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John Stafford Smith
British composer (1750–1836) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
John Stafford Smith (bapt. 30 March 1750 – 21 September 1836) was a British composer, church organist, and early musicologist. He was one of the first serious collectors of manuscripts of works by Johann Sebastian Bach.
Quick Facts Born, Baptized ...
John Stafford Smith | |
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![]() Portrait of Smith after William Behnes, 1822 | |
Born | Gloucester, England |
Baptized | (1750-03-30)30 March 1750 |
Died | 21 September 1836(1836-09-21) (aged 86) London, England |
Occupations |
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Known for | Composed "The Anacreontic Song", later adopted as the tune of the national anthem of the United States |
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Smith is best known for writing the music for "The Anacreontic Song", which became the tune for the American patriotic song "The Star-Spangled Banner" following the War of 1812, and in 1931 was adopted as the national anthem of the United States.