Denis Stevens
Encyclopedia
Denis William Stevens CBE
(2 March 1922 – 1 April 2004) was a British musicologist
specialising in early music
, conductor, professor of music
and radio producer.
He was born in High Wycombe
and attended the Royal Grammar School
there, from where he won a scholarship to read modern languages at Jesus College, Oxford
in 1940. From 1942 to 1946, he served as a cryptanalyst in India
and Burma. After war he returned to Oxford to complete his degree. From 1949 to 1954, he was a producer at the BBC
Third Programme.
Stevens completed the task of producing the Supplementary Volume to the 5th edition of Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians
, which Eric Blom
had not been able to complete by the time of his death in 1959. The Supplementary Volume was published in 1961. He also contributed to The Stereo Record Guide
through 1968.
From 1964 to 1976 he was professor of musicology at Columbia University
, New York
. In 1995 he was appointed as visiting professor at Goldsmiths College
, London
, the institution which now houses his extensive Monteverdi
library.
He was best known for his work on early baroque
Italian composers, especially Claudio Monteverdi
, and for his pioneering concerts and recordings with the Accademia Monteverdiana, which he founded.
He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire
(CBE) in 1984.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(2 March 1922 – 1 April 2004) was a British musicologist
Musicology
Musicology is the scholarly study of music. The word is used in narrow, broad and intermediate senses. In the narrow sense, musicology is confined to the music history of Western culture...
specialising in early music
Early music
Early music is generally understood as comprising all music from the earliest times up to the Renaissance. However, today this term has come to include "any music for which a historically appropriate style of performance must be reconstructed on the basis of surviving scores, treatises,...
, conductor, professor of music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
and radio producer.
He was born in High Wycombe
High Wycombe
High Wycombe , commonly known as Wycombe and formally called Chepping Wycombe or Chipping Wycombe until 1946,is a large town in Buckinghamshire, England. It is west-north-west of Charing Cross in London; this figure is engraved on the Corn Market building in the centre of the town...
and attended the Royal Grammar School
Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe
See Royal Grammar School for the other schools with the name RGS.The Royal Grammar School High Wycombe is a selective grammar school situated in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England. As a state school it does not charge fees for students to attend, but they must pass an entrance exam...
there, from where he won a scholarship to read modern languages at Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College is one of the colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship Street, Cornmarket Street and Market Street...
in 1940. From 1942 to 1946, he served as a cryptanalyst in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and Burma. After war he returned to Oxford to complete his degree. From 1949 to 1954, he was a producer at the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Third Programme.
Stevens completed the task of producing the Supplementary Volume to the 5th edition of Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians
Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians
The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians is an encyclopedic dictionary of music and musicians. Along with the German-language Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart, it is the largest single reference work on Western music. The dictionary has gone through several editions since the 19th century...
, which Eric Blom
Eric Blom
Eric Walter Blom CBE was a Swiss-born British-naturalised music lexicographer, musicologist, music critic, music biographer and translator. He is best known as the editor of the 5th edition of Grove’s Dictionary of Music and Musicians .-Biography:Blom was born in Berne, Switzerland...
had not been able to complete by the time of his death in 1959. The Supplementary Volume was published in 1961. He also contributed to The Stereo Record Guide
The Stereo Record Guide
The Stereo Record Guide is a series of nine classical discographies published by the Long Playing Record Library in Blackpool from 1960-1974.When volume 1 was published in the fall of 1960, the majority of classical records issued were monaural. The authors were totally supportive of the new...
through 1968.
From 1964 to 1976 he was professor of musicology at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. In 1995 he was appointed as visiting professor at Goldsmiths College
Goldsmiths College
Goldsmiths, University of London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom which specialises in the arts, humanities and social sciences, and a constituent college of the federal University of London. It was founded in 1891 as Goldsmiths' Technical and Recreative Institute...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, the institution which now houses his extensive Monteverdi
Claudio Monteverdi
Claudio Giovanni Antonio Monteverdi – 29 November 1643) was an Italian composer, gambist, and singer.Monteverdi's work, often regarded as revolutionary, marked the transition from the Renaissance style of music to that of the Baroque period. He developed two individual styles of composition – the...
library.
He was best known for his work on early baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
Italian composers, especially Claudio Monteverdi
Claudio Monteverdi
Claudio Giovanni Antonio Monteverdi – 29 November 1643) was an Italian composer, gambist, and singer.Monteverdi's work, often regarded as revolutionary, marked the transition from the Renaissance style of music to that of the Baroque period. He developed two individual styles of composition – the...
, and for his pioneering concerts and recordings with the Accademia Monteverdiana, which he founded.
He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(CBE) in 1984.