This year Google is celebrating the Leap Year with the Google Doodle dedicated to Gioachino Rossini. Who is Gioachino Rossini many people will ask this year. This is what we here at 3D Car Shows love about the Google Doodles post on their front page from time to time. Each time Google changes the Google Logo to a Google Doodle we are either reminded about an important world event or about someone important in history.
Gioachino Rossini were born on the 29th February 1792 and died on the 13th November 1868 at the age of 77. Although he was only able to celebrate 19 birthdays on the day he was born. Leap year is an occurrence that happens every 4 years. Usually the month of February only has 28 days but every four years leap year, February has 29 days.
About Gioachino Rossini
Gioachino Rossini were born on the 29th of February in a leap year. Gioachino Rossini were born in a town called Pesaro in Italy. Before Gioachino Rossini became a famous Composer he was the son of a entrepreneur selling liquor and played music on street corners.
He’s father were known as the musician who have fallen asleep while standing. In 1700′s it were likely just as difficult to become a successful musician as it is today.
Gioachino Rossini parents began his musical carrer early. Both his father and his mother were very musical. His father was a horn player and his mother a singer. By the age of six Gioachino Rossini played the triangle in his father’s musical group.
For more information about Gioachino Rossini you may want to check out the Wikipedia Gioachino Rossini entry. We have used the Wikipedia article about Gioachino Rossini as a source for this article.
Gioacchino Rossini was a famous Italian composer best known for his operas – over 3 dozen in all. Among his most famous works is a comedy called Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville). One of the arias within this opera is Largo al factotum, and it was this piece which Michigan J. Frog sang to get his owner in trouble for disturbing the peace.
This was a popular piece among the people making LT&MM. Besides One Froggy Evening there were many other cartoons which used portions of the aria. To name a few: Rhapsody Rabbit, Long-Haired Hare, You Ought To Be In Pictures, Notes To You and Back Alley Oproar.
About Leap Year and Leap Year Traditions
Leap Year is also known as intercalary or bissextile year. Not only does February get 1 day extra on leap year, but the year also get’s one extra day. Normally February only has 28 days but in a leap year, February has 29 days. A year usually has 365 days but in a leap year the year have 366 days. Leap Year are always every fourth year. The 29th February is known as Leap Day.
Over the years many traditions have developed because of a Leap Year being an occurrence happening every fourth year.
Gioachino Rossini Google Doodle
On the 29th of February 2012 Google Celebrated the Birthday of Gioachino Rossini a famous music composer from the 17th Century. In the Cartoon Google depicts one of Gioachino Rossini most famous works. If you would like to view more Google Doodles celebrating important historical events, holidays and birthdays of famous people like Gioachino Rossini you may want to visit the Google Doodle library where you will be able to view all the Google Doodles in one place!
Leap Year Marriage Proposals:
The tradition of a woman proposing on Leap Year has originated in the British Isles. It has since become a tradition around the world making it acceptable for woman to propose on leap years. The tradition is said to have been started in 1288 by the Queen of Scotland. The original Leap Year Marriage Proposal legend has it that if a woman proposed to a man on leap year he was not allowed turning down the marriage proposal. If he turned down a marriage proposal on the 29th of February he would be subject to a fine or some sort of punishment.
In the United Kingdom if a Man refused a wedding proposal on Leap Year he would have been subject to the following punishments. A kiss, a One Pound fine or had to purchase the lady a silk gown. All this were done in good spirits to soften the embarrassment of getting all the courage to ask a man for his hand in marriage just to be turned down.
In Denmark when a woman proposed to a man and he did not accept her proposal the man were punished by having to purchase the woman 12 pairs of gloves.
In Greece the tradition of Marriage in a Leap year is considered unlucky. In Greece people will plan their weddings a year earlier or a year later to avoid marriage in a leap year. In Greece it is said that if you get married in a leap year the marriage will end in a divorce or that the couple will have bad fortune.
In Finland it is said that if a man refuse the hand of marriage to a woman who proposes on a leap year. He needs to buy her fabric for a skirt. All these Leap Year traditions are in good spirits. In today’s society a woman can ask a man for his hand in marriage at anytime. It is still more acceptable and romantic if it is done on the 29th of February in a leap year.
– Source Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leap_year
How do you celebrate your Birthday in a Leap Year?
If you are born in a leap year like Gioachino Rossini you are not spared aging and you will still age in years as normal people do. The only bad thing is that you would only be able to celebrate your true birth date every 4 years during a leap year. People who are born on the 29th of February are called leapers because they only celebrate their birthdays every four years.
Leaper’s usually celebrate their birthdays in non leap years on the 1st of March. In none leap years the day after the 28th is the 1st of March and using the logic that they were born the day after the 28th makes sense.
Related articles
- Google’s leap day, Gioachino Rossini b’day doodle (ibnlive.in.com)
- Frog Google-Doodle honors Gioachino Rossini/Leap Year (techie-buzz.com)
