Tchaikovsky (song) Stanisław Moniuszko, Witold Maliszewski and Leopold Godowsky are actually Polish, not Russian, but all three were born in what was then part of the Russian Empire. Ira Gershwin began his career writing lyrics for his brother George Gershwin. Ira, the more self-effacing of the Gershwin brothers, was concerned that music publishers might think that George had chosen him as lyricist on the basis of nepotism rather than talent, so Ira originally chose to write lyrics under the pseudonym "Arthur Francis" (derived from the names of his other brother Arthur and his sister Frances). The song was originally a nonsense poem
George Capel-Coningsby, 5th Earl of Essex George Capel-Coningsby, 5th Earl of Essex George Capel-Coningsby, 5th Earl of Essex FSA (13 November 1757 – 23 April 1839) was an English aristocrat and politician, and styled Viscount Malden until 1799. His surname was Capell until 1781. George Capell was the son and heir of William Anne Capell, 4th Earl of Essex (1732–1799), from his first marriage to Frances Williams. He was also the elder half-brother of Thomas Bladen Capel, Captain (later Admiral) in the Royal Navy and one of Horatio Nelson's "Band of Brothers". George Capell was educated at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, receiving his MA in 1777.