for her performances in the operas o...

Menshikov, Aleksandr Danilovich, Prince

(Encyclopedia)Menshikov, Aleksandr Danilovich, Prince əlyĭksänˈdər dənyēˈləvĭch mĕnˈshĭkəf [key], 1672?–1729, Russian field marshal and statesman. Of lowly origin, he became an intimate companion of...

Gordon, Patrick

(Encyclopedia)Gordon, Patrick, 1635–99, Scottish soldier of fortune and Russian general, b. Scotland. After serving alternately on both sides in the war between Sweden and Poland (1655–60), he entered the Russi...