Alexander Fleming vs Duke Ellington
Two music prodigies, compared on what is actually documented: field, era, country and record. No invented numbers.
The record, side by side
| Alexander Fleming | Duke Ellington | |
| Field | Music | Music |
| Sub-field | Musician | Composer |
| Born | 1881 | 1899 |
| Died | 1955 | 1974 |
| Country of birth | SCT | United States |
| Star sign | Leo | Taurus |
Who they are
Alexander Fleming
In September 1928, a Scottish bacteriologist returned from his summer holiday to a cluttered laboratory at St Mary's Hospital in London, and noticed something unusual on a petri dish he had left behind. A mould had contaminated one of his cultures of Staphylococcus bacteria — and around the mould, the bacteria were dead. Alexander Fleming did not immediately grasp that he had just made the most important medical discovery of the twentieth century. But he was curious enough to look more carefully, and careful enough not to throw the dish away. That decision would eventually…
Full biography of Alexander Fleming →
Duke Ellington
Edward Kennedy Ellington was born on April 29, 1899, in Washington, D.C., into a middle-class family that prized dignity and elegance. His mother, Daisy Kennedy Ellington, was a pianist who gave him his first music lessons. His stylish bearing in youth earned him the nickname "Duke" from a friend who felt the young Edward carried himself with the air of aristocracy — a name that would prove prophetic. He began serious piano study at age seven, fell away from it during adolescence, then returned with furious dedication in his teens, playing in local Washington venues…
Full biography of Duke Ellington →
What they share
- Both are held here under Music.
- Their lifetimes overlap.
Where they part
- Born in different countries: SCT and United States.
- 18 years separate their births (1881 and 1899).
Questions people ask
- Who came first, Alexander Fleming or Duke Ellington?
- Alexander Fleming. Alexander Fleming was born in 1881, Duke Ellington in 1899.
- What field is each of them in?
- Alexander Fleming is filed under Music (Musician). Duke Ellington is filed under Music (Composer).
- Were they contemporaries?
- Yes - their lifetimes overlap.