Music History for
March 23




1743 - Handel's Messiah was performed for the first time in London.

1750 - Composer Johann Matthias Sperger was born.

1792 - Joseph Haydn's Symphony No. 94 in G Major (the "Surprise Symphony") was performed publicly for the first time, in London.

1878 - Composer Franz Schreker was born.

1896 - Umberto Giordano's opera "Andrea Chenier," premiered in Milan, Italy.

1961 - Elvis Presley recorded "Can't Help Falling in Love."

1963 - The Beach Boys released "Surfin' U.S.A."

1964 - John Lennon's first book, "In His Own Write" was published.

1969 - Anita Bryant and the Letterman appeared at a "Rally For Decency" in Miami following Jim Morrison's indecent exposure onstage there.

1973 - Yoko Ono was granted permission to live in the U.S. permanently.

1978 - The Police signed with A&M Records.

1985 - Billy Joel and Christy Brinkley were married in New York. They were divorced in 1994.

1985 - Julian Lennon held his first concert in San Antonio, TX.

1987 - The Soul Train Music Awards debuted. It was the first televised awards ceremony to pay exclusive homage to black producers, songwriters and recording artists in the music industry.

1988 - Mick Jagger made his first solo appearance on stage in Japan.

1999 - Michael Jackson announced that he would donate the proceeds from his next two concerts to the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund and the Red Cross.

1999 - Pope John Paul II's "Abba Pater" was released. The 11 tracks chanting and praying with musical accompaniment.

1999 - In Gibraltar, a set of postage stamps was released commemorating what would have been the 30th wedding anniversary of Yoko Ono and John Lennon.