Eugène Arnold Dolmetsch (24 February 1858 – 28 February 1940), was a French-born musician and instrument maker who spent much of his working life in England and established an instrument-making workshop in Haslemere, Surrey. He was a leading figure in the 20th-century revival of interest in early music.
The Dolmetsch family was originally of Bohemian origin, but (Eugène) Arnold Dolmetsch, the son of Rudolph Arnold Dolmetsch and his wife Marie Zélie (née Guillouard) was born at Le Mans, France, where the family had established a piano-making business. It was in the family's workshops that Dolmetsch acquired the skills of instrument-making that would later be put to use in his early music workshops.
A harpsichord spinet with Arnold Dolmetsch's inscription, in the studio of Swiss luthier, Claude LebetInstruments built and restored by Dolmetsch in the Horniman museum, London, UK.
Dolmetsch was employed for a short time as a music teacher at Dulwich College, but his interest in early instruments was awakened by seeing the collections of historic instruments in the British Museum. After constructing his first reproduction of a lute in 1893, he began building keyboard instruments. William Morris encouraged him to build his first harpsichord. In 1900, he conducted the orchestra at Carpenter’s Hall playing 17th century instruments in a revival of the First Quarto version of Hamlet by the Elizabethan Stage Society.[1] He left England to build clavichords and harpsichords for Chickering of Boston (1905–1911), then for Gaveau of Paris (1911–1914).
During Dolmetsch's time at Chickering, he resided in a house in Cambridge, Massachusetts, partially of his own design, with the aid of architects Luquer and Godfrey.[2] It was through Dolmetsch's work in Cambridge that a wealthy benefactress, Miss Belle Skinner, was able to restore a number of rare instruments, including a spinet owned by Marie Antoinette, which today comprise the founding collection of Yale'sCollection of Musical Instruments.[3]
He went on to establish an instrument-making workshop in Haslemere, Surrey, and proceeded to build copies of almost every kind of instrument dating from the 15th to 18th centuries, including viols, lutes, recorders and a range of keyboard instruments. His 1915 book The Interpretation of the Music of the XVIIth and XVIIIth Centuries was a milestone in the development of 'authentic performances' of early music.
In 1925 he founded an annual chamber music festival, the International Dolmetsch Early Music Festival, which is held every July at Haslemere in the Haslemere Hall.
He was responsible for rediscovering the school of English composers for viol consort (including John Jenkins and William Lawes), leading to Sir Henry Hadow's tribute that Dolmetsch had "opened the door to a forgotten treasure-house of beauty". He was also largely responsible for the revival of the recorder, both as a serious concert instrument, and as an instrument which made early music accessible to amateur performers. He went on to promote the recorder as an instrument for teaching music in schools.
In 1937 he received a British Civil list pension and in 1938 he was created a chevalier of the Légion d'honneur by the French government.
Dolmetsch familyEdit
Arnold Dolmetsch and his family: c.1928 Back row: Leslie Ward (Ceciles husband), Carl, Rudolph, Millicent Wheaton–Dolmetsch, George Carley. Front row: Mabel, Nathalie Dolmetsch–Carley, Arnold, Cécile Dolmetsch-Ward, Christopher Ward - Arnold and Mabel Dolmetsch's family outside Jesses
Arnold Dolmetsch was married three times. On 28 May 1878 he married Marie Morel of Namur, Belgium (a widow, ten years his senior) but was divorced in 1898. His second wife, to whom he was married on 11 September 1899, in Zürich, was Elodie Désirée, the divorced wife of his brother. This marriage ended in divorce in 1903. Thirdly, he was married on 23 September 1903 to Mabel Johnston, one of his pupils.
Dolmetsch encouraged the members of his family to learn the skills of instrument-making and musicianship and the family frequently appeared together in concerts, playing instruments constructed in the Dolmetsch workshops. Following the death of Arnold Dolmetsch at Haslemere in 1940, his family continued to promote the building and playing of early instruments.
Mabel Dolmetsch (1874-1963), his third wife, was a noted player of the bass viol. She wrote "Dances of England and France 1450 - 1600" which includes tunes set by Arnold Dolmetsch.
Nathalie Dolmetsch (31 July 1905 – 14 Feb 1989),[4] his daughter, was born in Chicago to Dolmetsch and his wife Mabel. Nathalie continued her mother's tradition of early dancing and specialised in playing the viola de gamba. She founded the Viola da Gamba Society in 1948 and edited music and wrote on the viols.[5]: 298 Her publications include Twelve Lessons on the Viola da Gamba, with Advice by Christopher Simpson (1659), Thomas Mace (1676), Marin Marais (1686), Jean Rousseau (1687), and Hubert Le Blanc (1740) (Schott & Co., London, 1950), and The Viola da Gamba: its Origin and History, its Technique and Musical Resources (Hinrichsen, London, 1962, Hinrichsen No. 759).[6]
Rudolph Dolmetsch (1906-1942), his son, was a gifted keyboard player, gamba player, and composer, who died in the sinking of the SS Ceramic in 1942. His Concerto for clarinet, harp and orchestra (1939) was revived and recorded in 2020.[7]
Carl Dolmetsch (1911-1997), his son, was a noted recorder player and took over his father's instrument-making business.
John Challis (harpsichord), apprentice of Dolmetsch whose instruments gradually incorporated modern mechanics with traditional construction
ReferencesEdit
^"Summary of News - Domestic". The Manchester Guardian. 3 February 1900. p. 9.
^Blood, Brian. . Dolmetsch Online. Dolmetsch Organization. Archived from the original on 2 June 2019.
^Fanny Reed Hammond (1958). The Belle Skinner Collection of Old Musical Instruments (LP). Holyoke, Mass.: Privately pressed. Event occurs at 6:16 (Track 1, Side A). OCLC 79919027. Miss Skinner was fortunate in having close at hand, in our Cambridge, the foremost genius of the century, in making and restoring old musical instruments, Arnold Dolmetsch. Who, with his gifted family, lived over here during the First World War.
^Campbell, Margaret (2001). "Dolmetsch family". Grove Music online. doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.07949. ISBN9781561592630. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
^Campbell, Margaret (1975). Dolmetsch: The Man and His Work. London: Hamilton. ISBN978-0-241-89176-6. Retrieved 4 December 2020 – via The Internet Archive.
^"Search Results for author: dolmetsch, nathalie". Library Hub Discover. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
^Rediscovered: British Clarinet Concertos, Signum Classics SIGCD656 (2020)
H. C. G. Matthews and Brian Harrison (editors): The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004. ISBN0-19-861366-0
arnold, dolmetsch, eugène, february, 1858, february, 1940, french, born, musician, instrument, maker, spent, much, working, life, england, established, instrument, making, workshop, haslemere, surrey, leading, figure, 20th, century, revival, interest, early, m. Eugene Arnold Dolmetsch 24 February 1858 28 February 1940 was a French born musician and instrument maker who spent much of his working life in England and established an instrument making workshop in Haslemere Surrey He was a leading figure in the 20th century revival of interest in early music Arnold DolmetschPortrait of Arnold Dolmetsch playing a recorder by Alvin Langdon Coburn 1916BornEugene Arnold Dolmetsch24 February 1858Le Mans FranceDied28 February 1940 1940 02 28 aged 82 Surrey EnglandAlma materRoyal College of MusicBrussels ConservatoireOccupationsMusicianinstrument makerSpousesMarie Morel m 1878 div 1898 wbr Elodie Desiree m 1899 div 1903 wbr Mabel Johnston m 1903 wbr Children4AwardsChevaliers of the Legion of Honour Contents 1 Early life 2 The early music revival 3 Dolmetsch family 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksEarly life EditThe Dolmetsch family was originally of Bohemian origin but Eugene Arnold Dolmetsch the son of Rudolph Arnold Dolmetsch and his wife Marie Zelie nee Guillouard was born at Le Mans France where the family had established a piano making business It was in the family s workshops that Dolmetsch acquired the skills of instrument making that would later be put to use in his early music workshops He studied music at the Brussels Conservatoire and learnt the violin with Henri Vieuxtemps In 1883 he travelled to London to attend the Royal College of Music where he studied under Henry Holmes and Frederick Bridge and was awarded a Bachelor of Music degree in 1889 The early music revival Edit nbsp A harpsichord spinet with Arnold Dolmetsch s inscription in the studio of Swiss luthier Claude Lebet nbsp Instruments built and restored by Dolmetsch in the Horniman museum London UK Dolmetsch was employed for a short time as a music teacher at Dulwich College but his interest in early instruments was awakened by seeing the collections of historic instruments in the British Museum After constructing his first reproduction of a lute in 1893 he began building keyboard instruments William Morris encouraged him to build his first harpsichord In 1900 he conducted the orchestra at Carpenter s Hall playing 17th century instruments in a revival of the First Quarto version of Hamlet by the Elizabethan Stage Society 1 He left England to build clavichords and harpsichords for Chickering of Boston 1905 1911 then for Gaveau of Paris 1911 1914 During Dolmetsch s time at Chickering he resided in a house in Cambridge Massachusetts partially of his own design with the aid of architects Luquer and Godfrey 2 It was through Dolmetsch s work in Cambridge that a wealthy benefactress Miss Belle Skinner was able to restore a number of rare instruments including a spinet owned by Marie Antoinette which today comprise the founding collection of Yale s Collection of Musical Instruments 3 He went on to establish an instrument making workshop in Haslemere Surrey and proceeded to build copies of almost every kind of instrument dating from the 15th to 18th centuries including viols lutes recorders and a range of keyboard instruments His 1915 book The Interpretation of the Music of the XVIIth and XVIIIth Centuries was a milestone in the development of authentic performances of early music In 1925 he founded an annual chamber music festival the International Dolmetsch Early Music Festival which is held every July at Haslemere in the Haslemere Hall Dolmetsch settled in Dulwich at Dowlands 172 Rosendale Road and was active in the cultural life of London His friends and admirers included William Morris Selwyn Image Roger Fry Gabriele D Annunzio George Bernard Shaw Marco Pallis Ezra Pound George Moore whose novel Evelyn Innes celebrates Dolmetsch s life and work and W B Yeats He was responsible for rediscovering the school of English composers for viol consort including John Jenkins and William Lawes leading to Sir Henry Hadow s tribute that Dolmetsch had opened the door to a forgotten treasure house of beauty He was also largely responsible for the revival of the recorder both as a serious concert instrument and as an instrument which made early music accessible to amateur performers He went on to promote the recorder as an instrument for teaching music in schools In 1937 he received a British Civil list pension and in 1938 he was created a chevalier of the Legion d honneur by the French government Dolmetsch family Edit nbsp Arnold Dolmetsch and his family c 1928 Back row Leslie Ward Ceciles husband Carl Rudolph Millicent Wheaton Dolmetsch George Carley Front row Mabel Nathalie Dolmetsch Carley Arnold Cecile Dolmetsch Ward Christopher Ward Arnold and Mabel Dolmetsch s family outside JessesArnold Dolmetsch was married three times On 28 May 1878 he married Marie Morel of Namur Belgium a widow ten years his senior but was divorced in 1898 His second wife to whom he was married on 11 September 1899 in Zurich was Elodie Desiree the divorced wife of his brother This marriage ended in divorce in 1903 Thirdly he was married on 23 September 1903 to Mabel Johnston one of his pupils Dolmetsch encouraged the members of his family to learn the skills of instrument making and musicianship and the family frequently appeared together in concerts playing instruments constructed in the Dolmetsch workshops Following the death of Arnold Dolmetsch at Haslemere in 1940 his family continued to promote the building and playing of early instruments Mabel Dolmetsch 1874 1963 his third wife was a noted player of the bass viol She wrote Dances of England and France 1450 1600 which includes tunes set by Arnold Dolmetsch Cecile Dolmetsch 1904 1997 his daughter was a soprano and specialist of the pardessus de viole Nathalie Dolmetsch 31 July 1905 14 Feb 1989 4 his daughter was born in Chicago to Dolmetsch and his wife Mabel Nathalie continued her mother s tradition of early dancing and specialised in playing the viola de gamba She founded the Viola da Gamba Society in 1948 and edited music and wrote on the viols 5 298 Her publications include Twelve Lessons on the Viola da Gamba with Advice by Christopher Simpson 1659 Thomas Mace 1676 Marin Marais 1686 Jean Rousseau 1687 and Hubert Le Blanc 1740 Schott amp Co London 1950 and The Viola da Gamba its Origin and History its Technique and Musical Resources Hinrichsen London 1962 Hinrichsen No 759 6 Rudolph Dolmetsch 1906 1942 his son was a gifted keyboard player gamba player and composer who died in the sinking of the SS Ceramic in 1942 His Concerto for clarinet harp and orchestra 1939 was revived and recorded in 2020 7 Carl Dolmetsch 1911 1997 his son was a noted recorder player and took over his father s instrument making business See also EditList of historical harpsichord makers John Challis harpsichord apprentice of Dolmetsch whose instruments gradually incorporated modern mechanics with traditional constructionReferences Edit Summary of News Domestic The Manchester Guardian 3 February 1900 p 9 Blood Brian The Dolmetsch Story Dolmetsch Online Dolmetsch Organization Archived from the original on 2 June 2019 Fanny Reed Hammond 1958 The Belle Skinner Collection of Old Musical Instruments LP Holyoke Mass Privately pressed Event occurs at 6 16 Track 1 Side A OCLC 79919027 Miss Skinner was fortunate in having close at hand in our Cambridge the foremost genius of the century in making and restoring old musical instruments Arnold Dolmetsch Who with his gifted family lived over here during the First World War Campbell Margaret 2001 Dolmetsch family Grove Music online doi 10 1093 gmo 9781561592630 article 07949 ISBN 9781561592630 Retrieved 4 December 2020 Campbell Margaret 1975 Dolmetsch The Man and His Work London Hamilton ISBN 978 0 241 89176 6 Retrieved 4 December 2020 via The Internet Archive Search Results for author dolmetsch nathalie Library Hub Discover Retrieved 4 December 2020 Rediscovered British Clarinet Concertos Signum Classics SIGCD656 2020 H C G Matthews and Brian Harrison editors The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Oxford University Press 2004 ISBN 0 19 861366 0 Percy Scholes The Oxford Companion to Music 10th edition Oxford University Press 1970External links EditThe Dolmetsch Story at dolmetsch online accessed 2 March 2005 The Dolmetsch Historical Dance Society founded 1970 in memory of Mabel Dolmetsch Jannis Wichmann Art Dolmetsch Familie in Lexikon Europaische Instrumentalistinnen des 18 und 19 Jahrhunderts hrsg von Freia Hoffmann 2013 2023 Free scores by Arnold Dolmetsch at the International Music Score Library Project IMSLP Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Arnold Dolmetsch amp oldid 1180785600, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
