Elizabeth de la Porte
Encyclopedia
Elizabeth de la Porte is a harpsichordist. During her performing career she made many public appearances, in the UK, continental Europe (Vienna, Geneva etc.), and her native South Africa. She was acclaimed for a wide-ranging repertoire that included Böhm
, Rameau, Francois Couperin
, Scarlatti
and Handel
, but she was praised above all for her playing of J S Bach and his six Partitas for solo harpsichord. At her debut in March 1972 she was hailed by the Daily Telegraph as "A mind that both contemplates and acts on intimate stylistic knowledge." Her Bach recording for Saga was reviewed in Records & Recording by John Duarte (March 1976) who wrote, "It is in the Partita in B minor that her playing reaches the proportions of grandeur. There is much to admire in de la Porte's playing, but above all its through line and motivation; she plays as a good orator speaks, and it would be a poor student who could not add to a score the long phrasing marks implied by these performances. It is not just that she sees the end of long phrases and sections from their outset; she carries you in one sweep from beginning to end; it's the wholeness of the music that she communicates, and the joy of it."
Elizabeth de la Porte was born at Johannesburg
in South Africa on 15 September 1941, the daughter of William James Tomlinson and his wife, the singer Betsy de la Porte. For her schooling she attended Kingsmead College
in Johannesburg. For her piano studies she went to Adolph Hallis, and for Bach and for theory to Stefan Zondagh. She was in her mid-teens when she played the Tchaikovsky First Piano Concerto for a South African Radio Broadcast; however her strongest affinities always lay with J S Bach. When she won the University of South Africa’s Overseas Scholarship it was for her piano performance of Bach’s C minor Partita.
This scholarship led to three years at Vienna (the Vienna Academy) where her principal teachers were Josef Dichler and Hilde Langer-Rühl. In Vienna she became properly acquainted with the harpsichord and the influence of Nikolaus Harnoncourt
who was currently establishing the Concentus Musicus Wien
. She went on to the Royal College of Music
London where her teachers included Kendall Taylor (piano) and Thornton Lofthouse (harpsichord). She now resolved to concentrate on the harpsichord, and she extended her studies further with Jane Clark and Rafael Puyana
.
She made her harpsichord debut at the Purcell Room
in London (February 1972), going on to perform all Bach’s French Suites at a special series at St. John’s Smith Square in London, and managing something remarkable for the 1970s with an all Couperin recital that sold out the Purcell Room. She made several appearances on BBC Television, and her first record (Vinyl-disc) was the “Elizabeth de la Porte Collection” for Ted Perry, then at Saga Records. He and Saga also issued her famous record of Bach’s Italian Concerto and French Overture (B minor Partita), together with the Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue. Her set of the six Partitas were subsequently put out by Ted Perry after he had gone on to found Hyperion
. Stanley Sadie, Editor in Chief of the New Grove, described this in Gramophone (April 1983) as "A very fine recording of the harpsichord partitas by Elizabeth de la Porte, which shows the breadth of range of these supreme examples of the Baroque harpsichord suite." All these Bach recordings of works by Johann Sebastian Bach
have recently been re-released by London Independent Records, now London Independent Classics, director Jan Hart.
Health difficulties resulted in her early retirement from public performance, but in July 2003 she made a rare return, joining her son and his Baroque Group Extraordinaire for Bach’s C major Two-Harpsichord Concerto at St Sepulchre’s Church in the City of London. She now concentrates on her teaching at the London Royal College of Music Juniors, which she finds particularly rewarding, and at St Edmund’s and the Junior King’s School, both at Canterbury. She married Dr Paul Dawson-Bowling in 1966, and they have three children. She lives with her husband at Faversham in East Kent.
Böhm
Böhm is a German surname, meaning Bohemian.It may refer to:* Carl Crack * Annett Böhm, German judoka* Corbinian Böhm, German artist* Corrado Böhm, Italian computer scientist* Eduard von Böhm-Ermolli, Austrian general of World War I...
, Rameau, Francois Couperin
François Couperin
François Couperin was a French Baroque composer, organist and harpsichordist. He was known as Couperin le Grand to distinguish him from other members of the musically talented Couperin family.-Life:Couperin was born in Paris...
, Scarlatti
Scarlatti
Scarlatti was the name of several Italian composers:*Alessandro Scarlatti , Baroque composer known for operas and chamber cantatas*Francesco Scarlatti , Baroque composer and musician, brother of Alessandro Scarlatti...
and Handel
HANDEL
HANDEL was the code-name for the UK's National Attack Warning System in the Cold War. It consisted of a small console consisting of two microphones, lights and gauges. The reason behind this was to provide a back-up if anything failed....
, but she was praised above all for her playing of J S Bach and his six Partitas for solo harpsichord. At her debut in March 1972 she was hailed by the Daily Telegraph as "A mind that both contemplates and acts on intimate stylistic knowledge." Her Bach recording for Saga was reviewed in Records & Recording by John Duarte (March 1976) who wrote, "It is in the Partita in B minor that her playing reaches the proportions of grandeur. There is much to admire in de la Porte's playing, but above all its through line and motivation; she plays as a good orator speaks, and it would be a poor student who could not add to a score the long phrasing marks implied by these performances. It is not just that she sees the end of long phrases and sections from their outset; she carries you in one sweep from beginning to end; it's the wholeness of the music that she communicates, and the joy of it."
Elizabeth de la Porte was born at Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
in South Africa on 15 September 1941, the daughter of William James Tomlinson and his wife, the singer Betsy de la Porte. For her schooling she attended Kingsmead College
Kingsmead College
Kingsmead College is a private girls' elementary and high school situated in Melrose, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa.-History:The school was founded by Miss Doris V...
in Johannesburg. For her piano studies she went to Adolph Hallis, and for Bach and for theory to Stefan Zondagh. She was in her mid-teens when she played the Tchaikovsky First Piano Concerto for a South African Radio Broadcast; however her strongest affinities always lay with J S Bach. When she won the University of South Africa’s Overseas Scholarship it was for her piano performance of Bach’s C minor Partita.
This scholarship led to three years at Vienna (the Vienna Academy) where her principal teachers were Josef Dichler and Hilde Langer-Rühl. In Vienna she became properly acquainted with the harpsichord and the influence of Nikolaus Harnoncourt
Nikolaus Harnoncourt
Nikolaus Harnoncourt is an Austrian conductor, particularly known for his historically informed performances of music from the Classical era and earlier. Starting out as a classical cellist, he founded his own period instrument ensemble in the 1950s, and became a pioneer of the Early Music movement...
who was currently establishing the Concentus Musicus Wien
Concentus Musicus Wien
Concentus Musicus Wien is a baroque music ensemble founded by Nikolaus and Alice Harnoncourt in 1953. It generated the now well-established movement in performance and recordings to play early music on period instruments....
. She went on to the Royal College of Music
Royal College of Music
The Royal College of Music is a conservatoire founded by Royal Charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, England.-Background:The first director was Sir George Grove and he was followed by Sir Hubert Parry...
London where her teachers included Kendall Taylor (piano) and Thornton Lofthouse (harpsichord). She now resolved to concentrate on the harpsichord, and she extended her studies further with Jane Clark and Rafael Puyana
Rafael Puyana
Rafael Puyana Michelsen is a Colombian harpsichordist.Puyana began piano lessons at age 6 with his aunt and at age 13 made his debut at the Teatro Colón in Bogotá. When he was 16, he went to Boston to continue his piano studies at the New England Conservatory...
.
She made her harpsichord debut at the Purcell Room
Purcell Room
The Purcell Room is a concert and performance venue which forms part of the Southbank Centre, one of central London's leading cultural complexes. It is named after the 17th century English composer Henry Purcell and has 370 seats....
in London (February 1972), going on to perform all Bach’s French Suites at a special series at St. John’s Smith Square in London, and managing something remarkable for the 1970s with an all Couperin recital that sold out the Purcell Room. She made several appearances on BBC Television, and her first record (Vinyl-disc) was the “Elizabeth de la Porte Collection” for Ted Perry, then at Saga Records. He and Saga also issued her famous record of Bach’s Italian Concerto and French Overture (B minor Partita), together with the Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue. Her set of the six Partitas were subsequently put out by Ted Perry after he had gone on to found Hyperion
Hyperion Records
Hyperion Records is an independent British classical record label.-History:The company was named after Hyperion, one of the Titans of Greek mythology. It was founded by George Edward Perry, widely known as "Ted", in 1980. Early LP releases included rarely recorded 20th century British music by...
. Stanley Sadie, Editor in Chief of the New Grove, described this in Gramophone (April 1983) as "A very fine recording of the harpsichord partitas by Elizabeth de la Porte, which shows the breadth of range of these supreme examples of the Baroque harpsichord suite." All these Bach recordings of works by Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
have recently been re-released by London Independent Records, now London Independent Classics, director Jan Hart.
Health difficulties resulted in her early retirement from public performance, but in July 2003 she made a rare return, joining her son and his Baroque Group Extraordinaire for Bach’s C major Two-Harpsichord Concerto at St Sepulchre’s Church in the City of London. She now concentrates on her teaching at the London Royal College of Music Juniors, which she finds particularly rewarding, and at St Edmund’s and the Junior King’s School, both at Canterbury. She married Dr Paul Dawson-Bowling in 1966, and they have three children. She lives with her husband at Faversham in East Kent.