Wikipedia's first sentence called it “important cellist and composer of music for cello in 18th century england”. Today it says “anglo-italian jewish musician”. The one-line description Wikipedia serves to search engines and AI systems read “Giaccobe Cervetto (1680-1783): portrait by Johan Zoffany , c. 1780”. It now reads “Italian composer active in England Giaccobe Cervetto (1682-1783): portrait by Johan Zoffany , c. 1780”.
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Machine-checked against the full current article on 2026-08-03.
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The opening as it read in 2020
Giacobbe Basevi , known as Giacobbe Cervetto , (1680 – 14 January 1783) was an Anglo-Italian musician of Jewish descent, who was an important classical cellist and composer of Baroque music for cello in 18th century England , where he arrived in 1728. He became solo cellist at the Drury Lane Theatre , where the musician and music historian Charles Burney met him when he joined the theatre's orchestra in the season of 1744/45. He reported that Cervetto had "brought the violoncello into favour, and made us nice judges of that instrument." According to the Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani , little is known about his early life but he is thought to have been born in northern Italy. Burney referred to him as "a Venetian". The Palgrave Dictionary of Anglo-Jewish History states his birthplace as Verona . His son James Cervetto (1747–1837) was a cellist and composer for his instrument.1 New Grove Dictionary of Musicians . The Early Journals and Letters of Fanny Burney , vol.2
This is Wikipedia's own text, saved in our repository. Their copy of it is revision 933422191.
The opening as it stood in 2010
Giacobbe Cervetto (1682 – 14 January 1783) was an important cellist and composer of music for cello in 18th century England . Giacobbe Bassevi il Cervetto was born into a Jewish family in Livorno in 1682. He moved to London in 1739 and was a leading musical figure there for decades, an excellent cellist, and a dealer in musical instruments and strings. He was a regular in Handel 's orchestra. His son, James Cervetto , was also a noted cellist. Giacobbe eventually converted to Anglicanism . His extant works include solos, duos and trios for multiple cellos with basso continuo .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 357993380.
The opening as it stood in 2015 6 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear
Giacobbe Cervetto (1682 – 14 January 1783) was an Anglo-Italian musician who was an important classical cellist and composer of Baroque music for cello in 18th century England .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 660037967.
The opening as it stood on October 6, 2023 6 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear
Giaccobe Cervetto (1680-1783): portrait by Johan Zoffany , c. 1780 Giacobbe Basevi , known as Giacobbe Cervetto (1680 – 14 January 1783) was an Anglo-Italian Jewish musician, who was a leading cellist and composer for cello in 18th century England . New Grove Dictionary of Musicians .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1144447146.
The opening as it stood in 2025
Italian composer active in England Giaccobe Cervetto (1682-1783): portrait by Johan Zoffany , c. 1780 Giacobbe Basevi , known as Giacobbe Cervetto (1682 – 14 January 1783) was an Anglo-Italian Jewish musician, who was a leading cellist and composer for cello in 18th century England . New Grove Dictionary of Musicians .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1292544366. This is our newest snapshot; the live article may have moved again since.
Today
Wikipedia's first sentence called it “important cellist and composer of music for cello in 18th century england”. Today it says “anglo-italian jewish musician”. The one-line description Wikipedia serves to search engines and AI systems read “Giaccobe Cervetto (1680-1783): portrait by Johan Zoffany , c. 1780”. It now reads “Italian composer active in England Giaccobe Cervetto (1682-1783): portrait by Johan Zoffany , c. 1780”. Read the current article and compare.
2010
2015
2020
Oct '23
2025
Counts in the opening at each snapshot. Green: the word gained ground. Red: it was cut. Grey: no change.
What Wikipedia says this is
Every article opens by defining its subject. This one was redefined since 2010, and today's defining sentence is their current revision.
Then
important cellist and composer of music for cello in 18th century england
Now
anglo-italian jewish musician
Struck red text is no longer in the article; dotted amber text was rewritten. Every revision id links to Wikipedia's copy; the text shown is our own saved copy. Data: /data. Wikipedia text is CC BY-SA; quoted for the record; not affiliated with Wikipedia.
