Musical Interlude: I was today years old when I learned about Joseph Bologne (1745-1799). A biracial man, fathered by a white planter on an enslaved Creole woman, in the French colony of Guadaloupe, he was educated in France, where he flourished and became a noted violinist, composer, and conductor, becoming the first composer of African ancestry to win acclaim in the European classical music world. He's sometimes referred to as "the black Mozart" but that's kind of limiting, I think, and he deserves to be viewed in his own light.
He was also an expert fencer, a dashing swordsman, a soldier (winning the title "Chevalier de Saint-Georges") and apparently cut quite a dash amongst Parisian society ladies of the time. Quite a vivid character who deserves to be better known. Here's one of his compositions.
"Symphony Concertante for 2 Violins," composed by Joseph Bologne, performed by the Pilsen Philharmonic Orchestra.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qq5FHbGGJLk
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