Today in Music History for Aug. 25:

In 1817, Joseph Mohr began serving as pastor of St. Nicholas Church in Oberndorf, Austria. On Christmas Eve 1818, Mohr and church organist Franz Gruber together produced the enduring Christmas carol, "Stille Nacht (Silent Night.)"

In 1916, violinist and conductor Ethel Stark was born in Montreal. She became the first Canadian woman to perform as a soloist on a U.S. network radio show. Stark founded the Montreal Women's Symphony Orchestra in 1940, conducting it until the late '60s. It was the first Canadian symphony orchestra composed entirely of women. She died Feb. 16, 2012.

In 1918, conductor-composer Leonard Bernstein was born in Lawrence, Mass. He conducted nearly every major symphony orchestra in the world, and from 1958-69 was musical director o

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